How we work it out
Every TV sold here is tested for the energy label, and the registry records its measured on-mode power. The size picker uses the median of those measurements: 4,724 current models, from 31 W for a bedroom 32-inch up to 175 W for the big 75-inch panels. Search your model and the calculator swaps in its exact figure instead. Your hours and your state's rate do the rest.
Worked example: a 65-inch LED at 120 W, four hours a night in NSW: 0.48 kWh × 32.4¢ = about 16 cents a night, or roughly $57 a year. Cheaper than the fridge it's sitting near.
The standby myth
Unplugging the telly at the wall was solid advice in 2005. It isn't any more: the median standby draw across the current registry is 0.4 watts, which is about a dollar a year. The real vampires live next to the TV, not inside it. A game console left idling can pull 40 to 70 W, an old set-top box 10 to 15 W, and a soundbar a few more. If something in the lounge deserves the wall switch, it's them, and our any-appliance calculator will put a number on each one.
Does OLED cost more to run?
Barely, at the same size. The registry medians sit within about 5 W of each other for 55 and 65-inch panels, and what you watch matters more than the panel type, since bright HDR sport pulls far more than a dim drama. Screen size is the honest driver: stepping from 55 to 75 inches roughly doubles the power.
What this costs, state by state
A 65-inch LED running 4 hours a night.
| State | Rate | Per week | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 32.4¢ | $1.09 | $56.76 |
| Victoria | 29.8¢ | $1.00 | $52.21 |
| Queensland | 31.2¢ | $1.05 | $54.66 |
| South Australia | 38.1¢ | $1.28 | $66.75 |
| Western Australia | 33.6¢ | $1.13 | $58.87 |
| Tasmania | 28.9¢ | 97¢ | $50.63 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.4¢ | 92¢ | $48.00 |
| Northern Territory | 31.7¢ | $1.07 | $55.54 |
Reference rates for 2026–27. Your row is highlighted once you set your location.
Sources
Electricity rates: AER Default Market Offer (NSW, SA, south-east QLD), Victorian Default Offer, and each remaining state's regulated tariff, current for 2026–27. Appliance figures: the energyrating.gov.au registration database (July 2026 snapshot). Methods and assumptions are described on each page.