How much does it cost to run a laptop?
A laptop drawing 50 watts, used 6 hours a day, uses about 0.30 kWh per day and costs about $0.06 per day, $1.76 per month, and $21.09 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.3¢/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
Laptops are among the most efficient devices in a home, drawing roughly 20-100 watts depending on the task. Because they're designed to run from a battery, they aggressively reduce power when idle — which is why a laptop left on all day costs a small fraction of a desktop doing the same.
Cost at different daily usage
Same laptop at 50 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.3¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 h/day | 0.15 kWh | $0.03 | $0.88 | $10.54 |
| 6 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.76 | $21.09 |
| 9 h/day | 0.45 kWh | $0.09 | $2.64 | $31.63 |
| 12 h/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.52 | $42.18 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 6 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 20 W | 0.12 kWh | $0.02 | $0.70 |
| Typical | 50 W | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.76 |
| High-draw model | 100 W | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.52 |
Cost by state
A laptop at 50 W for 6 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.50 | $17.96 |
| Alaska | 28.8¢ | $0.09 | $2.63 | $31.57 |
| Arizona | 15.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.40 | $16.84 |
| Arkansas | 14.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.31 | $15.69 |
| California | 33.6¢ | $0.10 | $3.07 | $36.80 |
| Colorado | 17.0¢ | $0.05 | $1.55 | $18.62 |
| Connecticut | 24.2¢ | $0.07 | $2.21 | $26.46 |
| Delaware | 18.5¢ | $0.06 | $1.69 | $20.24 |
| District of Columbia | 25.2¢ | $0.08 | $2.30 | $27.60 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | $0.05 | $1.37 | $16.46 |
| Georgia | 16.3¢ | $0.05 | $1.49 | $17.82 |
| Hawaii | 48.0¢ | $0.14 | $4.38 | $52.56 |
| Idaho | 13.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $15.03 |
| Illinois | 19.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.76 | $21.05 |
| Indiana | 16.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.53 | $18.32 |
| Iowa | 16.0¢ | $0.05 | $1.46 | $17.51 |
| Kansas | 15.3¢ | $0.05 | $1.39 | $16.72 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.26 | $15.12 |
| Louisiana | 12.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.16 | $13.93 |
| Maine | 32.4¢ | $0.10 | $2.96 | $35.49 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | $0.06 | $1.96 | $23.44 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | $0.09 | $2.78 | $33.39 |
| Michigan | 23.1¢ | $0.07 | $2.10 | $25.24 |
| Minnesota | 17.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.59 | $19.11 |
| Mississippi | 14.5¢ | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.92 |
| Missouri | 16.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.47 | $17.62 |
| Montana | 15.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.37 | $16.41 |
| Nebraska | 13.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.26 | $15.09 |
| Nevada | 12.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.17 | $13.98 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.43 | $29.13 |
| New Jersey | 25.2¢ | $0.08 | $2.30 | $27.58 |
| New Mexico | 16.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.47 | $17.62 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.09 | $2.73 | $32.74 |
| North Carolina | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.38 | $16.60 |
| North Dakota | 13.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.68 |
| Ohio | 19.4¢ | $0.06 | $1.78 | $21.30 |
| Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.31 | $15.71 |
| Oregon | 16.0¢ | $0.05 | $1.46 | $17.49 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $0.07 | $1.98 | $23.78 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.98 |
| South Carolina | 15.5¢ | $0.05 | $1.41 | $16.94 |
| South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.40 | $16.83 |
| Tennessee | 13.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $15.01 |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | $0.05 | $1.45 | $17.39 |
| Utah | 13.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.20 | $14.37 |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | $0.07 | $2.17 | $26.01 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.60 | $19.22 |
| Washington | 14.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.34 | $16.11 |
| West Virginia | 15.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.44 | $17.28 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1¢ | $0.06 | $1.74 | $20.87 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.31 | $15.72 |
How to cut the cost
- Lower screen brightness; the display is often the largest single draw.
- Use battery-saver or balanced power modes for everyday work.
- Unplug the charger when the battery is full if it stays warm — some older chargers draw idle power.
- Close background applications that keep the processor busy.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.3¢/kWh.
Questions
How much does it cost to charge a laptop?
Very little. Even charging daily, a laptop is one of the cheapest devices in a typical home to run.
How do you calculate what a laptop 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 laptop: 50 W × 6 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.30 kWh per day, which at 19.3¢/kWh is $0.06 per day.
How many watts does a laptop use?
Typically 50 watts, with most models falling between 20 and 100 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.