What It Costs to Run Appliances
Space heaters, air conditioners, dryers, EV chargers — per hour, month, and year, priced with the latest EIA residential rates for every state. June 2026 data · refreshed monthly.
The priciest typical use on this list is the central air conditioner (3-ton) — about $139.10/month at the US median rate — while a single LED bulb costs pennies. Pick anything below: the rate is measured, the wattage and hours are typical values you can change.
Running-cost calculator
Pick an appliance, your state, and your own hours of use — the rate is the latest EIA residential average. Fixed charges and utility tiers are on top of this.
Every appliance, priced
Monthly cost at each appliance's typical usage, median across the 50 states + DC. Open one for the full state-by-state table and calculator.
| Appliance | Typical draw | kWh/mo | Median cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable space heater | 1500 W × 8 h | 365 | $59.61/mo |
| Central air conditioner (3-ton) | 3500 W × 8 h | 852 | $139.10/mo |
| Window air conditioner (10k BTU) | 900 W × 8 h | 219 | $35.77/mo |
| Electric water heater | 4500 W × 3 h | 411 | $67.07/mo |
| Electric clothes dryer | 3000 W × 1 h | 91 | $14.90/mo |
| EV charging (Level 2) | 7200 W × 2 h | 438 | $71.54/mo |
| Refrigerator | 150 W × 24 h | 110 | $17.88/mo |
| Electric oven | 2400 W × 1 h | 73 | $11.92/mo |
| Microwave | 1000 W × 0.5 h | 15 | $2.48/mo |
| Dishwasher | 1200 W × 1 h | 37 | $5.96/mo |
| Clothes washer | 500 W × 1 h | 15 | $2.48/mo |
| Television | 100 W × 5 h | 15 | $2.48/mo |
| Gaming PC | 350 W × 4 h | 43 | $6.96/mo |
| LED light bulb | 10 W × 5 h | 2 | $0.25/mo |
| Ceiling fan | 75 W × 8 h | 18 | $2.98/mo |
| Dehumidifier | 300 W × 12 h | 110 | $17.88/mo |
| Pool pump | 1200 W × 6 h | 219 | $35.77/mo |
| Electric blanket | 200 W × 8 h | 49 | $7.95/mo |
| Electric kettle | 1500 W × 0.25 h | 11 | $1.86/mo |
Method: cost = typical wattage × hours/day × 30.44 days × the state's latest average residential rate (EIA-861M, June 2026). Wattage and hours are labeled typical assumptions — change them in the calculator. Rates vary by utility and plan; see the methodology.