If your rent in Thailand comes with an electricity charge per unit, every unit you save stays in your pocket. This guide collects what Thailand's energy agencies recommend for the appliances in a rented room: the air conditioner, the fridge, the electric water heater and the small things you plug in every day. The sources are the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA, which serves Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan), the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA, the rest of the country) and the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE). Everything below can be done inside your room, without rewiring or installing anything.
What uses the most electricity
Electricity is billed in units, and one unit is one kilowatt-hour (kWh). Find the appliance's power in watts on its label or in the manual, then:
Units used = watts × hours of use ÷ 1,000
Both EGAT and DEDE put the electric water heater at the top of their lists of power-hungry household appliances. An air conditioner may draw less, but running it all night adds up, and a fridge stays plugged in 24 hours a day.
Hypothetical example: one month's bill
Round numbers to show the method, not figures for any real model or room. Assume the room charges 7.50 baht per unit and each appliance runs at full power whenever it is on (a real air conditioner cycles on and off, so real figures will differ).
- Air conditioner, 1,000 W, 8 hours a night: 240 units a month. With the timer switching it off 30 minutes earlier: 225 units.
- Water heater, 3,000 W, 20 minutes a day: 30 units a month. Cut to 15 minutes a day: 22.5 units.
- Total for 30 days: 270 units × 7.50 = 2,025.00 baht before, 247.5 units × 7.50 = 1,856.25 baht after, so two habits save 168.75 baht a month.
Your real price per unit is in your lease or on the listing. If you can reach your room's meter, note the reading at bedtime and again when you wake up: the difference is what the air conditioner used overnight.
How to run the air conditioner for less
- Set it to 26–27°C and run a fan with it. EGAT and MEA give the same advice, and a joint tip from EGAT, MEA and PEA says: if you want it to feel like 24°C, set 26°C and add a fan.
- Let the heat out first, then seal the room. If the room has been shut all day, open the door and windows before switching on. Once it is running, close doors and windows tightly and draw the curtains where the sun comes in.
- Use the timer to switch off about 15–30 minutes before you wake up; the room stays cool for a while. When you are about to stop using it, for example before you go out, EGAT suggests switching off or changing to fan mode 10–15 minutes ahead.
- Clean the air filter every month or two (every month according to EGAT, at least every two months according to MEA), following the manual. A full service at least twice a year is a job for a technician; in a rental, agree with the landlord who books it and who pays.
- Do not dry wet laundry or iron in the air-conditioned room, and keep the air paths of both the indoor unit and the outdoor unit clear.
- On a cooler day, open the windows or use a fan instead.
If the unit stops cooling, drips or makes odd noises, do not open it up yourself; tell the landlord in writing with photos. If it is not cooling because of a refrigerant leak, EGAT advises switching off and stopping use straight away.
Fridge and water heater
Fridge
- Open it briefly and not too often, let hot food cool down first, and do not pack it too full.
- Keep it in a well-ventilated spot away from heat, set the temperature to suit how much is inside, and check the manual, because settings differ by brand and model.
- Check the door seal; if it is damaged on a fridge that came with the room, tell the landlord.
- Thick ice in the freezer makes the compressor work harder and longer. To defrost, PEA advises switching off and unplugging first, letting the ice melt by itself and never chipping at it with hard objects.
Electric water heater
- PEA recommends no more than 40°C and no more than 15 minutes per use; DEDE suggests cutting 1–3 minutes off each use.
- After every shower, switch the heater off at the unit, not just the water valve: EGAT warns that closing only the valve can damage the heating tank inside.
- Safety first: EGAT recommends a ground wire and a standard earth-leakage cut-off, and PEA recommends a heater with the Thai Industrial Standard (TIS) mark, IP25 water protection and an automatic cut-off. If you are not sure what your room has, ask the landlord. If you ever feel a shock, stop using it and tell the landlord at once. Never touch the wiring yourself.
Other appliances, the No. 5 label and what not to buy
- Iron: unplug it 1–2 minutes before you finish and use the remaining heat.
- Rice cooker and electric hot-water pot: unplug the cooker when the rice is done, boil only the water you need, and do not keep either one on warm all day.
- Computer, TV, chargers: a switched-off device that is still plugged in keeps drawing power, so unplug it when you are done. Use sleep mode on the computer, and unplug the charger once the phone is full, which also lowers the risk of a short circuit.
- Fan and lights: run the fan one speed lower and switch off lights you do not need; LED bulbs use less power. Ask the landlord before changing bulbs or fittings that came with the room.
- Power strips: use ones with the TIS mark, and do not plug several appliances into one strip at the same time.
When you buy an appliance yourself, look for Thailand's No. 5 energy label: the more stars, the more it saves. From 2026, EGAT and DEDE have merged their labels into a new "No.5 Energy Efficiency Label" with six levels, from no star up to five stars. It shows the electricity cost per year so you can compare models, has a QR code for more information, and covers more than 45 products, including fridges, air conditioners, fans, rice cookers and LED bulbs. What you actually pay still depends on your room's price per unit and how you use the appliance.
Do not spend money on plug-in gadgets that claim to cut your bill. MEA says devices like these do not reduce electricity use, and substandard ones can overheat, short-circuit and start fires.
What you can do yourself, and what needs the landlord
The room and the appliances that come with it belong to the landlord. Under Section 553 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, a tenant must look after the rented property as a reasonable person would look after their own, including upkeep and minor repairs. Under Section 558, a tenant may not alter or add to the property without the landlord's permission first; if they do, the landlord can require it to be restored, and the tenant is liable for damage caused by the alteration. Check what your lease says about air-conditioner servicing and repairs, and ask for a translation if it is only in Thai.
- Fine to do yourself: temperature, timer, curtains, cleaning the air-conditioner filter as the manual shows, keeping the fridge tidy, unplugging, reading the meter.
- Ask the landlord first: a full air-conditioner service or repair, replacing or moving the water heater, any wiring or new sockets, permanently installed appliances, window film.
- Something broken that came with the room: report it in writing with photos, so there is a record of when you told the landlord.
Find a room with clear electricity costs on RentKrub
The price per unit differs from place to place, so check it before you book. Each RentKrub listing has a "Costs" section where "Electricity" is shown in THB per unit; some listings say "Included in rent". If it says "Ask the owner", ask for the figure before you go to view the room. Appliances that come with the room are listed under "Amenities", "In the room" (faded items are not available).
- Rooms near BTS, MRT and ARL stations or near universities and schools: choose a station or school, then on its results page use "Filters" and "In-room amenities" to select air conditioning, a water heater or a refrigerator.
- Tap the scale button on 2–4 listings, then open the compare page to see their electricity prices and in-room appliances side by side.
- Map search: drop a pin at your office or campus and pick a radius of 1–5 km.
How dorm water and electricity bills are calculated (currently in Thai): calculating dorm water and electricity bills
