How much does an electric shower cost to run?
A typical electric shower costs about 29.8p per shower to run. At 14 showers a week that is £4.18 a week, or £217.16 a year, based on 8,500 W for 8 minutes (1.13 kWh) at 26.32p per kWh.
Adjust for your electric shower
Worked example
8,500 W is 8.5 kW. Running for 8 minutes (8 ÷ 60 ≈ 0.133 hours) uses 8.5 × 0.133 ≈ 1.13 kWh. At 26.32p per kWh that costs 29.8p.
Fourteen showers a week comes to £217.16 a year. Each minute costs 3.7p, so trimming one minute off every shower would save about £27.14 a year.
How to cut the cost
The only real lever is time under the water, because the heater runs at full power the whole time. A lower temperature setting, an aerated shower head and a timer in the bathroom all help. In summer you can often turn the temperature down a notch.
Questions
How much does an 8-minute electric shower cost?
At 8.5 kW each minute costs 3.7p, so an 8-minute shower costs 29.8p and uses 1.13 kWh.
Are electric showers expensive to run?
They turn nearly all their electricity into heat, but they use a lot of power while running. Compared with a mixer shower on a gas boiler, the fuel matters: gas is usually much cheaper per unit than electricity.
Other appliances
Electricity rate: Ofgem energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, Great Britain average, Direct Debit, default tariff: 26.32p per kWh. Your own tariff and region may differ, so change the rate above to match your bill. Appliance figures are typical estimates; your appliance's energy label or manual is more accurate. Last checked 2026-11-03. Next review: January 2027, when Ofgem announces the next quarter's cap.