What a TV costs to run in each state
The table assumes a 35 to 43 inch LED TV drawing 100 W for five hours a day.
| State | Rate | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| TasmaniaAurora Energy | 24.75c | $3.76 | $45 |
| QueenslandEnergex | 27.97c | $4.25 | $51 |
| Victoriaaverage of five networks | 28.2c | $4.29 | $51 |
| Northern TerritoryJacana Energy | 31.68c | $4.82 | $58 |
| New South WalesAusgrid | 33.14c | $5.04 | $60 |
| Western AustraliaSynergy | 33.26c | $5.06 | $61 |
| Australian Capital TerritoryEvoenergy network | 36.95c | $5.62 | $67 |
| South AustraliaSA Power Networks | 41.91c | $6.37 | $76 |
Running costs by screen size and type
| Type | Power | Cost an hour | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small LED TV, up to 35 inch | 60 W | 2c | $36 |
| Medium LED TV, 35 to 43 inch | 100 W | 3c | $60 |
| Large LED TV, 43 to 59 inch | 140 W | 5c | $85 |
| Older plasma TV | 300 W | 10c | $181 |
| Screen size | LED | LCD | Plasma |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 to 35 inches | 18-123 W | 21-144 W | n/a |
| 35 to 43 inches | 38-195 W | 53-253 W | 88-290 W |
| 43 to 59 inches | 52-255 W | 69-355 W | 94-399 W |
Picture settings and standby
Brightness is the biggest setting. Shop-floor or vivid modes push the backlight hard. Standard or eco modes, or an automatic brightness sensor, cut power use with little difference in a normal living room.
Use an eco or standard picture mode
Lower backlight settings use less power.
Turn on auto-off
Most TVs can switch themselves off after a period with no input.
Watch the extras
Soundbars, set-top boxes and consoles left in standby add up. The SA Government measured a pay TV set-top box at 15.8 W in passive standby.
Use a power board with a switch
Switching the whole entertainment unit off at one board removes standby from the TV and everything plugged in around it. See our standby power guide.
Questions about TV running costs
About 2c for a small LED TV and 5c for a large one on the Ausgrid reference rate. An older plasma drawing 300 W costs about 10c.
The SA Government lists 35 to 43 inch LED TVs at 38 W to 195 W and 43 to 59 inch LED TVs at 52 W to 255 W. The energy rating label shows the figure for a specific model.
A modern TV uses little on standby, around 3.5 W in the SA Government's figures, but set-top boxes, soundbars and consoles add more. Switching off at the wall removes it all.
Generally yes, but efficiency varies widely within each size. A well-rated large LED can use less than a poorly rated smaller one. Compare energy labels.
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.