# Inverter vs generator — which is cheaper for a home in India? > Home inverter (800–2000VA + battery) costs ₹20,000–₹42,500 setup with ₹0 fuel cost (recharges from grid) — best for standard 2BHK/3BHK loads (fans, lights, TV). Petrol/diesel generator (1–5 kVA) costs ₹30,000–₹1,20,000 + ₹8–₹15/hour in fuel — needed only for heavy loads (AC, water motor) or areas with 6+ hour daily outages. **Source:** [https://solve24.in/answers/inverter-vs-generator-cost-india](https://solve24.in/answers/inverter-vs-generator-cost-india) **Updated:** 2026-08-06 ## Answer A home inverter setup in India (2026) is ₹20,000–₹42,500 all-in — inverter unit (₹6,000–₹15,000) + battery (₹12,000–₹20,000) + labour + wiring. Runs your fans, lights, TV, wifi, fridge for 3–5 hours of backup. Zero fuel cost — recharges from grid. Silent, safe indoors, no ventilation needed. Lifetime cost over 5 years: ₹30,000–₹55,000 including one battery replacement. A home generator (petrol or diesel, 1–5 kVA) costs ₹30,000–₹1,20,000. 1 kVA petrol (basic backup): ₹30,000–₹50,000. 3 kVA petrol (can run 1 AC): ₹60,000–₹90,000. 5 kVA diesel (whole-house including 1 AC + fridge): ₹90,000–₹1,50,000. Plus fuel: ₹8–₹15/hour (₹0.5–₹1.5 per unit of electricity). Runs anything but needs ventilation, is noisy, requires outdoor placement. The choice is really about load. Inverter can't reliably run an AC (needs 1500W+ steady). If you need AC backup, you need a generator. If you only need fans+lights+TV+wifi, inverter is 3–5× cheaper. Areas with 6+ hour daily outages (still common in tier-3 cities and rural areas) may need both: inverter for silent overnight, generator for daytime AC use. Metros (Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi) have ~2–4 hour outages average — inverter is plenty. Solar hybrid inverters (₹1,00,000–₹2,80,000) are a third option: higher upfront but zero grid + zero fuel cost, ROI 4–6 years. ## Data **Inverter vs generator — home backup cost comparison (India 2026)** | Option | Setup cost (₹) | Fuel cost | Runs | Best for | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Inverter 800VA + 150Ah battery | 20,000–29,000 | ₹0 (grid recharge) | Fans, lights, TV, wifi (400W) | 1BHK/small 2BHK | | Inverter 1500VA + 200Ah battery | 29,000–40,500 | ₹0 | Above + fridge (1200W) | 2BHK/3BHK | | Inverter 2000VA + 200Ah battery | 32,500–44,000 | ₹0 | Above + more (1600W) | Large 3BHK | | Petrol generator 1 kVA | 30,000–50,000 | ₹8–15/hr | Basic backup (800W) | Occasional need | | Petrol generator 3 kVA | 60,000–90,000 | ₹15–25/hr | 1 AC + basics (2400W) | 1 AC in outage | | Diesel generator 5 kVA | 90,000–1,50,000 | ₹18–35/hr | Whole-house (4000W) | Heavy use, 6+ hr outages | | Solar hybrid inverter (2 kW) | 1,00,000–1,60,000 | ₹0 (solar) | Full home during outage + saves grid bill | Long-term / ROI | | Solar hybrid inverter (5 kW) | 1,80,000–2,80,000 | ₹0 | Whole-house incl. AC | Full independence | ## Frequently asked ### Can an inverter run an AC? Not reliably. AC needs 1200–1800W steady + 3000W+ startup surge. Standard home inverters (up to 2000VA) can't supply this. If you need AC backup, you need a generator (3 kVA+) or a specialised inverter-AC combo with 5 kVA+ hybrid inverter. ### Is an inverter cheaper than a generator over 5 years? For fan+light+TV loads, yes — significantly. Inverter 5-year cost: ₹30,000–₹55,000 (setup + one battery replacement). Generator 5-year cost: ₹1,00,000–₹2,50,000 (setup + fuel + service). Only worth generator if you need AC backup. ### Which is safer indoors — inverter or generator? Inverter — safe for indoor use, no fumes, silent. Generator — needs outdoor placement (exhaust fumes are lethal indoors), must be 3+ metres from windows, needs weatherproof shed for monsoon protection. ### How long does an inverter battery last per charge? Standard 150Ah tubular: 3–5 hours on 400W load (fans, lights, TV). 200Ah: 5–7 hours on same load. Runtime drops 40–60% after 3 years of usage as battery ages. ### Is solar inverter worth the ₹1L+ upfront cost? Yes if grid electricity bill is ₹3,000+/month — ROI 4–6 years, then free electricity for 15–20 years. For ₹1,000–₹2,000/month bills, ROI is 8–10 years — depends on how long you'll stay in the home. ## Related - https://solve24.in/answers/inverter-installation-cost-india - https://solve24.in/answers/electrician-charges-in-india - https://solve24.in/answers/rewiring-cost-2bhk-india --- Published by Solve24 — India's hyperlocal services marketplace. Direct-hire, zero commission. --- ## About Solve24 Solve24 (solve24.in) is India's zero-commission hyperlocal services marketplace — a three-sided bridge between ~85M informal workers, ~1.4B consumers, and millions of local shops across 40+ Indian cities and 15 service categories. 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