How much does it cost to convert a gas oven to electric?
Short answer: $1,200–$4,000+ typical all-in ($800 DIY-adjacent low end if a 240V circuit already exists; $5,000–$7,000+ if a full panel upgrade is needed). The range is huge because the oven itself is the cheap part — the wiring behind the wall is what moves the price.
This is the one-time cost to convert and install, not what an electric oven costs to run. For the ongoing electricity cost afterward, see running an electric oven and an electric stove burner.
Here's the thing about going from gas to electric: the range itself is rarely the expensive part. A perfectly good electric range starts around $500–$900, and even a nice smooth-top or induction model tops out a couple thousand. The cost that makes people's eyes water is the wiring behind the wall. A gas stove runs on a regular 120V outlet — barely more than a toaster needs — but an electric range wants a dedicated 240V circuit pulling 40 to 50 amps. If that heavy circuit isn't already sitting at your stove wall (and in a gas kitchen, it almost never is), an electrician has to run new, thick cable from your panel to the kitchen. That's where $400 to $1,500 disappears, mostly into labor, depending on how far the run is and whether they have to fish it through finished walls.
Then there's the panel itself — the real wildcard. A 40–50A range is a big new load, and if your breaker box is already full or is an older 100-amp service, there may simply be no room for it. Adding a service upgrade to 200 amps runs $1,300 to $3,000 on its own, and more if the utility has to touch the meter or the service cable. This is why the same conversion can cost one neighbor $900 and the neighbor across the street $6,000: one had spare capacity and a short cable run, the other needed a whole new panel. Before you fall in love with a shiny induction range, have an electrician look at your panel — that fifteen-minute assessment tells you which of those two worlds you live in.
The smaller line items are predictable by comparison. A plumber caps the dead gas line for $100–$250, permits and inspection add $50–$350, and any drywall you open to run the new wire is a $150–$400 patch job. Add it all up and a straightforward conversion — appliance included — lands around $1,200–$4,000 for most homes, with the low end reserved for houses that already have the 240V circuit and the high end for anyone stacking a panel upgrade on top.
Where the money actually goes
A realistic breakdown of every line item in a gas-to-electric range conversion, with typical 2026 US costs.
| Line item | Typical cost | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| New electric range / oven / cooktop (the appliance) | $500–$2,500 | A basic freestanding electric coil range starts around $500–$900; a mid-range smooth-top runs $900–$1,500; induction and slide-in models push $1,500–$2,500+. This is the one line item you'd pay even for a like-for-like swap. |
| Run a dedicated 240V / 40–50A circuit to the kitchen | $400–$1,500 | The usual big driver when no 240V line already reaches the stove wall. A short, easy run near the panel lands $400–$800; long runs, finished-wall fishing, or a hard-to-reach panel push $1,000–$1,500. Electricians charge roughly $7–$10 per linear foot of new line, and labor is 70–80% of the bill. |
| Electrical panel / service upgrade (only if needed) | $1,300–$3,000 (up to $4,000+) | Only applies if your panel is full or under-capacity. A 40–50A range can tip an older 100A panel over the edge. A 100A→200A upgrade runs $1,300–$3,000 for most homes; a new meter base or service entrance cable adds $1,000–$2,500 more. Skip this entirely if you have open breaker slots and spare capacity. |
| Cap / disconnect the old gas line | $100–$250 | A licensed plumber shuts off and caps the gas stub. The cap and labor are cheap ($75–$150); a permit for a permanent cap adds $25–$100+. Full removal of the run back to the main costs more. |
| Permits and inspection | $50–$350 | Electrical (and often gas) permits plus inspection sign-off. Varies widely by jurisdiction. Bundled into a contractor's quote in many cases, but budget for it — skipping the permit can void homeowner's insurance. |
| Drywall / finish repair | $0–$400 | Zero if the new outlet sits on an unfinished or accessible wall. If the electrician has to open finished drywall to fish the new 240V line, patch-and-paint runs $150–$400. |
The one thing that decides your total
Whether a suitable 240V, 40–50A circuit and enough panel capacity already exist. If a 240V range circuit is already at the wall (or the panel has open slots for a short run), the whole job can be a few hundred dollars plus the appliance. If you have to both run a new circuit AND upgrade a full or under-capacity panel, that single fork adds $2,000–$4,000+ and roughly triples the total.
Will it cost more to run once it's electric?
After the switch, running costs usually go the other way from what people expect: in most of the US, cooking on electricity costs a bit MORE per meal than natural gas, because gas is cheap per BTU — though induction narrows the gap by wasting far less heat, and if you have no gas at all, electric is obviously cheaper than paying a monthly gas connection fee for one appliance. It's close either way; the day-to-day difference is small dollars, not the story. See WattDollar's running-cost pages at /cost/electric-oven/ and /cost/electric-stove/ to plug in your own rate and hours.
Common questions
Do I need a 240V outlet to switch to an electric range?
For a standard electric range or oven, yes — almost always. They pull 40–50 amps on a dedicated 240V circuit, which a gas kitchen won't have (a gas stove only uses a normal 120V outlet for its igniter and clock). Running that new circuit is usually the biggest single cost of the whole conversion, $400–$1,500. The exception is a plug-in countertop induction unit, which can run on 120V but isn't a full-size range.
Can I convert a gas stove to electric without an electrician?
You can buy and physically slide in the range yourself, but you should not run the 240V circuit yourself unless you're genuinely qualified. It requires a new breaker, heavy-gauge cable, a proper receptacle, a permit and an inspection — and getting it wrong is a fire and shock hazard that can void your homeowner's insurance. Capping the gas line should also be done by a licensed plumber. DIY the shopping and unboxing; hire out the wiring and gas work.
Is electric or gas cheaper to run after I switch?
In most of the country, cooking on gas is slightly cheaper per meal than electric resistance elements, because natural gas is cheap per unit of heat. Induction closes most of that gap by being far more efficient. Honestly the day-to-day difference is small — a few dollars a month for typical cooking. Plug your own electricity rate into WattDollar's electric oven and electric stove running-cost pages to see your exact numbers.
How much does the whole conversion cost all-in?
For most homes, roughly $1,200–$4,000 including the new appliance. The low end (around $800–$1,200) applies if a 240V circuit already reaches the kitchen and your panel has room. The high end — $5,000 to $7,000+ — kicks in when you also need an electrical panel or service upgrade to handle the new load.
What makes the cost vary so much from house to house?
Two things: whether a suitable 240V circuit already exists at the stove wall, and whether your electrical panel has spare capacity. A gas kitchen usually lacks the circuit, so you're paying to run new cable. If the panel is also full or under-capacity, you stack a $1,300–$3,000 upgrade on top. Those two forks are the difference between a few hundred dollars and several thousand.
How long does a gas-to-electric conversion take?
The hands-on work is usually a single day for the electrician and plumber — cap the gas, run the circuit, set the outlet, slide in the range. What stretches the timeline is scheduling the permit and inspection, and a panel upgrade if you need one (which can add a day and requires the utility to coordinate a power shutoff). Plan a week or two start to finish including the appliance delivery.