# Solar geyser vs gas and electric geysers: running cost and which to buy

URL: https://which.pk/solar/guides/solar-geyser/
Author: Hassam
Updated: 17 Oct 2026

## Summary

Heating 100 litres of water a day by 25°C costs about Rs 3,300 a month on electricity at Rs 33.10 a unit, about the same on LPG at OGRA's October 2026 maximum price, and Rs 655 to Rs 1,730 on non-protected pipeline gas, before taxes and fixed charges. A solar geyser costs almost nothing to run on sunny days. SNGPL's 200-litre hybrid solar heater costs Rs 128,893, which takes about 39 months of full use to recover against electric or LPG heating, and far longer against pipeline gas.

## Key facts

- Electric, 100 L a day: About Rs 3,300 a month
- LPG, 100 L a day: About Rs 3,300 a month
- Pipeline gas, non-protected: Rs 655–1,730 a month
- SNGPL hybrid solar heater (200 L): Rs 128,893 (Sep 2026)

A **solar geyser** costs almost nothing to run on sunny days, but whether it pays off depends on what it replaces. In our example, 100 litres of hot water a day costs about **Rs 3,300 a month** on an electric or LPG geyser, as of October 2026, against about **Rs 655 to Rs 1,730** on non-protected pipeline gas. SNGPL's 200-litre hybrid solar heater costs **Rs 128,893**, so it suits homes on electric or LPG heating best.

**Electric or LPG geyser, 100 litres a day:** About Rs 3,300 a month (Our calculation from NEPRA's Rs 33.10 unprotected rate (201-300 units) and OGRA's Rs 279.34 per kg LPG maximum for October 2026, before taxes and fixed charges.)

## Solar geyser vs gas geyser vs electric geyser: which costs less to run?

We worked out the cost of one example: **100 litres of water a day, warmed by 25°C** (say from 15°C to 40°C), for 30 days. That needs about 87.5 kWh of heat a month, using the specific heat of water from a Sukkur IBA study (0.001167 kWh per kg per °C).

Each geyser wastes some of its energy. The same study uses **57% efficiency for gas** and **88% for electric**. We use the gas figure for LPG geysers too. For a gas storage geyser, 57% is inside the 50% to 65% range a 2022 CLASP and NEECA workshop gave for typical models sold in Pakistan.

| Geyser | Energy per month | Price used (as of Oct 2026) | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | About 99 units | Rs 33.10 a unit (unprotected, 201-300 units) | About Rs 3,290 |
| Electric | About 99 units | Rs 22.44 a unit (unprotected, up to 100 units) | About Rs 2,230 |
| LPG | About 11.7 kg | Rs 279.34 per kg (OGRA maximum) | About Rs 3,265 |
| Pipeline gas, non-protected | About 0.52 MMBtu | Rs 1,250 per MMBtu (up to 1 hm³) | About Rs 655 |
| Pipeline gas, non-protected | About 0.52 MMBtu | Rs 3,300 per MMBtu (up to 3 hm³) | About Rs 1,730 |
| Pipeline gas, protected | About 0.52 MMBtu | Rs 200 to Rs 350 per MMBtu | About Rs 105 to Rs 185 |
| Solar | Sunlight | None on sunny days | Backup only on cloudy days |

All costs are before taxes, fixed charges and meter rent. We converted gas with the EIA's 3,412 Btu per kWh and LPG with the IPCC's 47.3 MJ per kg. Electricity rates are from the July 2025 uniform tariff; NEPRA cut some higher slabs slightly in February 2026, for example by Rs 1.53 a unit at 301-400 units. The two rates we use, Rs 22.44 and Rs 33.10, are unchanged in IESCO's February 2026 tariff (S.R.O. 279(I)/2026, as of 17 Oct 2026), which adds a fixed charge of Rs 275 and Rs 350 a month for those slabs.

**Your real cost depends on your slab.** About 99 extra units can push an electric bill into a higher slab with a higher rate per unit. See our guide to the [electricity unit price](/solar/guides/electricity-unit-price/) for the full slab table.

