Which is less expensive- running central air or using a million fans in a small 2 bedroom apartment?

My roommate won't let me run the air conditioner, so instead I've had to go out and spend what little money I have on three different fans to keep my room somewhat liveable. The way our building is set up, we get every bit of sunlight from dawn till dusk and there are no breezes here so there's no point in opening the windows, it just lets stagnant air in. He says that running the a/c costs hundreds of dollars a month so I'm not allowed to touch the thermostat. Could someone give me some technical advice? Does central air really cause that much hassle?

Answers:
I have been doing maintenance work for 26 years. Set the thermostat to 78 and leave it alone. Don't leave the door open except to enter and exit the unit. CLOSE THE BLINDS! Use flourecent lighting to cut down on heat. It takes 3 times as much energy to cool an apartment down to a level after it has been off than to maintain a level all day. So yes, keep your hands off the thermostat, but leave it ON!

BTW, use a fan to circulate the air, it helps, but not 3-4

Other answers:
How the h e l l would you fit a million fans in a small 2 bedroom apartment?
How the h e l l would you fit a million fans in a small 2 bedroom apartment?
All electric appliances have a watt rating. Just add up the fan watts and compare them to the a/c wattage. Then gauge how much less comfort the fans provide vs the a/c. Three fans probably use less than one a/c, but don't really cool the air, nor do they reduce the humidity like the a/c. Reduced humidity is one of the factors that make the air seem cooler than it really is. I would compromise and keep the a/c thermostat up around 78 or 80 so that it doesn't run all the time. Your bill should be less than $150 a month this way. Running the fans, though, will still be less, more than likely. Hope this helps.
Do you want cool air, or just a bunch of fans blowing hot air around?
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