Cost to Run a Central air conditioner (3-ton)
Per hour, month, and year — priced with the latest EIA residential rate in every state. June 2026 data · refreshed monthly.
At typical use — 3500 W for 8 hours a day (≈ 852 kWh/month) — running a central air conditioner (3-ton) costs about $139.10/month at the US median rate, from $111.71 in Nevada up to $449.35 in Hawaii.
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.
Cost by state, most expensive first
Typical usage priced at each state's latest average residential rate. Cheaper states aren't cheaper appliances — they're cheaper kilowatt-hours.
| # | State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 52.72¢/kWh | $449.35/mo | $5,392.18/yr |
| 2 | California | 34.74¢/kWh | $296.09/mo | $3,553.08/yr |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 29.61¢/kWh | $252.34/mo | $3,028.11/yr |
| 4 | Maine | 29.59¢/kWh | $252.16/mo | $3,025.96/yr |
| 5 | New York | 29.49¢/kWh | $251.38/mo | $3,016.53/yr |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 29.23¢/kWh | $249.16/mo | $2,989.96/yr |
| 7 | Alaska | 28.21¢/kWh | $240.40/mo | $2,884.85/yr |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 27.01¢/kWh | $230.25/mo | $2,762.97/yr |
| 9 | New Jersey | 24.95¢/kWh | $212.66/mo | $2,551.90/yr |
| 10 | Vermont | 24.44¢/kWh | $208.32/mo | $2,499.88/yr |
| 11 | District of Columbia | 24.39¢/kWh | $207.91/mo | $2,494.91/yr |
| 12 | Connecticut | 24.32¢/kWh | $207.28/mo | $2,487.31/yr |
| 13 | Michigan | 22.99¢/kWh | $195.98/mo | $2,351.79/yr |
| 14 | Maryland | 21.84¢/kWh | $186.14/mo | $2,233.69/yr |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 21.73¢/kWh | $185.25/mo | $2,222.96/yr |
| 16 | Illinois | 19.89¢/kWh | $169.49/mo | $2,033.84/yr |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 19.56¢/kWh | $166.70/mo | $2,000.34/yr |
| 18 | Delaware | 19.29¢/kWh | $164.38/mo | $1,972.58/yr |
| 19 | Ohio | 19.19¢/kWh | $163.54/mo | $1,962.52/yr |
| 20 | Minnesota | 17.52¢/kWh | $149.29/mo | $1,791.53/yr |
| 21 | Indiana | 17.51¢/kWh | $149.25/mo | $1,790.96/yr |
| 22 | Virginia | 17.22¢/kWh | $146.81/mo | $1,761.70/yr |
| 23 | Colorado | 17.13¢/kWh | $146.00/mo | $1,752.01/yr |
| 24 | Alabama | 16.4¢/kWh | $139.82/mo | $1,677.85/yr |
| 25 | Georgia | 16.36¢/kWh | $139.46/mo | $1,673.54/yr |
| 26 | Oregon | 16.32¢/kWh | $139.10/mo | $1,669.20/yr |
| 27 | Missouri | 16.22¢/kWh | $138.24/mo | $1,658.92/yr |
| 28 | Texas | 15.94¢/kWh | $135.88/mo | $1,630.62/yr |
| 29 | Iowa | 15.93¢/kWh | $135.81/mo | $1,629.77/yr |
| 30 | Kansas | 15.71¢/kWh | $133.87/mo | $1,606.40/yr |
| 31 | South Carolina | 15.55¢/kWh | $132.54/mo | $1,590.43/yr |
| 32 | West Virginia | 15.45¢/kWh | $131.71/mo | $1,580.54/yr |
| 33 | South Dakota | 15.36¢/kWh | $130.95/mo | $1,571.37/yr |
| 34 | Wyoming | 15.24¢/kWh | $129.91/mo | $1,558.88/yr |
| 35 | Arizona | 15.18¢/kWh | $129.37/mo | $1,552.48/yr |
| 36 | Montana | 15.14¢/kWh | $129.00/mo | $1,548.00/yr |
| 37 | Florida | 15.1¢/kWh | $128.67/mo | $1,544.09/yr |
| 38 | New Mexico | 15.06¢/kWh | $128.37/mo | $1,540.44/yr |
| 39 | Washington | 14.91¢/kWh | $127.10/mo | $1,525.22/yr |
| 40 | Mississippi | 14.88¢/kWh | $126.83/mo | $1,521.99/yr |
| 41 | North Carolina | 14.74¢/kWh | $125.61/mo | $1,507.34/yr |
| 42 | Idaho | 14.37¢/kWh | $122.47/mo | $1,469.60/yr |
| 43 | Oklahoma | 14.33¢/kWh | $122.15/mo | $1,465.86/yr |
| 44 | Kentucky | 14.26¢/kWh | $121.54/mo | $1,458.43/yr |
| 45 | Arkansas | 14.12¢/kWh | $120.36/mo | $1,444.29/yr |
| 46 | North Dakota | 14.12¢/kWh | $120.31/mo | $1,443.66/yr |
| 47 | Tennessee | 14.07¢/kWh | $119.96/mo | $1,439.56/yr |
| 48 | Louisiana | 13.49¢/kWh | $114.98/mo | $1,379.79/yr |
| 49 | Utah | 13.37¢/kWh | $113.94/mo | $1,367.26/yr |
| 50 | Nebraska | 13.25¢/kWh | $112.91/mo | $1,354.95/yr |
| 51 | Nevada | 13.11¢/kWh | $111.71/mo | $1,340.46/yr |
Assumptions on this page: Whole-home compressor average draw; summer daily use. The wattage and hours are typical values — the calculator above recomputes everything with your own numbers. Rate data: EIA-861M, June 2026.
Common questions
Answered from the data on this page.
How much does it cost to run a central air conditioner (3-ton) per month?
At the typical usage for this appliance (3,500 W for 8 h/day ≈ 852 kWh/month), the median across US states is about $139.10 per month as of June 2026. Your state and actual usage move the number — the calculator above lets you change both.
Which states are most and least expensive to run a central air conditioner (3-ton)?
Most expensive: Hawaii at about $449.35 per month. Least expensive: Nevada at about $111.71. The spread comes from residential rates alone (latest EIA month) — the appliance draws the same power everywhere.
How much does a central air conditioner (3-ton) cost per hour?
About $0.57 per hour at the median US residential rate of 16.32¢/kWh (3,500 W draw). Cost per hour never varies by state as much as monthly bills do — hours of use drive the total.
Method: cost = wattage × hours/day × 30.44 days × state average residential rate (EIA-861M, June 2026). Your utility's fixed charges, tiered rates, and time-of-use plans change the real invoice — see the methodology.