Per day
$2.33
12 kWh/day
What does it cost to run?
A 1,500 W space heater running 8 hours a day uses 12 kWh and costs about $2.33/day, $70.90/month, and $850.16/year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Pick any appliance and your state below to see your own numbers.
On the label or power brick
Or type a rate:
Per month
$70.90
30.44-day month
Per year
$850.16
at 19.4¢/kWh
FORMULA watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × rate · readings update as you type
Home total: $0.00/month
Electricity cost of common appliances
Typical running costs at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh, using the default wattage and daily usage shown. Your appliance's label may differ — enter its real numbers in the calculator above for an exact figure.
| Appliance | Power | Usage | kWh/day | Cost/day | Cost/month | Cost/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioner | 3,500 W | 8 h/day | 28.00 kWh | $5.43 | $165.44 | $1,983.70 |
| Heat pump (heating mode) | 3,000 W | 6 h/day | 18.00 kWh | $3.49 | $106.35 | $1,275.24 |
| EV charger (Level 2) | 7,200 W | 2 h/day | 14.40 kWh | $2.80 | $85.08 | $1,020.19 |
| Electric water heater | 4,000 W | 3 h/day | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.16 |
| Space heater | 1,500 W | 8 h/day | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.16 |
| EV charger (Level 1) | 1,400 W | 8 h/day | 11.20 kWh | $2.17 | $66.17 | $793.48 |
| Pool pump | 1,500 W | 6 h/day | 9.00 kWh | $1.75 | $53.18 | $637.62 |
| Window air conditioner | 1,000 W | 8 h/day | 8.00 kWh | $1.55 | $47.27 | $566.77 |
| Hot tub | 200 W | 24 h/day | 4.80 kWh | $0.93 | $28.36 | $340.06 |
| Dehumidifier | 300 W | 8 h/day | 2.40 kWh | $0.47 | $14.18 | $170.03 |
| Aquarium (heated, 30 gal) | 100 W | 24 h/day | 2.40 kWh | $0.47 | $14.18 | $170.03 |
| Electric oven | 2,300 W | 1 h/day | 2.30 kWh | $0.45 | $13.59 | $162.95 |
| Clothes dryer | 3,000 W | 0.75 h/day | 2.25 kWh | $0.44 | $13.29 | $159.40 |
| Dishwasher | 1,800 W | 1 h/day | 1.80 kWh | $0.35 | $10.64 | $127.52 |
| Refrigerator | 55 W | 24 h/day | 1.32 kWh | $0.26 | $7.80 | $93.52 |
| Chest freezer | 50 W | 24 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Electric blanket | 150 W | 8 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Desktop computer | 200 W | 6 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Slow cooker | 200 W | 6 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Gaming PC | 350 W | 3 h/day | 1.05 kWh | $0.20 | $6.20 | $74.39 |
| Air fryer | 1,500 W | 0.5 h/day | 0.75 kWh | $0.15 | $4.43 | $53.13 |
| Box fan | 75 W | 8 h/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 | $42.51 |
| Ceiling fan | 50 W | 8 h/day | 0.40 kWh | $0.08 | $2.36 | $28.34 |
| Game console | 120 W | 3 h/day | 0.36 kWh | $0.07 | $2.13 | $25.50 |
| Television (55" LED) | 80 W | 4 h/day | 0.32 kWh | $0.06 | $1.89 | $22.67 |
| Toaster oven | 1,200 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Laptop | 50 W | 6 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Incandescent bulb (60 W) | 60 W | 5 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Iron | 1,100 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.28 kWh | $0.05 | $1.62 | $19.48 |
| Washing machine | 500 W | 0.5 h/day | 0.25 kWh | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.71 |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.25 kWh | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.71 |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 W | 24 h/day | 0.24 kWh | $0.05 | $1.42 | $17.00 |
| Coffee maker | 900 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.23 kWh | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.94 |
| Hair dryer | 1,500 W | 0.15 h/day | 0.23 kWh | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.94 |
| Vacuum cleaner | 800 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.20 kWh | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.17 |
| LED bulb (9 W) | 9 W | 5 h/day | 0.04 kWh | $0.01 | $0.27 | $3.19 |
| Phone charger | 5 W | 2 h/day | 0.01 kWh | $0.00 | $0.06 | $0.71 |
Residential electricity rates by state
Approximate average residential rates. The two example columns show how the same usage costs very different amounts by state: a 1,500 W space heater run 8 h/day, and a typical refrigerator. Rates change monthly — check your utility bill for your exact rate.
