Are you confused about which one to buy between a window aircon and a central aircon? Has this question ever crossed your mind that is it cheaper to run a window air conditioner or central air conditioner? 

If you are confused about which one to buy between a window air cooling system and a central air cooling system, then don’t worry. I have an answer to this question. 

As we all know, both of them are two wonderful machines, and both of them are doing quite well in their respective sectors, but there is a little bit of cost difference while running them. Today we will learn about these things in this article to give you a clearer picture. 

I hope by reading this article, you will get an answer about which one is cheaper to run among these two air cooling systems. So without any further delays, let’s get started.

Is it cheaper to run a window air conditioner or central air

Is It Cheaper To Run A Window Air Conditioner Or Central Air Conditioner?

So your concern was, is it cheaper to run a window air conditioner or central air conditioner? Let’s get to know the answer to your problem. 

So your answer to the question is, a central air cooling system is cheaper to run than a window air cooling system.

The Basic Difference Between A Central Air Conditioner And A Windows Air Conditioner:

Do you know the basic difference between a central air cooling system and a windows air cooling system? Let’s get to know that before going into further conversations. 

Air cooling systems are devices that are used in households and at any place’s internal environment to cool the room temperature at a comforting level. There are many types of air cooling systems; among them, the two of the most popular ones are window air cooler and central air cooler. 

A window air cooling system and a central air cooling system both are very much essential for cooling a room’s temperature. While a central air cooler is a big cooling device, the case is otherwise for a windows air cooler. 

Windows air cooler is comparatively a small device and is able to cool down one or at max two rooms at once, whereas the central air cooling system is able to cool down the entire house.

You can install a window air cooling system anywhere near your window, but it has to be 3-4 feet from the floor. On the other hand, you can put your central air cooling system anywhere in your home, but it will be best if you install it in the basement or attics. 

But if you are staying in an older home, you won’t be able to install any other aircon systems rather than a window air cooler. 

Read more: How Long Do Goodman Air Conditioners Last? [Answered]

Which Is Comparatively More Expensive? 

If you are confused about which one to buy among these two, then I can give you an answer to this confusion. 

It is obvious that a central air cooling system is more expensive than a window air cooler. Let’s know why. 

A central air cooling system is a big cooling device with heavy setup requirements, and a window air cooling system is a  small device; it is obvious that central air cooling systems are comparatively expensive than the windows air cooler.

But just because central air cooling systems are expensive, if one thinks that windows air cooling systems are less costly so this might be the better option to buy, well then that’s not the case. 

You should not just think about the cost of a cooling system. Before going to buy an air cooling system, you need to keep some other things in mind too. 

Which is, if it is eco friendly or not, how much energy it is gonna need, how much money you have to pay every month for using this aircon and what not. 

So if you want to buy a new air cooling system, no matter which one you want to buy, keep in mind that the biggest issue is not the cost of your air cooling system; the biggest issue is how much energy it will be going to waste and how much money you will have to pay every month.

Factors On Which Buying Decision Depends On

Which air cooling system should be brought, it actually depends on two factors. Which is – 

 1.    Cost. 

 2.   Efficiency. 

As I have already mentioned, window air cooling systems, being small in size, can cool at a max two-room at once, so if anyone’s thinking of cooling a whole house with multiple rooms, then one would need multiple windows air coolers. 

But if it is a matter of one or two rooms, then a single-window air cooler will be enough. 

Though central air cooling systems are big and expensive, if you have an intention to cool the whole house, it can be actually cheaper than running a window air cooling system. 

Along with setup costs, there are other various costs associated with setting up an air cooling system. They are- electricity billing cost, maintenance cost, operational costs etc.

If one decides to buy multiple windows air coolers for the whole house, the cost altogether is way less than that of setting up a central air cooling system. Also, room size matters too. 

If the room is bigger, windows air cooling systems are not the best efficient one to go for. The central air cooling system is the best choice in that case. But if the room is small and a single air cooling system is needed, then a window air cooling system can be the best choice. 

Advantages Of Using A Central Air Conditioner

Every air cooling system has its own advantages, and it is different from one another. Now let’s know what the advantages you can get by using a central air cooling system are. 

The central air cooling system has many advantages. For example :

Central air cooling systems are capable of supplying constant cool air throughout all the rooms in the house; as they are big cooling devices, it is easier. 

Also, another advantage is, central air cooling systems are automatic/ remote control based, so they don’t need to be turned on or off manually. 

If you use a central air cooling system, then forgetting to turn off your air cooling system won’t be a big issue for you anymore. You can stay anywhere and still turn off or turn on your air cooling system by using your mobile phone app as your AC remote. 

On the other hand, window air cooling systems are not that much capable of supplying constant cool air, let alone if the room is a bit big, they cannot cool down the room constantly. Also, they mostly need to function based on manual orders.

can you use an air conditioner with a humidifier

Disadvantages Of Using A Central Air Conditioner

But the big disadvantage of using a central air cooling system is that they have a huge setup cost, resulting in the need for a huge investment. This is not the case when it comes to windows air cooling systems, as they are not that costly and don’t require that much investment. 

Central air cooling systems are not as energy efficient as window air cooling systems, making them cheaper than central air coolers.

Here Is The Comparison Between A Window AC And A Central AC

Window Air Cooling SystemCentral Air Cooling System
It is quite cheaper to maintain a window air cooling system. But it can be costly if you use more than one window AC.Maintaining a central cooling system can be a little bit more costly than a window air cooler.
Come up with small types of equipment.Come up with heavy setups. 
A window ac can cost about $300 to $1500, depending on your choice.A central ac can cost about $1500 to $10,000.              
The running cost of a window ac can be $30 to $80. But it will increase if you use more than one.The running cost of a central ac is $76 to $168. If you use one central AC, it will be more than enough for your whole home to cool down.
Suitable for small spaces or single rooms.One central ac is enough for the whole house.
You have to use a switch to turn it on or off.You can use a remote or your mobile phone to operate its functions.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it can be said that central air cooling systems are very big and heavy, and also powerful, so they require a huge amount of budget, whereas, on the other hand, window air cooling systems are small, lighter, and require a comparatively lesser budget.

So, in a general sense, window air coolers are cheaper than central air cooling systems. 

But if the question is about cooling down the entire house, then, in that case, windows air cooling systems are expensive as it requires multiple components, but only one central air cooler is capable of cooling down the entire house alone, so it is cheaper to run.

I guess by now you have got an answer to your concerning question which states that, is it cheaper to run a window air conditioner or central air conditioner. 

However, choose very wisely while you go to buy a new air cooling system. If you have a small house and if you need an aircon system for a certain space, then a window air cooling system will be the best choice for you. 

And if you have a large space and you are confused about which one to buy between a window and central aircon, in that case, a central aircon will be the best choice for you even if it will also be cost-efficient.

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