Gas vs. Electric Grill: Which Costs Less to Run?

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If your building bans open flame on the balcony, the fuel decision has already been made for you. If it hasn’t, cost is usually the next question, and the honest answer is that both options are cheap enough per meal that the real decision often comes down to rules and convenience, not dollars.

This guide runs the actual numbers for both, and covers which one fits an apartment setup better beyond just the cost.

A quick note on terms: most “gas grills” sold for home and balcony use actually run on propane from a refillable tank, rather than a natural gas line. That’s the fuel this guide’s gas-side math is based on, since it’s what the overwhelming majority of apartment and balcony grillers are actually choosing between.

The Short Answer

An electric grill typically costs 15 to 20 cents per hour to run, based on average wattage and current U.S. electricity rates. A gas grill’s cost depends on local propane prices, but for a typical hour of grilling, it usually lands in a similar range.

Neither option is expensive per meal. The bigger factor for apartment living is usually what your building’s fire code and lease actually allow, which our guide on balcony grilling safety tips and rules covers in detail.

Running the Electric Grill Numbers

Electric grills draw a fixed, predictable wattage, which makes the math straightforward.

Most electric grills draw between 1,400 and 1,600 watts. Using the same formula from our air fryer vs. oven cost comparison, (watts ÷ 1,000) × hours × rate per kWh, a 1,500-watt grill running for one hour uses 1.5 kWh.

At the current U.S. average residential rate of roughly 17 cents per kWh, that’s about 25 to 26 cents per hour. Most grilling sessions run less than a full hour of continuous heat, since the grill holds temperature once preheated, so actual cost per cookout is often closer to 15 to 20 cents.

Running the Propane Grill Numbers

Propane cost is a little less straightforward, since it depends on your local price per pound or per gallon rather than a fixed utility rate.

A standard 20-pound propane tank typically costs $15 to $25 to fill, depending on your region and whether you’re exchanging or refilling. Our guide on how to tell if your grill’s propane tank is empty covers how to track usage, and a full tank generally provides 18 to 20 hours of grilling time on a mid-size grill.

Dividing a $20 refill by 18 to 20 hours of use puts propane at roughly $1 to $1.10 per hour of grilling, though this varies with grill size and how high you run the burners.

A Side-by-Side Comparison

These figures are approximate and will vary based on your specific grill, local electricity rate, and local propane price.

	Electric grill	Propane grill
Typical cost per hour	15 to 25 cents	$1 to $1.10
Allowed on most balconies	Yes, almost always	Often restricted above ground floor
Max temperature	Roughly 500 to 650°F	Often higher, model-dependent
Flare-up risk	Low	Moderate, from dripping fat
Fuel runs out mid-cook	No	Possible, see our propane tank guide
Setup complexity	Plug in and go	Tank connection, occasional regulator issues

Why Electric Usually Comes Out Ahead on Cost

Despite running on standard household electricity rather than a separately purchased fuel, electric grills tend to cost less per hour than propane in most regions.

This comes down to how concentrated propane’s energy cost is compared to electricity drawn directly from the grid. A pound of propane carries more usable energy than you’d guess from its price, but the retail markup on tank refills, plus the overhead of maintaining a separate fuel source, tends to make it the pricier option per hour of actual cooking.

Why Cost Isn’t Actually the Deciding Factor

For most apartment dwellers, the real decision point isn’t the roughly $1 difference per cookout. It’s what your building actually allows.

Many multi-unit buildings restrict or ban propane and charcoal grills on balconies specifically because of fire code concerns around open flame near a building’s exterior. Electric grills, with no flame and no fuel tank to store, are commonly the only type explicitly permitted in these buildings.

Our full guide to balcony grilling safety tips and rules covers how to check what’s actually allowed in your specific building before buying either type.

Does an Electric Grill Actually Grill?

This is the most common doubt people have before switching, and the honest answer is yes, with some caveats.

A good electric grill can reach 500 to 650 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough for real grill marks and a genuine sear on most foods. What it won’t replicate is the smoke flavor that comes from fat dripping onto an open flame or hot coals, since there’s no combustion happening at all.

