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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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:

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.

If you are already putting solar panels in, an electric geyser on a solar system is another route, but it uses units you could otherwise save or export under net metering.

More guides: is solar worth it in Pakistan, solar panel prices, best inverters, all solar equipment guides.