That’s a great question — and the answer is: it depends. Whether air fryers are cheaper than gas ovens hinges on multiple factors — wattage, cooking time, how much food you're cooking, gas vs electricity costs in your area, and appliance efficiency. Below is a detailed comparison to help you understand when an air fryer can be cheaper, and when a gas oven might still be more economical.

What Each Appliance Costs to Operate

Air Fryer

• Most air fryers run in the range of 1,200 to 1,800 watts (1.2–1.8 kW) when operating.

• Because they are compact, they typically preheat rapidly (or sometimes not at all), and cook faster for many foods compared to larger ovens. 

• Because cooking times are shorter and less ambient heat is wasted, for small meals air fryers often consume less energy overall than a full-size oven.

Gas Oven

• A gas oven is heated by a flame fueled by natural gas or propane. The efficiency depends on how well that flame’s heat is transferred into the oven cavity and how well insulated the oven is.

• Gas (in many regions) has a lower cost per energy unit compared to electricity, which gives gas ovens an advantage in fuel cost when the appliance is used for long durations.However, gas ovens often have larger thermal mass and more heat loss to surroundings when heating and maintaining temperature, especially for small loads.

When an Air Fryer Is Usually Cheaper

An air fryer tends to be cheaper than a gas oven in these scenarios:

1. Small to moderate portions
   Because the air fryer cavity is small, you're not heating a large volume of space. The lower “wasted” heat makes it more efficient when cooking for 1–3 people.

• For example, the UK Energy Saving Trust notes that for the same meal, air fryers are often cheaper to run than ovens. 

• Which? reported that in their tests, the air fryer often used less than half the energy of a conventional oven for certain meals. 

2. Short cooking times / frequent use
   Because air fryers heat up quickly (or skip much of the preheating), you save on “waste” energy during preheating. 

• For example, InfluxData found that for cooking something like fries, the air fryer used significantly less energy overall.

3. Electricity is relatively cheap, or gas is relatively expensive
   If your local electricity rate is low and gas is expensive (or vice versa), the balance may shift toward the air fryer.

When a Gas Oven Might Be Cheaper (or More Efficient)

There are also cases where a gas oven can be more cost-effective:

• Cooking large volumes or batch cooking
  Because a gas oven has more internal space, you can cook multiple dishes at once. The per-item cost may drop as you leverage its full capacity. Which? warns that savings from the air fryer diminish when you have to run multiple batches.

• Long cooking durations / roasting / baking
  For long-duration recipes, a gas oven’s better insulation and ability to maintain stable heat may make it more efficient overall.

• Low gas costs / inefficient electricity
  In areas where gas is much cheaper compared to electricity, the gas oven’s lower fuel cost may offset its inefficiencies. For instance, some energy-cost guides state that “in blunt terms, a gas oven is cheaper to run than an air fryer,” especially when comparing to electricity-powered appliances.

Real-World Data & Examples

• A study by Consumer NZ found that for small meals (< 30 minutes), air fryers were cheaper; for larger meals and longer cooking, ovens sometimes became cheaper. 

• Kiplinger states that air fryers use about 50% less total energy than a full-size electric oven under many conditions.

• Some comparisons (e.g. GoCompare) suggest that while air fryers cost a few pence per cooking session, ovens cost more for the same job because of higher power and longer operating time.

• But InfluxData’s analysis cautions that the savings are often modest, and it might take years to recoup the purchase cost of an air fryer purely from energy savings. 

So, Are Air Fryers Cheaper Than Gas Ovens?

Short answer: For many everyday meals, especially small ones cooked quickly, an air fryer often is cheaper to use than a gas oven. But if you're cooking large volumes or doing long-duration roasting, or if gas is very cheap in your locale, a gas oven might come out ahead or at least be competitive.

To know for your situation, you’d want to compare:

1. Energy costs in your location (electricity cost per kWh vs gas cost per unit)

2. Appliance power / efficiency (how much energy the air fryer draws, and how efficient your gas oven is)

3. Cooking habits — portion sizes, frequency, duration