How much does it cost to run a space heater?
A space heater drawing 1,500 watts, used 8 hours a day, uses about 12.00 kWh per day and costs about $2.33 per day, $70.90 per month, and $850.16 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
Nearly all portable electric space heaters top out at 1,500 watts, because that is the most a standard US 15-amp outlet can safely supply. That means brand and price barely affect running cost — a $30 heater and a $300 heater on high draw the same power. What actually changes your bill is how many hours it runs and whether the thermostat cycles it off once the room warms.
Cost at different daily usage
Same space heater at 1,500 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h/day | 6.00 kWh | $1.16 | $35.45 | $425.08 |
| 8 h/day | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.16 |
| 12 h/day | 18.00 kWh | $3.49 | $106.35 | $1,275.24 |
| 16 h/day | 24.00 kWh | $4.66 | $141.80 | $1,700.32 |
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 | 750 W | 6.00 kWh | $1.16 | $35.45 |
| Typical | 1,500 W | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 |
| High-draw model | 1,500 W | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 |
Cost by state
A space heater at 1,500 W for 8 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $2.01 | $61.26 | $734.53 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $3.39 | $103.12 | $1,236.47 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $1.83 | $55.63 | $667.07 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $1.72 | $52.45 | $628.97 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $3.99 | $121.46 | $1,456.35 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $1.94 | $59.03 | $707.81 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $3.28 | $99.98 | $1,198.81 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $2.33 | $70.79 | $848.84 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $3.05 | $92.78 | $1,112.52 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $1.82 | $55.41 | $664.45 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $1.90 | $57.86 | $693.79 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $6.24 | $189.95 | $2,277.60 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $1.48 | $45.11 | $540.93 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $2.86 | $87.12 | $1,044.63 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $2.18 | $66.30 | $794.97 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $1.70 | $51.65 | $619.33 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $1.82 | $55.27 | $662.69 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $1.80 | $54.72 | $656.12 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $1.70 | $51.69 | $619.77 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $3.44 | $104.58 | $1,253.99 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $2.61 | $79.52 | $953.53 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $3.46 | $105.27 | $1,262.32 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $2.64 | $80.40 | $964.04 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $2.03 | $61.91 | $742.41 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $1.94 | $59.03 | $707.81 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $1.64 | $49.97 | $599.18 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $1.76 | $53.59 | $642.55 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $1.63 | $49.64 | $595.24 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $1.63 | $49.68 | $595.68 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $3.28 | $99.83 | $1,197.05 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $2.79 | $85.00 | $1,019.23 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $1.69 | $51.58 | $618.46 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $3.59 | $109.33 | $1,310.93 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $1.81 | $55.12 | $660.94 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $1.63 | $49.71 | $596.12 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $2.34 | $71.30 | $854.98 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $1.61 | $48.87 | $586.04 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $1.95 | $59.43 | $712.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $2.59 | $78.72 | $943.89 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $3.54 | $107.61 | $1,290.35 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $1.94 | $59.10 | $708.68 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $1.89 | $57.46 | $688.97 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $1.74 | $52.86 | $633.79 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $1.97 | $60.05 | $720.07 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $1.56 | $47.34 | $567.65 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $2.99 | $90.92 | $1,090.18 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $2.11 | $64.33 | $771.32 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $1.79 | $54.61 | $654.81 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $2.02 | $61.37 | $735.84 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $2.37 | $72.11 | $864.61 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $1.78 | $54.06 | $648.24 |
How to cut the cost
- Run it on the low setting (usually 750 W) — it halves the cost and is often enough for a small room.
- Heat one occupied room and lower the whole-house thermostat, rather than running both at full output.
- Choose a model with a thermostat, not just on/off — cycling off at temperature can cut runtime substantially.
- Close the door and seal drafts in the room you're heating; a space heater cannot keep up with an open hallway.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Is a space heater cheaper than central heating?
It can be, but only if you use it to heat one room while turning the central thermostat down. Running a space heater in addition to normal central heating almost always costs more, because you are paying for both at once.
Do space heaters use a lot of electricity?
Yes — at 1,500 watts a space heater is one of the highest-draw plug-in appliances in a typical home, comparable to a hair dryer but running for hours instead of minutes.
How do you calculate what a space heater 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 space heater: 1,500 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 12.00 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $2.33 per day.
How many watts does a space heater use?
Typically 1,500 watts, with most models falling between 750 and 1,500 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.