Induction Cooker vs Electric Stove vs LPG vs PNG: Which Cooking Method Is The Cheapest?

The LPG situation in India right now has made us all pause and really think about something we've taken for granted for years: how much does it actually cost to cook a meal? For most Indian households, LPG has always been the default. But with rising prices, delivery delays, and uncertainty, many people are now looking at alternatives already sitting in their kitchens. Between LPG cylinders, induction cooktops, electric stoves, and PNG connections, which one of these is actually cheaper?

Which Is The Cheapest Method Of Cooking?

Instead of getting into complicated math, let's make this simple and relatable. Imagine you're making chicken curry, a dish that needs to be cooked for about an hour. Now, let's cook this exact meal using four different methods and see what it roughly costs each time.

(Keep in mind: these are approximate costs. Electricity and gas prices vary across cities, but this gives you a realistic idea.)

LPG Cylinders

This is what most of us grew up with. A standard LPG cylinder today costs roughly Rs 900–Rs 1,100 depending on subsidies and city. When you break that down, one cylinder usually lasts about 12–14 hours of cooking on a medium flame.

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So, to make saag, the cost of cooking roughly comes up to roughly Rs 70–Rs 90. While this is one of the most convenient and familiar options for most of us, at the moment it is the most expensive one, especially since you're dependent on cylinder availability.

Induction Cooktops

Now comes the option that's suddenly getting a lot of attention. Induction cooktops use electricity, but instead of heating the surface, they heat the vessel directly. That makes them surprisingly efficient. For one hour of cooking, an induction cooktop uses about 1.5 to 2 units of electricity.

With electricity costing around Rs 6–Rs 10 per unit, the cost of cooking comes up to roughly Rs 10–Rs 20. An induction cooktop enables very controlled cooking, with a surprisingly low cost. So, if you're in a city where long power cuts aren't an issue, this might be the cheapest option for you.

Electric Stoves

Like an induction cooktop, this works on electricity too, but it's not as efficient, owing to the heat that gets lost in the process. For one hour of cooking, it uses about 2 to 2.5 units of electricity. To cook saag for an hour, you will spend roughly Rs 15–Rs 30.

It's pretty easy to use and doesn't even require specific utensils like induction. The cost of cooking with an electric stove is slightly higher than induction but still much cheaper than LPG.

PNG Pipelines

If you live in a metro city, you might already have PNG (piped natural gas). It's like LPG, but instead of cylinders, gas comes directly through a pipeline, and you pay based on usage. For one hour of cooking saag on PNG, you will spend approx. Rs 25–Rs 40.

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Compared to LPG cylinders, PNG is not only cheaper but also more convenient. Yes, it's only available in certain cities, but if you have it, you get access to a continuous supply of gas and get rid of the hassle of refilling the cylinders.

If you're only looking at cost, the answer is clear: induction cooking is the cheapest option right now. But when factors like power cuts and unavailability of access to PNG come into play, LPG remains the only choice.

Interestingly, the LPG situation is changing how India cooks. Instead of depending on just one method, many households are now mixing things up by using induction cooktops for daily cooking and storing LPG as backup for when it's absolutely needed.

If you're only looking at cost, the answer is clear: induction cooking is the cheapest option right now. But when factors like power cuts and unavailability of access to PNG come into play, LPG remains the only choice.

Interestingly, the LPG situation is changing how India cooks. Instead of depending on just one method, many households are now mixing things up by using induction cooktops for daily cooking and storing LPG as backup for when it's absolutely needed.