How much does it cost to run a microwave?
A microwave drawing 1,000 watts, used about 15 minutes a day, uses about 0.25 kWh per day and costs about $0.05 per day, $1.47 per month, and $17.57 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
A microwave draws around 1,000 watts but typically runs only a few minutes a day, making it one of the cheapest ways to heat food. Note that the advertised 'cooking power' is output; input draw is somewhat higher.
Cost at different daily usage
Same microwave at 1,000 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.3¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 min/day | 0.12 kWh | $0.02 | $0.70 | $8.44 |
| 15 min/day | 0.25 kWh | $0.05 | $1.47 | $17.57 |
| 30 min/day | 0.50 kWh | $0.10 | $2.93 | $35.15 |
| 1 h/day | 1.00 kWh | $0.19 | $5.86 | $70.30 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 15 min/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 600 W | 0.15 kWh | $0.03 | $0.88 |
| Typical | 1,000 W | 0.25 kWh | $0.05 | $1.47 |
| High-draw model | 1,800 W | 0.45 kWh | $0.09 | $2.64 |
Cost by state
A microwave at 1,000 W for 15 min/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $14.96 |
| Alaska | 28.8¢ | $0.07 | $2.19 | $26.31 |
| Arizona | 15.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.17 | $14.03 |
| Arkansas | 14.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.09 | $13.08 |
| California | 33.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.56 | $30.67 |
| Colorado | 17.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.51 |
| Connecticut | 24.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.84 | $22.05 |
| Delaware | 18.5¢ | $0.05 | $1.41 | $16.86 |
| District of Columbia | 25.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.92 | $23.00 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.14 | $13.71 |
| Georgia | 16.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.85 |
| Hawaii | 48.0¢ | $0.12 | $3.65 | $43.80 |
| Idaho | 13.7¢ | $0.03 | $1.04 | $12.53 |
| Illinois | 19.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.46 | $17.54 |
| Indiana | 16.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.27 | $15.27 |
| Iowa | 16.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.59 |
| Kansas | 15.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.16 | $13.93 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | $0.03 | $1.05 | $12.60 |
| Louisiana | 12.7¢ | $0.03 | $0.97 | $11.61 |
| Maine | 32.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.47 | $29.57 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.63 | $19.54 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | $0.08 | $2.32 | $27.82 |
| Michigan | 23.1¢ | $0.06 | $1.75 | $21.03 |
| Minnesota | 17.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.92 |
| Mississippi | 14.5¢ | $0.04 | $1.11 | $13.27 |
| Missouri | 16.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.68 |
| Montana | 15.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.14 | $13.68 |
| Nebraska | 13.8¢ | $0.03 | $1.05 | $12.57 |
| Nevada | 12.8¢ | $0.03 | $0.97 | $11.65 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6¢ | $0.07 | $2.02 | $24.27 |
| New Jersey | 25.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.92 | $22.99 |
| New Mexico | 16.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.68 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.28 | $27.28 |
| North Carolina | 15.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.15 | $13.83 |
| North Dakota | 13.4¢ | $0.03 | $1.02 | $12.24 |
| Ohio | 19.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.75 |
| Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.09 | $13.09 |
| Oregon | 16.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.57 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.65 | $19.82 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $0.07 | $2.15 | $25.81 |
| South Carolina | 15.5¢ | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.12 |
| South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.17 | $14.03 |
| Tennessee | 13.7¢ | $0.03 | $1.04 | $12.51 |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | $0.04 | $1.21 | $14.49 |
| Utah | 13.1¢ | $0.03 | $1.00 | $11.97 |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | $0.06 | $1.81 | $21.67 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.34 | $16.01 |
| Washington | 14.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.12 | $13.42 |
| West Virginia | 15.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.20 | $14.40 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.45 | $17.39 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.09 | $13.10 |
How to cut the cost
- Use it instead of the oven or stove for reheating — it's dramatically more efficient per portion.
- Cover food to retain moisture and shorten cooking time.
- Ignore the clock's standby draw; it's a rounding error.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.3¢/kWh.
Questions
Does a microwave use a lot of electricity?
High wattage but very short runtime. Total monthly cost is usually negligible compared with heating and cooling.
How do you calculate what a microwave 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 microwave: 1,000 W × 0.25 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.25 kWh per day, which at 19.3¢/kWh is $0.05 per day.
How many watts does a microwave use?
Typically 1,000 watts, with most models falling between 600 and 1,800 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.