Environmental pollution is a persistent global challenge of industrialisation. In this study, metalworking wastewater (MWW) containing COD of 17,312 mg/L, TOC of 3155 mg/L and turbidity of 15,350 NTU was treated by continuous electrocoagulation process (CEP). At current densities between 30–90 A/m2, and reactor retention time (τ) of 35 min (Q = 0.10 L/min), removal efficiencies for COD, TOC and turbidity were 68.0–87.0%, 55.2–77.7% and 85.0–99.6%, respectively for Al electrode. Whereas removals for COD, TOC and turbidity with Fe electrode were 75.1–94.8%, 72.2–89.5% and 88.1–99.9%, respectively. Futheremore, varying flow rate from 0.010-0.20 L/min (τ of 350-17.5 min) at 90 A/m2, resulted into COD, TOC and turbidity removals of 92.6–71.3%, 83.3–64.9% and 99.9–88.9% for Al electrode and 97.8–78.6%, 94.9–69.9% and 99.9–94.7%, respectively for Fe electrode. Analysis of operating costs (OC) encompassing consumptions of energy, electrodes, chemicals and landfill disposal of generated sludge for 30−90 A/m2 current density showed a variation from 1.37 to 4.74 $/m3 and 1.03–3.80 $/m3 for Al and Fe electrodes, respectively. Similarly, the OC for 0.010-0.20 L/min flow rates were 4.34–4.88 $/m3 (3.34–1.11 $/kg COD) and 3.58–3.85 $/m3 (7.73-1.41 $/kg COD) for Al and Fe electrodes, respectively. At optimum conditions (EC time = 40 min, τ = 70 min, and 90 A/m2), COD, TOC and turbidity removals from MWW by CEP were 94.3%, 90.1% and 99.3%, respectively with Fe electrodes. At these optimums, the OC was 3.09 US $/m3 (2.63 US $/kg removed COD). The results showed that CEP was an effective alternative process for treatment of the MWW.