Quick answer: An air fryer costs roughly a third to a quarter of what an oven costs to run for the same meal — but exactly how much that is in real dollars depends heavily on which province you’re in, since electricity rates vary more across Canada than almost anywhere else.
Why Province Matters So Much Here
Unlike a country with a single national rate, Canadian electricity prices vary enormously by province — largely down to how each one generates power. Quebec and Manitoba, which rely heavily on hydroelectric power, have some of the cheapest electricity in the world. Alberta and Prince Edward Island, without that same hydro advantage, sit closer to double the cost per kilowatt-hour. That gap matters a lot more for this comparison than it would almost anywhere else.
Rough Rates by Province
These are approximate residential rates and will vary by utility and usage tier — treat them as a starting point, not a bill:
- Quebec: among the lowest in the country, roughly 7–8¢/kWh
- Ontario: roughly 13–15¢/kWh on average, though it varies further by time-of-use period (on-peak, mid-peak, off-peak)
- British Columbia: roughly 12–14¢/kWh
- Alberta: roughly 16–17¢/kWh, and more exposed to market fluctuation than provinces with regulated rates
- Prince Edward Island: among the highest, similarly in the 16–17¢/kWh range
The Actual Comparison
Take a typical meal — chicken thighs or a tray of fries:
- Air fryer: roughly 1.7kW for 20 minutes = 0.57 kWh
- Conventional oven: roughly 2.3kW average including preheat, for 45 minutes total = 1.73 kWh
In Quebec, that’s roughly 4¢ for the air fryer versus 13¢ for the oven. In Alberta or PEI, it’s closer to 9¢ versus 29¢. The percentage saved is similar everywhere — the air fryer uses about a third of the energy either way — but the actual cents-per-meal difference is more than double in higher-rate provinces compared to Quebec.
Why the Gap Exists at All
Same reasoning regardless of province: an air fryer heats a much smaller volume of air, needs little to no preheating, and cooks faster because heat reaches the food more directly. An oven spends a meaningful chunk of its energy just heating empty space around the food.
A Few Caveats
- These are residential rates only — commercial and time-of-use rates differ, sometimes substantially.
- Rates change and vary by utility within a province, not just between provinces — check your own bill for your actual per-kWh rate rather than assuming the averages above apply exactly.
- This covers the cost of the cook itself, not delivery charges or fixed monthly fees, which apply regardless of what you’re cooking on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this account for Ontario’s time-of-use pricing?
The Ontario figure above is a rough average across on-peak, mid-peak and off-peak periods. If you can time cooking for off-peak hours, the actual saving is larger than the average suggests.
Why is Quebec so much cheaper?
Quebec generates the vast majority of its electricity from hydroelectric dams, which is significantly cheaper to produce than most other sources — that’s reflected directly in residential rates.
Does this apply to oven-style air fryers too?
Broadly yes, though oven-style models have a larger internal volume to heat than basket-style ones, so the saving is slightly smaller in percentage terms — still meaningfully cheaper than a full-size oven either way.
For the model-by-model breakdown, see Comparisons, or browse more Canadian recipes.
Related: UK running costs comparison · best air fryers in Canada · all Canada guides