## Is pipeline gas still the cheapest way to heat water?

Yes, at current rates, if you have a gas connection. The government kept consumer gas tariffs unchanged for 2026-27, Profit reported on 7 Jul 2026, so OGRA's July 2025 prices still apply.

But a geyser can cost you your **protected** status. OGRA counts you as protected only if your average use from November to February is **0.9 hm³ or less**. Non-protected homes pay **Rs 500 to Rs 4,200 per MMBtu** instead of Rs 200 to Rs 350, and a fixed charge of **Rs 1,500 a month** instead of Rs 600 (Rs 3,000 above 1.5 hm³).

Gas storage geysers also lose heat all day. The CLASP workshop put typical standby losses at **7% to 10% of the tank's heat per hour**, plus a pilot light. Our table leaves this out, so a tank left on all day costs more.

**Conical baffles:** Conical baffles in gas geysers were made mandatory after a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, and in October 2024 SSGC billed Rs 2,085 to fit one, Aaj News reported. The campaign claims savings of up to 25% on gas bills, but we found no independent measurement.

## What is the solar geyser price in Pakistan?

We found few dated prices. Many shops sell "solar-compatible" electric geysers under the name solar geyser; these are electric geysers, not solar collectors.

| Product | Price | Date and source |
|---|---|---|
| SNGPL hybrid solar water heater, 200 L, electric backup | Rs 128,893 | Sep 2026, SNGPL launch reported by The Pakistan Connect and TechJuice |
| Solar geyser, 100 L | Rs 45,000 to Rs 75,000 | Nov 2024, Pakistan Observer |
| Solar geyser, 150 L | Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh | Nov 2024, Pakistan Observer |

SNGPL's unit comes with **12 months of interest-free installments** and free delivery and installation; you order through its helpline, **1199**. It keeps water hot for up to 24 hours, the company says.

The 2024 prices are almost two years old, so ask for current quotes and check whether they include installation. Other sellers' price ranges we found were undated and disagreed by more than Rs 1 lakh, so we left them out.

## How much do gas and electric geysers cost to buy?

A retailer's August 2026 price list shows NasGas gas geysers at **Rs 36,200 (15 L) to Rs 56,500 (55 L)** and 50-litre electric geysers at **Rs 38,900 to Rs 88,900** depending on brand. Another shop listed 50 to 52-litre electric models at Rs 26,100 to Rs 29,025 when we checked in October 2026, and a 35-gallon electric-and-gas model at Rs 66,825.

SNGPL's solar heater costs more than twice as much as the biggest gas geyser on that list. The saving comes only from running costs.

## Is a solar geyser worth it?

Divide the price by the monthly saving to see how many months of full use it takes to cover its cost:

| Solar replaces | Saving a month (our example) | Months to cover Rs 128,893 |
|---|---|---|
| Electric geyser at Rs 33.10 a unit | About Rs 3,290 | About 39 |
| LPG geyser | About Rs 3,265 | About 39 |
| Pipeline gas at Rs 3,300 per MMBtu | About Rs 1,730 | About 75 |
| Pipeline gas at Rs 1,250 per MMBtu | About Rs 655 | About 197 |

These are **months of full use**, not calendar months. On cloudy days the backup heater runs, and in months you don't heat water there is no saving, so the real payback takes longer than the table shows.

## Evacuated tube or flat plate: which solar geyser should I buy?

Solar geysers use one of two collectors: **evacuated tubes** or a **flat plate**. The Sukkur IBA study found evacuated tubes more efficient: the vacuum between two glass layers cuts heat loss, so they hold heat longer and work better in cold weather. It uses typical efficiencies of 50% for evacuated tube and 40% for flat plate.

Before you buy, check:

- **Backup heating.** Cloudy days happen, so choose a unit with an electric element or keep your old geyser connected.
- **Freezing weather.** Where water can freeze, the study says systems use a non-freezing fluid such as propylene glycol in the collector, with a heat exchanger to the tank.
- **Direction and tilt.** The collector should face south, tilted at about your city's latitude.
- **Your roof.** If you also plan solar panels, the collector takes space. See [what size solar system you need](/solar/guides/what-size-solar-system/).