Our broader explainer on what a grill actually is covers how each fuel type, including electric, generates and transfers heat differently, which explains this flavor gap in more detail.

The Weber Q2400 Electric Grill is a well-known example built specifically for this use case, with a 1,560-watt element across a 280-square-inch cooking area, marketed directly at condo and apartment residents dealing with open-flame restrictions.

When Propane Still Makes Sense

If your building allows it and flavor matters more to you than the modest cost difference, propane still has real advantages.

Propane grills generally heat up faster and can reach higher maximum temperatures than most electric models, which matters for serious searing. They also don’t rely on an outdoor electrical outlet, which not every balcony has.

If you already own a propane setup and are just troubleshooting it, our guides on how to use a charcoal grill and why your gas grill has a weak flame cover technique and common problems for gas and charcoal cooking specifically.

Setting Up Either Type on a Small Balcony

Whichever fuel type you land on, a small balcony has its own layout considerations beyond just the grill itself.

Our guide on how to set up a small patio for grilling covers clearance, placement, and workflow for a tight outdoor space. A few well-chosen accessories round out the setup without cluttering a small area; our guide to small-space grilling accessories you actually need covers the short list worth actually buying.

If you’re comparing specific electric and portable models rather than just the fuel type, our roundups of small grills for balconies and patios and portable grills for apartment living cover options across several price points.

If your outdoor space is especially limited or unusable in bad weather, our Gotham Steel smokeless grill review looks at an indoor-capable electric option worth considering as a backup.

A Note on Total Cost of Ownership

Running cost is only part of the picture. Upfront price and maintenance both factor into which option actually costs less over time.

Electric grills generally cost less upfront than comparable propane models and have fewer parts that can fail, since there’s no regulator, hose, or burner tubes to maintain. Propane grills require periodic tank refills and occasional maintenance, like the regulator and burner cleaning covered in our weak-flame troubleshooting guide, which adds small but real costs beyond just the fuel itself.

Does This Fit Into a Bigger Energy Picture?

If you’re already thinking about electricity use elsewhere in your kitchen, it’s worth viewing your grill the same way.

Our comparison of air fryer vs. oven running costs applies the same wattage-and-rate math to indoor cooking, and our broader guide to the most energy-efficient small kitchen appliances rounds out the full picture of where your kitchen’s electricity actually goes.

What About Charcoal, for Comparison?

Charcoal sits outside this specific cost comparison, since it’s priced and used differently than either electricity or propane, but it’s worth a quick mention since many apartment grillers consider all three.

A bag of charcoal typically costs less per cookout than a propane refill, but most buildings that restrict propane restrict charcoal even more strictly, since it involves open flame, ash, and ember disposal. Our full guide on how to use a charcoal grill covers the technique if your building happens to allow it, though for most apartment and condo balconies, electric remains the more universally permitted option.

Factoring In How Often You Actually Grill

A single grilling session’s cost difference is small change either way, but frequency changes how much it matters over a season.

If you grill multiple times a week through the summer, the roughly 75-cent-to-dollar difference per hour between electric and propane adds up to real money by the end of the season. If you grill occasionally, a few times a month, the cost gap barely registers compared to other factors like flavor preference and what your building actually allows.

Weather and Seasonal Considerations

An electric grill has one practical advantage worth mentioning beyond cost and apartment rules: it’s less affected by wind than an open flame.

Propane and charcoal both struggle somewhat in windy conditions, which can blow out a flame or cause uneven heat, something covered in more general terms in our guide to balcony grilling safety tips and rules. An electric heating element isn’t affected by wind in the same way, which can make it a more consistent choice on an exposed, higher-floor balcony.

Corn, Vegetables, and Other Grilled Sides

Whichever fuel type you land on, a lot of what people actually grill translates well to either option.

Corn on the cob is a good example of a forgiving side that works equally well on electric, propane, or charcoal. Our full guide to how to grill corn on the cob covers timing for all three methods, husk-on, foil, and shucked, regardless of which fuel type you’re using.

Natural Gas as a Third Option

If your building has a natural gas line already run to an outdoor space, a natural gas grill is worth considering as a third option beyond electric and propane tanks.

