In summary: an air conditioner consumes between 800W and 2,000W per hour depending on the model, while a ceiling fan consumes between 15W and 75W. In a month of July with 8 hours of daily use, the difference in the bill can exceed €80. The trick is not to choose one over the other but to combine them correctly to multiply the cooling effect of the fan without turning on the air conditioner.
How much does an air conditioner really consume
A 2,500W cooling split (the most common in living rooms of 20-25 m²) consumes between 800W and 1,200W per hour depending on the outside temperature and operating mode. At an average of €0.18/kWh in Spain in 2026, that means between €0.14 and €0.22 per hour. In a month with 8 hours of daily use: between €33 and €53 from that appliance alone. If you use air conditioning throughout the house (living room + bedrooms), multiply by the number of units.
How much does a fan consume
A standard ceiling fan with 3-5 speeds consumes between 15W and 75W per hour, depending on the speed. At medium speed (45W), 8 hours daily for 30 days means 10.8 kWh — about €1.94 per month. The difference with air conditioning is between €30 and €50 per month per room.
How to make the fan cool as much as the air conditioner: 4 real tricks
- Counterclockwise direction in summer: ceiling fans have a switch to reverse the rotation. In summer, the counterclockwise rotation pushes cold air downwards. In winter, clockwise recirculates the heat accumulated in the ceiling.
- Bucket with ice in front of the floor fan: the fan passes the air over the ice and cools it by several degrees before it reaches the room. It works especially well in closed rooms at night.
- Ventilate at night and close during the day: opening windows during the night (when the outside temperature drops below 25°C) and closing blinds and windows at dawn keeps the interior cool until 11-12h without any appliance.
- Fan + exterior shade: a fan in a room with the blinds down and no direct sunlight can maintain temperatures of 24-26°C even with 36°C outside.
When is it worth turning on the air conditioner?
When the indoor temperature exceeds 30°C at 10 p.m. (frequent in August in inland cities and the Mediterranean coast), the fan no longer lowers it enough to sleep well. In that case, turning on the air conditioner at 26°C for 2-3 hours before going to sleep and turning it off when you get into bed (or programming it to turn off) is the strategy that best balances comfort and cost.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should I set the air conditioner to save?
26°C according to the IDAE. Each degree below increases consumption by 6-8%.
Does a fan cool the room?
It does not lower the air temperature, but the perceived sensation can be 3-5°C lower by accelerating the evaporation of sweat.
How much do you save by switching from air conditioning to a fan?
Between €30 and €50 per month per room with regular use of 8 hours daily.