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Monthly Electricity Cost of Running an Old Laptop for 24/7 YouTube Streaming in India

A 30-day month of continuous playback is 720 hours. Learn how to estimate laptop units and calculate the cost using your measured draw and local rate.

By VGSources Team 3 min read
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There is no single monthly rupee cost: it depends on the laptop’s average power draw at the wall and your household’s applicable electricity rate. For a 30-day month, 24/7 operation is 720 hours, so each average watt uses 0.72 kWh. An illustrative 20–60 W average works out to 14.4–43.2 kWh—not a measured range for every old laptop.

Estimate the monthly electricity use

Use the laptop’s average wall draw while YouTube is playing, rather than the maximum wattage printed on its charger:

Average watts × 720 hours ÷ 1,000 = monthly kWh (units)

The 720-hour assumption is a 30-day month running continuously. The conversion is arithmetic, not a laptop test. For example, the calculation below uses assumed average draws; your laptop may use more or less.

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Assumed average draw at the wall Energy in 30 days
20 W 14.4 kWh
40 W 28.8 kWh
60 W 43.2 kWh

These figures are scenarios, not measured results for a particular old laptop. A source’s Chandigarh illustration puts the energy-charge portion at about ₹40–₹233 for its assumptions and cited tariff schedule; that is neither a current nationwide bill estimate nor a current quote. See the calculation example for its context.

Convert units into your household’s cost

Multiply your estimated monthly kWh by the marginal energy rate that applies to your household. Check your latest bill and the tariff schedule for your location, domestic category, consumption slab, subsidies, and any applicable adjustment. The result estimates the added energy charge; it may not account for every item on your bill.

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India does not have one rupee-per-unit rate for every household. State Electricity Regulatory Commissions determine retail tariffs, and states may subsidize particular consumer categories. Fuel and power-purchase adjustments may also affect charges under applicable rules. The CEA’s March 2026 tariff compilation and, for Maharashtra consumers, MSEDCL’s tariff-order listings are references, not substitutes for checking your own current bill and applicable schedule.

Measure the laptop instead of guessing

  1. Measure the whole setup at the wall. Use a plug-in electricity usage meter between the outlet and the laptop’s charger, checking that the meter matches the outlet and electrical rating. No particular meter model is established or endorsed here.
  2. Recreate normal playback. Play YouTube as you intend to stream it, with your usual screen brightness, playback resolution, power mode, browser, and display and sleep settings.
  3. Record a representative average. Measure over an interval that reflects typical use rather than relying on a momentary reading. Insert the average watts into the formula above, using the hours you actually expect to run the laptop if it will not run for the full 720 hours.
  4. Apply your own marginal rate. Convert the resulting kWh using the relevant rate and tariff conditions from your bill or local schedule.

The wattage printed on a charger is its maximum rating, not the laptop’s average consumption. Screen brightness, power mode, playback behavior, browser, and whether the display sleeps can all change the draw. For a fair comparison between laptops or setups, measure them under the same playback conditions and use the same hours and local tariff assumptions.

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What the electricity estimate does—and does not—tell you

This calculation covers electricity used by the laptop and charger as measured at the wall. It does not establish a universal cost for “an old laptop,” predict your exact bill, or account for other equipment unless you include it in the measurement. If you are comparing a home computer with a cloud service, compare the monthly cost and what each option includes; this laptop formula is not a full cost comparison.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

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