How much does it cost to run a box fan?
A box fan drawing 75 watts, used 8 hours a day, uses about 0.60 kWh per day and costs about $0.12 per day, $3.55 per month, and $42.51 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
A box fan draws roughly 75 watts on medium — cheap enough that running one overnight costs pennies. Like all fans, it cools people rather than rooms, though placing one in a window can genuinely exhaust hot air or pull in cool night air.
Cost at different daily usage
Same box fan at 75 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| 8 h/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 | $42.51 |
| 12 h/day | 0.90 kWh | $0.17 | $5.32 | $63.76 |
| 16 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 8 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 40 W | 0.32 kWh | $0.06 | $1.89 |
| Typical | 75 W | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 |
| High-draw model | 200 W | 1.60 kWh | $0.31 | $9.45 |
Cost by state
A box fan at 75 W for 8 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.10 | $3.06 | $36.73 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.17 | $5.16 | $61.82 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.09 | $2.78 | $33.35 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.09 | $2.62 | $31.45 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.20 | $6.07 | $72.82 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.10 | $2.95 | $35.39 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.16 | $5.00 | $59.94 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.12 | $3.54 | $42.44 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.15 | $4.64 | $55.63 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.09 | $2.77 | $33.22 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.10 | $2.89 | $34.69 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.31 | $9.50 | $113.88 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.07 | $2.26 | $27.05 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.14 | $4.36 | $52.23 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.11 | $3.31 | $39.75 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.97 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.09 | $2.76 | $33.13 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.09 | $2.74 | $32.81 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.99 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.17 | $5.23 | $62.70 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.13 | $3.98 | $47.68 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.17 | $5.26 | $63.12 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.13 | $4.02 | $48.20 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.10 | $3.10 | $37.12 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.10 | $2.95 | $35.39 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.08 | $2.50 | $29.96 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.09 | $2.68 | $32.13 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.48 | $29.76 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.48 | $29.78 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.16 | $4.99 | $59.85 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.14 | $4.25 | $50.96 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.92 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.18 | $5.47 | $65.55 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.09 | $2.76 | $33.05 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.49 | $29.81 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.12 | $3.57 | $42.75 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.44 | $29.30 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.10 | $2.97 | $35.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.13 | $3.94 | $47.19 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.18 | $5.38 | $64.52 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.10 | $2.96 | $35.43 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.09 | $2.87 | $34.45 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.09 | $2.64 | $31.69 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.10 | $3.00 | $36.00 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.08 | $2.37 | $28.38 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.15 | $4.55 | $54.51 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.11 | $3.22 | $38.57 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.09 | $2.73 | $32.74 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.10 | $3.07 | $36.79 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.12 | $3.61 | $43.23 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.09 | $2.70 | $32.41 |
How to cut the cost
- Use it in a window at night to exhaust hot air, then close up during the day.
- Run on a lower speed; power draw drops noticeably.
- Switch it off in unoccupied rooms.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a fan all night?
Very little — at around 75 watts for eight hours, a box fan uses roughly 0.6 kWh, typically well under 20 cents.
How do you calculate what a box fan costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For a box fan: 75 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.60 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.12 per day.
How many watts does a box fan use?
Typically 75 watts, with most models falling between 40 and 200 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.