If you are already putting solar panels in, an electric geyser on a [solar system](/solar/guides/solar-system-price-pakistan/) is another route, but it uses units you could otherwise save or export under [net metering](/solar/guides/net-metering-pakistan/).

More guides: [is solar worth it in Pakistan](/solar/guides/is-solar-worth-it-pakistan/), [solar panel prices](/solar/guides/solar-panel-price-pakistan/), [best inverters](/solar/guides/best-inverter-pakistan/), [all solar equipment guides](/solar/equipment/).

## Questions people ask

### Is a solar geyser worth it in Pakistan?

It depends on what it replaces. If it replaces an electric or LPG geyser, our example saves about Rs 3,300 a month on sunny days, so SNGPL's Rs 128,893 unit covers its price after about 39 months of full use. Against pipeline gas at Rs 1,250 per MMBtu, it saves only about Rs 655 a month.

### Which is better, a gas geyser or an electric geyser?

On running cost, pipeline gas is cheaper at current OGRA rates, even though a gas storage geyser wastes 35% to 50% of the gas. Our example costs about Rs 3,300 a month on electricity at Rs 33.10 a unit, against Rs 655 to Rs 1,730 on non-protected gas, before taxes and fixed charges.

### What is the SNGPL solar geyser price?

Rs 128,893 for a 200-litre hybrid solar water heater with electric backup, as reported in September 2026. SNGPL offers 12 months of interest-free installments and free installation; call 1199.

### Does a solar geyser work in winter?

Yes, on sunny days. Evacuated tube collectors lose less heat and work better in cold weather than flat plate ones, a Sukkur IBA study says. On cloudy days you need backup heating, which is why many units have an electric element.

### Can a gas geyser make me lose protected status?

It can. OGRA counts you as protected only if your average gas use from November to February is 0.9 hm³ or less. Above that, your fixed charge goes from Rs 600 to Rs 1,500 a month and your rate per MMBtu rises.

## Sources

- [Gas Sale Price Notification effective July 01, 2025](https://www.ogra.org.pk/download/12238), OGRA (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Govt keeps gas tariffs unchanged despite OGRA cut in prescribed prices](https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/07/07/govt-keeps-gas-tariffs-unchanged-despite-ogra-cut-in-prescribed-prices), Profit (Pakistan Today) (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Indigenous LPG prices notification for October 2026](https://www.ogra.org.pk/download/16809), OGRA (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Consumer-end tariff, S.R.O. 1157(I)/2025, effective 1 July 2025](https://www.mepco.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Consumer-End-Tariff-SRO-1157-01-07-2025-MEPCO.pdf), MEPCO / Government of Pakistan (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [NEPRA imposes fixed charges on consumers using up to 300 units](https://www.geo.tv/latest/650317-nepra-imposes-fixed-charges-on-consumers-using-up-to-300-units), Geo News (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Standards and Labels for Water Heaters in Pakistan, A Recap](https://www.clasp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Combined-Presentation-2nd-March.pdf), CLASP (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [A Techno-Economic Analysis of Solar Thermal Water Heaters in Pakistan](https://journal.iba-suk.edu.pk:8089/index.php/sjet/article/view/457), Sukkur IBA Journal of Emerging Technologies (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [British thermal units (Btu)](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/units-and-calculators/british-thermal-units.php), U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [2006 IPCC Guidelines, Vol. 2, Ch. 1, Table 1.2: default net calorific values](https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/pdf/2_Volume2/V2_1_Ch1_Introduction.pdf), IPCC (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [SNGPL unveils new power-saving water heater](https://thepakistanconnect.com/?p=132600), The Pakistan Connect (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [SNGPL launches hybrid solar water heater with electric backup](https://www.techjuice.pk/sngpl-launches-hybrid-solar-water-heater-with-electric-backup/), TechJuice (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Solar geysers latest rates in Pakistan ahead of winters 2024](https://pakobserver.net/solar-geysers-latest-rates-in-pakistan-ahead-of-winters-2024/), Pakistan Observer (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Geyser prices in Pakistan, August 2026](https://jalalelectronics.com/product-category/home-appliances/geyser/), Jalal Electronics (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Solar geyser price in Pakistan on installment](https://www.aysonline.pk/solar-geysers/), AYS Online (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
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