| State | Avg. rate | Space heater /mo | Refrigerator /mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢/kWh | $61.26 | $6.74 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢/kWh | $103.12 | $11.34 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢/kWh | $55.63 | $6.12 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢/kWh | $52.45 | $5.77 |
| California | 33.2¢/kWh | $121.46 | $13.36 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢/kWh | $59.03 | $6.49 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢/kWh | $99.98 | $11.00 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢/kWh | $70.79 | $7.79 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢/kWh | $92.78 | $10.21 |
| Florida | 15.2¢/kWh | $55.41 | $6.10 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢/kWh | $57.86 | $6.36 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢/kWh | $189.95 | $20.89 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢/kWh | $45.11 | $4.96 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢/kWh | $87.12 | $9.58 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢/kWh | $66.30 | $7.29 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢/kWh | $51.65 | $5.68 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢/kWh | $55.27 | $6.08 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢/kWh | $54.72 | $6.02 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢/kWh | $51.69 | $5.69 |
| Maine | 28.6¢/kWh | $104.58 | $11.50 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢/kWh | $79.52 | $8.75 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢/kWh | $105.27 | $11.58 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢/kWh | $80.40 | $8.84 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢/kWh | $61.91 | $6.81 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢/kWh | $59.03 | $6.49 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢/kWh | $49.97 | $5.50 |
| Montana | 14.7¢/kWh | $53.59 | $5.89 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢/kWh | $49.64 | $5.46 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢/kWh | $49.68 | $5.46 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢/kWh | $99.83 | $10.98 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢/kWh | $85.00 | $9.35 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢/kWh | $51.58 | $5.67 |
| New York | 29.9¢/kWh | $109.33 | $12.03 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢/kWh | $55.12 | $6.06 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢/kWh | $49.71 | $5.47 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢/kWh | $71.30 | $7.84 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢/kWh | $48.87 | $5.38 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢/kWh | $59.43 | $6.54 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢/kWh | $78.72 | $8.66 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢/kWh | $107.61 | $11.84 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢/kWh | $59.10 | $6.50 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢/kWh | $57.46 | $6.32 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢/kWh | $52.86 | $5.81 |
| Texas | 16.4¢/kWh | $60.05 | $6.61 |
| Utah | 13.0¢/kWh | $47.34 | $5.21 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢/kWh | $90.92 | $10.00 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢/kWh | $64.33 | $7.08 |
| Washington | 14.9¢/kWh | $54.61 | $6.01 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢/kWh | $61.37 | $6.75 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢/kWh | $72.11 | $7.93 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢/kWh | $54.06 | $5.95 |
How appliance electricity cost is calculated
cost per day = watts × hours per day ÷ 1,000 × rate per kWh
Worked example — central air conditioner: 3,500 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 28 kWh, and 28 kWh × $0.194 = $5.43/day, which is about $165.44 per month. Dividing by 1,000 converts watts to kilowatts, because utilities bill per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the electricity cost of an appliance?
Multiply the appliance's wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply by your electricity rate. Example: a 1,500-watt space heater running 8 hours a day uses 12 kWh, which costs about $2.33 per day or $70.90 per month at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh.
What uses the most electricity in a home?
Heating and cooling are usually the largest share of a home's electricity use, followed by water heating, then major appliances like the dryer, refrigerator, and oven. Always-on devices (routers, chargers, standby electronics) are individually small but add up across a household.
How much does a refrigerator cost to run?
A typical modern refrigerator averages about 55 watts of continuous draw (roughly 1.3 kWh per day), which costs about $0.26 per day, $7.80 per month, or $93.52 per year at 19.4¢/kWh. Older or larger refrigerators can cost two to three times more.
How much does a space heater cost per month?
A standard 1,500-watt space heater running 8 hours a day costs about $70.90 per month at 19.4¢/kWh. In high-rate states like California (33¢/kWh) the same usage costs about $121.46 per month.
What is a kilowatt-hour (kWh)?
A kilowatt-hour is the unit your utility bills you for: 1,000 watts used for one hour. A 100-watt device running 10 hours uses exactly 1 kWh. Your electricity rate is the price you pay per kWh, printed on your utility bill.
How can I lower my electric bill?
Start with the biggest loads: seal drafts and adjust thermostat setpoints (heating/cooling), lower the water heater to 120°F, wash clothes cold and hang-dry when possible, replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs, and put entertainment centers on a switched power strip to cut standby draw. Use the calculator above to rank your own appliances first, so you focus effort where the dollars actually are.