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What Size AC for a Living Room?

A typical living room (~250 sq ft) needs about 9,750 BTU/hr — a 1.5 ton unit in moderate US conditions, or 2.5 ton in hot Indian conditions (26,700 BTU/hr).
Tuned for this space — adjust to match yours

Defaults reflect this space type, including its typical equipment/metabolic load of ~500 BTU/hr. Same engine as the main calculator.

Result
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Cooling load

Occupancy spikes drive the size

A living room's load swings more than any other room: two people watching TV on a Tuesday, ten people on a festival evening. Size for the realistic regular peak (we default to four occupants plus TV/electronics), not the annual maximum — an inverter modulates down for the quiet nights.

Open plans change the math

If the living room flows into a dining area or open kitchen without doors, the AC serves the whole connected volume — measure all of it. Open kitchens add their 4,000 BTU appliance load to the living room's bill, which is why a 'living room AC' in an open-plan Indian flat is so often a 2T.

FAQ

What size AC do I need for a living room?

A typical living room (~250 sq ft) needs about 9,750 BTU/hr — a 1.5 ton unit in moderate US conditions, or 2.5 ton in hot Indian conditions (26,700 BTU/hr).

What size AC for a living room in India?

A typical Indian living room of ~250 sq ft carries roughly 26,700 BTU/hr in hot conditions — a 2.5 ton. Adjust with the calculator above for your exact room and city.

What size AC for a living room with an open kitchen?

Measure the full connected area and tick the kitchen box — the appliance load (~4,000 BTU) belongs to the AC serving the space. A 300 sq ft open-plan living-kitchen in a hot Indian city typically lands at 2–2.5T.

AC sizing for other spaces

Garage Garage Gym Bedroom Kitchen Sunroom Attic Room / Loft Conversion Basement Home Office Server Room / IT Closet Retail Shop Restaurant Dining Area Salon / Parlour Gym / Fitness Studio Classroom / Coaching Centre Mobile / Manufactured Home Conservatory Study / Small Room

Go deeper: Main tonnage calculator · all guides.