Natural gas is typically cheaper per unit of energy than propane, and it eliminates the hassle of tanks entirely, since the grill connects directly to a gas line. The tradeoff is upfront cost and complexity, since running a gas line to a balcony or patio where one doesn’t already exist is a real plumbing project, not a simple appliance purchase.

For most apartment renters, this isn’t a realistic option without landlord involvement, but it’s worth knowing about if you own your unit or your building already has outdoor gas service available.

Maintenance Costs Over Time

Running cost is what shows up on your utility bill, but ongoing maintenance adds a less visible cost to both grill types.

A gas grill needs periodic tank refills, occasional regulator resets or replacements, and burner tube cleaning to prevent the kind of weak-flame issues covered in our troubleshooting guide. An electric grill has far fewer components that can fail, typically just the heating element and a power cord, which tends to mean lower maintenance costs over the life of the grill.

Replacement heating elements for electric grills are generally inexpensive and simple to swap, which is worth factoring in if you’re weighing long-term ownership costs rather than just the sticker price.

Does Grill Size Change the Comparison?

A larger grill of either type draws more power or burns more fuel per hour, so size is worth factoring in alongside fuel type.

A small, two-burner-equivalent electric grill suited to cooking for one or two people costs less to run than a large, multi-zone electric model with a bigger heating surface. The same logic applies to propane, where a larger grill with more burners consumes fuel faster than a compact, single-burner model.

For most balcony and apartment setups, a smaller grill of either fuel type is not just more practical for the space, it’s also the cheaper option to run regardless of which fuel you choose.

Resale and Longevity

If you move often, as many renters do, portability and resale value are worth weighing alongside running cost.

Electric grills are generally lighter and easier to transport between apartments, with no propane tank to deal with during a move. Well-known gas grill brands often hold resale value reasonably well if you do decide to sell before relocating, since outdoor cooking equipment has a steady secondhand market.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming propane is always cheaper because it’s “just gas.” Electric often costs less per hour once you do the actual math.
Buying a gas grill before checking your lease. Many buildings restrict it specifically, regardless of cost.
Expecting an electric grill to produce smoke flavor. It sears well but doesn’t replicate combustion-based flavor.
Ignoring upfront and maintenance costs. Running cost alone doesn’t capture the full picture.
Not checking if your balcony has an accessible outdoor outlet. This can make electric less convenient despite the lower running cost.

Related Guides

The Bottom Line

Both grill types are cheap to run per meal. Electric usually costs less per hour, roughly 15 to 25 cents versus $1 or more for propane. Building rules matter more than cost for most apartments. Electric is almost always allowed. Propane often isn’t above the ground floor. Check your lease before you buy either one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an electric grill cheaper to run than a gas grill?

Usually by a small margin, though both cost relatively little per meal. A typical electric grill costs roughly 10 to 20 cents per hour to run, while a gas grill's cost depends on local propane prices, but generally lands in a similar range for an average grilling session.

Can I use a gas grill on my apartment balcony?

Often, but not always. Many buildings restrict gas and propane grills on balconies, especially above the ground floor, due to fire code restrictions on open-flame cooking in multi-unit buildings. Always check your lease and local fire code before assuming it's allowed.

Are electric grills always allowed on apartment balconies?

In most cases, yes. Electric grills carry no open flame and no fuel tank, which is why they're commonly the only grill type explicitly permitted in buildings that restrict gas and charcoal cooking outdoors.

Do electric grills get hot enough to actually sear food?

Many electric grills can reach 500 to 650 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough for a real sear and genuine grill marks, though they typically heat up a bit slower than a gas grill's open flame.

How much does it cost to run an electric grill for an hour?

A typical 1,500 to 1,600-watt electric grill costs roughly 15 to 20 cents per hour at the current U.S. average residential electricity rate, though this varies by your specific model and local utility rate.

What's the real advantage of an electric grill besides apartment rules?

Consistent, even heat with no flare-ups from dripping fat, no propane tank to run out mid-cook, and the ability to plug in anywhere with an outlet, including places gas and charcoal simply aren't allowed.