Electric vs Propane Heater Cost
Compare electric resistance and propane heating costs per BTU. Find the cheaper option for your garage or home.
Related Calculators
Propane costs about $0.035 per 1,000 BTU delivered at $2.55/gallon and 80% efficiency. Electric resistance costs about $0.054 for the same 1,000 BTU at 18.44¢/kWh. Propane is roughly 36% cheaper per delivered BTU than electric resistance — though still dearer than natural gas, and dearer than a heat pump.
Electric vs Propane Heater Cost Calculator
Electric vs Propane — Cost Per Hour by BTU Delivered
| BTU Delivered | Electric (18.44¢/kWh) | Propane ($2.55/gal, 80%) | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 BTU | ~$0.54/hr | ~$0.35/hr | Propane |
| 30,000 BTU | ~$1.62/hr | ~$1.05/hr | Propane |
| 50,000 BTU | ~$2.70/hr | ~$1.74/hr | Propane |
| 80,000 BTU | ~$4.32/hr | ~$2.79/hr | Propane |
Both columns deliver the BTU/hr shown in the first column. Electricity 18.44¢/kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026); propane $2.55/gallon (EIA heating-season average, October 2025 - March 2026) at 80% efficiency and 91,500 BTU/gallon. That works out at $0.035 per 1,000 BTU for propane against $0.054 for electric resistance — propane is about 36% cheaper per delivered BTU.
When Is Propane Cheaper Than Electric Heat?
Propane costs about $0.035 per 1,000 BTU delivered at $2.55/gallon and 80% efficiency — a gallon holds 91,500 BTU, of which 80% reaches the room. Electric resistance costs about $0.054 for the same 1,000 BTU at 18.44¢/kWh. So propane is roughly 36% cheaper per delivered BTU, which makes it the sensible choice for homes without a natural gas line.
That margin closes as propane rises. At the US average electricity rate, the two cost the same per delivered BTU when propane reaches about $3.96/gallon; above that, electric resistance is the cheaper of the two. Both, though, are beaten by a heat pump: at a seasonal COP of 2.8 it delivers heat for about $0.019 per 1,000 BTU, and propane only matches it below roughly $1.41/gallon — a price the EIA series has not seen in years.
Propane is most common in rural areas without natural gas lines. A 30,000 BTU/hr propane garage heater run six hours a day costs roughly $188/month at current prices; the same heat from electric resistance costs about $292. For garage-specific calculations, try our propane garage heater cost or electric garage heater cost calculators.