What Christmas lights cost to run
| Display | Power | A night | The season |
|---|---|---|---|
| One LED string, 100 bulbs | about 7 W | 1c | $1 |
| Ten LED strings | about 70 W | 14c | $5 |
| Older incandescent string, 100 bulbs | about 40 W | 8c | $3 |
| Inflatable decoration with fan | about 150 W | 30c | $11 |
| Large front-yard display | about 1000 W | 199c | $74 |
To price your own display, add up the watts on each transformer or plug, then use our lighting running cost calculator with your hours.
Working out the cost of your own display
Find the watts
Each light string has its power in watts on the transformer, plug or box.
Add them up
Total the watts for everything plugged in, including inflatables and projectors.
Multiply by hours and nights
Watts divided by 1,000, times hours a night, times nights, gives kWh.
Multiply by your rate
Use the cents per kWh on your bill, or our rates by state page.
Lighting up for less
Use LED strings
LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen globes, according to energy.gov.au, and the difference over old incandescent strings is larger again.
Put the display on a timer
Lights from dusk to 11pm cover most visitors. Running them all night doubles the cost.
Try solar strings outside
Solar-powered strings cost nothing to run, though they are dimmer on cloudy days.
Deflate inflatables overnight
Their fans run the whole time they are up.
Outdoor safety
Use lights and power boards rated for outdoor use, keep connections off the ground and out of the weather, and do not overload power boards. Check strings for damaged cables before putting them up.
Questions about Christmas lights costs
A 100-bulb LED string drawing about 7 W costs around $1 for the whole season at six hours a night on the Ausgrid reference rate. Ten strings cost about $5.
Yes, much cheaper than old incandescent strings for the same number of bulbs, and they last longer.
More than lights. The fan runs all the time. A 150 W inflatable for six hours a night over 37 nights costs about $11 on the Ausgrid reference rate.
It is safer and cheaper to switch them off. A timer that turns the display off at bedtime avoids running it unattended all night and roughly halves the cost.
Yes, in most places through December. They cost nothing to run, though they are dimmer than mains lights and fade after cloudy days.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.