
In 10 years, operating this bulb would cost you $13.20. Now let’s break down the 10-year cost of a similarly-bright LED bulb:Īn average 12W bulb will cost around $6.25 to purchase. Taking the cost of the original bulb and its replacements into account, incandescent bulbs would cost you $93 over 10 years. If you used an incandescent bulb for 1,000 hours a year, that probably means that you would have to replace the bulb every year. However, incandescent bulbs have an approximate lifespan of 1,000 hours. In 10 years, operating this bulb would cost you $66. Let’s say that in one year, you used this bulb for 1,000 hours at a rate of $0.11 per kWh. However, as mentioned above, LED bulbs last longer than incandescent bulbs and cost less to operate–so which lighting option offers the best long-term value? Let’s break it down by first assessing the 10-year cost of an incandescent bulb:Īn average 60W bulb will cost around $2.70 to purchase. Initially, this may lead people to believe that it’s more cost-effective to buy incandescent lighting than LED lighting. LED bulbs have a higher upfront cost than incandescent bulbs. You can expect a similarly-bright 12W LED bulb to last around 25,000 hours.

The Department of Energy reports that a 60W incandescent bulb will last for approximately 1,000 hours. LED bulbs last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. It would cost $1.32 to operate the LED bulb for the same amount of time. The 12W LED bulb consumes 12 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity every 1,000 hours.Īs of 2019, the residential electricity rates in Virginia average approximately $0.11 per kWh.Īt this rate, it would cost $6.60 to operate the incandescent bulb for 1,000 hours. The 60W incandescent bulb consumes 60 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity every 1,000 hours. To illustrate this, let’s compare two bulbs of similar brightness: a 60W incandescent and a 12W LED. LED bulbs cost less to operate (leave on) than incandescent bulbs. To show you how this works, we’ve provided a breakdown of some key differences between incandescent lighting and LED lighting. You might wonder how something as simple as switching your lightbulbs could have a noticeable impact on your energy bill. Numerous publications promote this energy-saving tip, including online articles from the Department of Energy. In fact, one of the most common tips you’ll see for reducing your electric bill is switching the type of bulb you use from incandescent to LED. On average, incandescent light bulbs are about 5x more expensive to operate than LED light bulbs. Learn more about shopping for light bulbs at from incandescent to LED light bulbs can have a noticeable impact on your energy bill because they use significantly less energy. CFLs contain mercury, so you need to be careful if a CFL breaks and you need to clean it up and dispose of it. CFLs also include a web address, epa.gov/cfl, for information on safe recycling and disposal. If the bulb is a CFL, it may be on the bulb’s base. The number of lumens is printed on the bulb. For more on ENERGY STAR standards, visit.

The label may include the Energy Star logo if the bulb meets the energy efficiency and performance standards of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program. The Lighting Facts label will tell you where that bulb falls on the warm (more yellow) to cool (more blue) range.
