Why Your Electricity Bill Is So High (and How to Fix It)

Electricity in Malé isn't cheap, and most of the bill comes from just a few appliances. Here's where your money is going and what you can do about it — without living in the dark or sweating through the night.

The Biggest Power Consumers

In a typical Malé apartment, here's what eats the most electricity:

1. Air conditioning — 50–70% of your total bill
2. Water heater — 10–15%
3. Refrigerator — 8–12%
4. Washing machine & dryer — 5–8%
5. Lighting — 5–10%

Everything else — TV, phone chargers, fans — is a rounding error.

AC: The Big One

Since AC dominates your bill, small changes here have the biggest impact:

• Set to 24°C, not 18°C. Each degree lower costs roughly 6% more energy. 24°C is comfortable with a fan
• Use timer mode. Set the AC to turn off 2 hours after you fall asleep — your body temperature drops at night and you'll sleep fine
• Clean filters every 2 weeks. Dirty filters make the compressor work 15–20% harder
• Don't cool empty rooms. Turn off the AC when you leave a room for more than 30 minutes
• Use "dry" mode on humid but not extremely hot days — it uses less power than cooling mode

Water Heater

• Turn it off when not in use. There's no need to keep water hot 24/7. Turn it on 15 minutes before you need it
• Consider an instant water heater — they only heat water when the tap is open, using no standby power

Refrigerator

• Set the right temperature: 3–4°C for the fridge, -18°C for the freezer. Colder isn't better
• Keep it full but not packed — a well-stocked fridge retains cold better than an empty one
• Don't put hot food directly in the fridge — let it cool to room temperature first
• Clean the coils at the back every 6 months

Lighting

• Switch to LED bulbs. They use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last years longer
• Use natural light during the day — open curtains instead of switching on lights
• Turn off lights when leaving a room. Simple, but people forget

Other Quick Wins

• Unplug chargers and devices when not in use — many draw standby power
• Wash clothes in cold water — modern detergents work fine without hot water
• Use a fan alongside the AC — ceiling fans or standing fans circulate cool air, letting you set the AC higher
• Close curtains during the day on sun-facing windows to reduce heat entering your home

Need Help Optimising?

Sometimes the issue isn't habits — it's faulty wiring, an inefficient AC unit, or an old appliance drawing too much power. Easy Fix can do an energy check, service your AC, and identify any electrical issues driving up your bill.