KilowattCalc
How much does it cost to run any appliance? US electricity prices and running-cost calculators.
KilowattCalc answers one question: how much does it cost to run an electric appliance? The cost is (watts ÷ 1000) × hours × days × your rate. The US average residential electricity price is 18.56¢/kWh (March 2026, EIA), so a 1,500 W space heater run 8 hours a day costs about $22.27/month. Use the calculator for any device, look up your state's electricity price (highest: Hawaii at 42.23¢; lowest: North Dakota at 11.95¢), and browse 36 common appliances.
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (residential). Data as of June 2026.
Cost-to-run calculator
Pick an appliance (or enter watts), set how long you use it, and choose your state — the running cost updates instantly.
Open the full calculator page →
Popular appliances
~$22.27/mo at the US average rate
Central air conditioner~$51.97/mo at the US average rate
EV charging (home, Level 2)~$61.87/mo at the US average rate
Electric water heater (tank)~$76.21/mo at the US average rate
Refrigerator~$9.28/mo at the US average rate
Electric clothes dryer~$9.28/mo at the US average rate
What you can look up
- Cost to run any appliance — the calculator uses the DOE formula and your state's rate.
- Electricity price by state — a page for every state with its residential ¢/kWh, rank and appliance running costs at that rate.
- Appliance pages — 36 common devices with typical wattage, monthly cost and energy-saving tips.
- Rankings — the most and least expensive states, plus the biggest energy hogs.
5 most expensive states
- Hawaii — 42.23¢ (+127.5%)
- California — 33.35¢ (+79.7%)
- Connecticut — 30.47¢ (+64.2%)
- Massachusetts — 30.21¢ (+62.8%)
- Rhode Island — 29.91¢ (+61.2%)
5 cheapest states
- North Dakota — 11.95¢ (-35.6%)
- Idaho — 13.01¢ (-29.9%)
- Nebraska — 13.10¢ (-29.4%)
- Utah — 13.17¢ (-29.0%)
- Iowa — 13.42¢ (-27.7%)
5 biggest energy hogs
- Electric furnace / strip heat — ~7,200 kWh/yr
- Electric tankless water heater — ~6,570 kWh/yr
- Electric water heater (tank) — ~4,928 kWh/yr
- EV charging (home, Level 2) — ~4,000 kWh/yr
- Heat pump — ~3,600 kWh/yr
Guides
A 1,500 W space heater costs about $2.23 a day, or roughly $67 a month, run 8 hours a day at the US average electricity rate. Here's the full breakdown.
2026-06-19 What uses the most electricity in your home?Heating, cooling and water heating use the most electricity in a typical US home, followed by EV charging and always-on loads like the fridge. Here's the ranking.
2026-06-18 Cheapest and most expensive states for electricity (2026)Hawaii and California have the most expensive residential electricity; North Dakota and Nebraska the cheapest. Here's the 2026 ranking from EIA data.
2026-06-17 How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?Charging an EV at home costs about 6.4¢ per mile at the US average rate, or roughly $640 a year for 12,000 miles — far less than gasoline. Full breakdown by state.
2026-06-16 Air conditioning running costs explainedA central AC costs about $1.30–$2 an hour to run; a window unit about 17¢ an hour, at the US average rate. Here's how to estimate and cut your cooling bill.
2026-06-15 How to read your electricity bill and cut itYour real electricity rate is your total bill divided by kWh used. Here's how to read the bill, find your effective ¢/kWh, and target the loads that actually move it.
2026-06-14Where the data comes from
State electricity prices are the residential average from the EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (March 2026). Appliance wattages are typical figures from the U.S. Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR-grade references. Both are US public domain. Running costs are a transparent calculation over those inputs — see our methodology. Figures are estimates; verify against your own bill and meter.
Last updated: 2026-06-20