While halogen bulbs may seem cheaper at the register, the true cost of lighting is measured over years — and LEDs win by a landslide. Let's do the math.

The Setup

Imagine a typical home with 20 downlights running 5 hours per day, every day of the year. Let's compare 50W halogen MR16s to 5W LED GU10s.

Annual Energy Use

  • Halogen: 20 × 50W × 5h × 365 = 1,825 kWh/year
  • LED: 20 × 5W × 5h × 365 = 182.5 kWh/year

At an electricity rate of Rs. 50/kWh (peak unit rate), that's Rs. 91,250/year saved — purely on running costs.

Lifespan: The Hidden Cost

A halogen bulb lasts about 2,000 hours. An LED lasts 25,000+ hours. Over 10 years, you'll replace a halogen bulb 9 times per fixture — that's 180 bulbs. With LEDs, you replace zero.

The 10-Year Total

Add it all up: electricity, replacement bulbs, and time spent swapping them. Halogen costs roughly Rs. 9,80,000 more over a decade for a 20-light home. That's a return on investment in under 6 months.

Bonus: Reduced Cooling Load

Halogen bulbs waste 90% of their energy as heat. LEDs run cool, so your air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard in summer — another 5-10% saving on your cooling bill.