Propane Cost Calculator
Estimate your annual propane cost based on your state, home size, climate zone, and which appliances use propane. Get a breakdown of monthly costs, appliance-by-appliance usage, and potential summer fill savings.
Propane Cost Calculator
Estimate your annual propane cost
Estimated Annual Cost
$2,725
1,250 gallons/year at $2.18/gal
Monthly Average
$227
Summer Fill Savings
$875
Cost Breakdown
Estimates based on average consumption data and Texas pricing as of April 2026. Actual costs vary by home insulation, equipment efficiency, and usage patterns.
How This Calculator Works
Transparency builds trust. Here is exactly how we estimate your propane cost.
State Pricing
We use the most recent EIA residential propane price data for your state. These are wholesale-adjacent residential averages and your actual price may be slightly higher or lower depending on your specific supplier, contract type, and delivery arrangement. Prices are updated periodically to reflect current market conditions.
Home Size Factor
Heating consumption scales roughly linearly with home square footage. We use 2,000 sq ft as the baseline and adjust proportionally. A 3,000 sq ft home uses approximately 1.5x the propane of a 2,000 sq ft home for heating. This is a simplification - actual consumption depends heavily on insulation quality, window efficiency, and ceiling height.
Climate Adjustment
The climate zone multiplier adjusts heating consumption for your region. Mild climates use approximately 70% of the baseline, moderate climates use the baseline amount, and cold climates use about 135% of the baseline. Non-heating appliances (cooking, dryer) are adjusted by a smaller factor since they are less climate-dependent.
Appliance Consumption
Each appliance has a baseline annual consumption in gallons based on industry averages and EIA data. A furnace uses 800-1,200 gallons, a water heater uses 200-300 gallons, and smaller appliances use 35-50 gallons each. These are averages for typical residential use and your actual consumption will vary based on equipment efficiency and usage patterns.
Propane Consumption by Appliance
How much propane each household appliance uses per year at typical residential consumption rates. Costs shown at the $2.78/gallon national average.
| Appliance | Gallons/Year | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace/Boiler (heating) | 800 - 1,200 | $2,224 - $3,336 |
| Water heater | 200 - 300 | $556 - $834 |
| Cooking range/oven | 35 - 50 | $97 - $139 |
| Clothes dryer | 35 - 40 | $97 - $111 |
| Fireplace | 200 - 300 | $556 - $834 |
| Standby generator | Varies | 5 - 8 gal/hr |
| Pool/spa heater | 400 - 600 | $1,112 - $1,668 |
| Outdoor kitchen/grill | 20 - 40 | $56 - $111 |
Whole-Home Propane Total
A home running all major appliances on propane (furnace + water heater + range + dryer + fireplace) typically uses 1,000 - 1,500 gallons per year in a moderate climate, costing $2,780 - $4,170 at the national average. Heating alone accounts for 60-75% of total propane consumption. The most effective ways to reduce consumption are improving insulation, upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace, and using a programmable thermostat.
Save on Your Propane Bill
If spending over $3,000/year
Join a Buying Co-op
Group purchasing saves 10-20 cents/gallon. On 1,000+ gallons, that is $100-200 per year with zero effort after joining.
Full savings guideIf renting your tank
Buy Your Own Tank
Tank rental locks you into one supplier at marked-up prices. Owning saves $200-400/year in fuel costs plus eliminating $75-150/year rental fees.
Tank buying guideIf filling in winter
Switch to Summer Fills
July prices are $0.70/gal cheaper than January. Fill your tank in summer and start the heating season at the lowest possible cost.
Seasonal buying guide