First, know where your money goes
Read your meter on the same day each month, or check the kWh on your bill. Put the number in our electricity bill calculator to see which tariff step you reach. In Saudi Arabia every kWh above 6,000 a month costs 30 halalas instead of 18. In Dubai and Sharjah the price rises every 2,000 kWh. In Egypt the whole bill jumps once you pass 650 kWh. A few hundred kWh less can drop you into a cheaper step.
Air conditioning: the biggest saving
- Set it to 24°C, not 18. Each degree cooler adds roughly 5 to 10% to the air conditioner's use. 24°C is the setting the Gulf utilities recommend, and with a ceiling fan it feels cooler still.
- Clean the filters every two to four weeks. Dusty filters make the unit work harder for less cold air. It takes five minutes with water and a soft brush.
- Cool only the rooms you use. Close the doors and switch off units in empty rooms. Use the timer so the bedroom cools half an hour before you sleep instead of all day.
- Keep the sun out. Close curtains or blinds on windows that get afternoon sun. Seal gaps under doors and around window units.
- Service the units before summer. Low refrigerant gas or a blocked outdoor unit can raise use by a fifth. Keep the outdoor unit in the shade if you can, with space for air to flow.
- Buy by the efficiency label. When you replace an air conditioner, more stars on the efficiency label usually pay back the higher price within two or three summers.
Water heaters, fridges and the rest
- Switch the water heater off from May to September. Water from the roof tank is already warm in the Gulf summer. A 2 kW heater left on six hours a day uses about 360 kWh a month: around 65 SAR or 80 AED.
- Set the water heater to 50 to 60°C in winter and use the timer so it heats before you shower, not all night.
- Keep the fridge at 4°C and the freezer at −18°C. Colder wastes power. Leave space behind the fridge for air and do not put hot food inside.
- Run washing machines and dishwashers full, and wash clothes at 30 to 40°C. Dry clothes in the sun instead of the dryer.
- Change to LED bulbs. They use about a fifth of the power of old bulbs and give off less heat, so the air conditioner works less too.
- Switch off at the wall. TVs, receivers, game consoles and chargers on standby can add 20 to 50 kWh a month.
Check the bill itself
If the bill jumps without reason, compare the meter reading with the bill. Estimated readings happen, and many utilities let you send a photo of your meter through their app. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi tenants also pay a housing or municipality fee with the bill, so check that the rent used is right.
Want to know what a change saves? Enter your usual kWh in the calculator, then the kWh after the change, and compare the two bills.