The one number the government actually gives you
Our heater and aircon guides both cite energy.gov.au's rule that every degree of extra heating or cooling adds roughly 5 to 10% to the running cost. Fridges don't work that way, and the NSW Government's own energy-saving guide shows why: it doesn't give a sliding scale, it gives a fixed target, ‘set your fridge between 3°C and 4°C, set your freezer between -15°C and -18°C’. There's no published per-degree cost for going colder than that, because there's no reason to. The fridge isn't fighting a hot afternoon the way an aircon is; it just needs to hold a number, and 3 to 4°C already does the job. Turning the dial down further doesn't buy extra food safety, it just makes the compressor work harder to hold a colder number nobody asked for.
What this costs, state by state
A registry-median modern fridge (the same 272 kWh/yr class our fridge calculator's own worked example uses) against the identical fridge with a door seal worn enough to leak, using the ‘up to 20% higher energy use’ figure sourced directly from an Australian seal-replacement guide.
| State | Rate | Sealed properly | Same fridge, worn seal (+20%) | Extra cost of the leak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 32.4¢ | $88.13 | $106 | $17.63 |
| Victoria | 29.8¢ | $81.06 | $97.27 | $16.21 |
| Queensland | 31.2¢ | $84.86 | $102 | $16.97 |
| South Australia | 38.1¢ | $104 | $124 | $20.73 |
| Western Australia | 33.6¢ | $91.39 | $110 | $18.28 |
| Tasmania | 28.9¢ | $78.61 | $94.33 | $15.72 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.4¢ | $74.53 | $89.43 | $14.91 |
| Northern Territory | 31.7¢ | $86.22 | $103 | $17.24 |
Reference rates for 2026–27. Your row is highlighted once you set your location.
What actually leaks money: the seal, and where it sits
The lever that does move the needle is the rubber gasket around the door. Test it with a piece of paper: shut the door on it so half hangs out, then pull. Proper resistance means the seal is gripping; if the paper slides out easily, air is getting in every time the compressor cycles. An Australian seal-replacement guide puts a typical Australian household seal's working life at 5 to 7 years, shorter in hotter states where constant expansion and contraction wears the rubber faster, and once one's gone, the fridge can use up to 20% more energy just holding its set temperature against the leak. On the registry-median 272 kWh/yr class our calculator already uses, that's an extra $18 a year in NSW, $15 (ACT) to $21 (SA) depending on your state, on top of the fridge's normal running cost. Run the same 20% gap against the calculator's own 800 kWh ‘20-plus years old, garage veteran’ class and it's $44 (ACT) to $61 (SA) extra, on top of whatever age has already added.
Where the fridge sits matters too, for a simpler reason: a compressor working against a hot cabinet or direct sun is doing the same extra work an aircon does against a hot afternoon, just without a number on the label for it. The NSW Government's own BASIX building standard, which every new home in the state has to meet, defines a ‘well ventilated’ fridge space as one where ‘at least one side or the top of the refrigerator space is completely open’. In practice that means keeping the fridge out of direct sun, away from the oven or dishwasher, and out of a cabinet built in tight on every side with no gap to breathe.
Common questions
Does setting a fridge colder save or cost money?
It costs money, for no benefit. The NSW Government's own advice is a fixed target, 3°C to 4°C for the fridge, -15°C to -18°C for the freezer, not ‘as cold as possible’. There's no published per-degree saving for fridges the way there is for aircon, because going colder than that band just makes the compressor work harder to hold a number that doesn't keep food any safer.
How much does a worn door seal add to a fridge's running cost?
Up to 20%, per an Australian seal-replacement guide. On the registry-median 272 kWh/yr modern-fridge class, that's roughly $15 (ACT) to $21 (SA) a year extra, about $18 in NSW. On an older, higher-use fridge the same 20% gap is bigger in dollar terms, $44 (ACT) to $61 (SA) on the 800 kWh ‘20-plus years old’ class.
How do I test my fridge's door seal?
Shut the door on a piece of paper or a banknote so half hangs out, then pull. Proper resistance means the seal is gripping; if it slides out easily with no drag, the seal has worn enough to leak. Test right around the door, top, bottom and both sides, not just the middle.
Does where a fridge is placed affect its running cost?
Yes. A fridge working against direct sun or a hot spot near the oven has to run harder to hold the same set temperature, the same principle an aircon runs into on a hot day. The NSW Government's own BASIX building standard requires at least one side or the top of a fridge space to be completely open for exactly this reason.
Sources
Fridge and freezer target temperature range: NSW Government, Top tips to save you energy and money around your home (energysaver.nsw.gov.au). Door seal lifespan, paper test method and the 20% higher-energy-use figure for a worn seal: Airtight Seals, The Ultimate Guide to Fridge Door Seals for Australian Homes. ‘Well ventilated’ refrigerator space definition: NSW Planning Portal, BASIX definitions. Aircon per-degree cooling cost, for comparison: energy.gov.au, Summer energy savings. Modern-fridge and older-fridge kWh classes: same energyrating.gov.au registration database (July 2026 snapshot) as our fridge running cost calculator. Electricity rates: AER Default Market Offer and each state's regulated reference tariff, current for 2026–27. All fetched July 2026.