Energy costs · October 2026 prices
How much does it cost to run a laptop?
A typical laptop uses about 50 watts, so it costs about 1.0¢ an hour to run at the U.S. average electricity price of 19.0¢ per kWh (October 2026). Used 8 hours a working day, that is about $1.67 a month, or $20.06 a year.
Key figures
- 50 Wtypical wattage (U.S. Department of Energy)
- 1.0¢per hour at 19.0¢/kWh
- $1.67per month, used 8 hours a working day
- 8.8 kWhper month at that use
Laptops are among the cheapest devices to run; the figure is the power while in use, and far less when asleep.
Cost by region
| Region | Price per kWh | Per hour | Per month (8 hours a working day) | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | 19.0¢ | 1.0¢ | $1.67 | $20.06 |
| Northeast | 26.6¢ | 1.3¢ | $2.34 | $28.09 |
| Midwest | 19.3¢ | 1.0¢ | $1.70 | $20.38 |
| South | 16.2¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.43 | $17.11 |
| West | 20.1¢ | 1.0¢ | $1.77 | $21.23 |
Cost per hour in every state (August 2026)
| State | ¢ per kWh | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.3¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.44 |
| Alaska | 29.4¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.59 |
| Arizona | 15.1¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.32 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.26 |
| California | 29.8¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.62 |
| Colorado | 17.2¢ | 0.9¢ | $1.51 |
| Connecticut | 24.5¢ | 1.2¢ | $2.16 |
| Delaware | 18.7¢ | 0.9¢ | $1.65 |
| District of Columbia | 26.0¢ | 1.3¢ | $2.29 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.32 |
| Georgia | 15.9¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.40 |
| Hawaii | 47.2¢ | 2.4¢ | $4.15 |
| Idaho | 13.4¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.18 |
| Illinois | 19.3¢ | 1.0¢ | $1.70 |
| Indiana | 17.0¢ | 0.9¢ | $1.50 |
| Iowa | 17.1¢ | 0.9¢ | $1.50 |
| Kansas | 15.5¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.36 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.21 |
| Louisiana | 12.9¢ | 0.6¢ | $1.13 |
| Maine | 32.1¢ | 1.6¢ | $2.83 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | 1.1¢ | $1.88 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.68 |
| Michigan | 23.0¢ | 1.1¢ | $2.02 |
| Minnesota | 17.2¢ | 0.9¢ | $1.51 |
| Mississippi | 14.4¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.27 |
| Missouri | 16.0¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.41 |
| Montana | 15.6¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.37 |
| Nebraska | 13.5¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.19 |
| Nevada | 12.7¢ | 0.6¢ | $1.12 |
| New Hampshire | 27.6¢ | 1.4¢ | $2.43 |
| New Jersey | 24.6¢ | 1.2¢ | $2.17 |
| New Mexico | 16.5¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.45 |
| New York | 28.7¢ | 1.4¢ | $2.52 |
| North Carolina | 15.0¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.32 |
| North Dakota | 13.3¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.17 |
| Ohio | 19.4¢ | 1.0¢ | $1.71 |
| Oklahoma | 14.8¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.30 |
| Oregon | 15.9¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.40 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.8¢ | 1.1¢ | $1.92 |
| Rhode Island | 28.2¢ | 1.4¢ | $2.48 |
| South Carolina | 15.8¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.39 |
| South Dakota | 15.2¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.33 |
| Tennessee | 13.4¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.18 |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.40 |
| Utah | 13.3¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.17 |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | 1.2¢ | $2.10 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | 0.9¢ | $1.55 |
| Washington | 14.6¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.29 |
| West Virginia | 16.3¢ | 0.8¢ | $1.44 |
| Wisconsin | 19.4¢ | 1.0¢ | $1.71 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | 0.7¢ | $1.27 |
State prices: U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential customers.
Running cost calculator
Cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh (the DOE formula). The wattage on your appliance’s label or in its manual gives the most accurate result; appliances that cycle on and off (heaters with a thermostat, dehumidifiers) use less than their rated wattage.
Compared with other appliances
| Appliance | Cost per hour of use |
|---|---|
| Laptops | 1.0¢ |
| Clothes dryers | 65¢ |
| Dishwashers | 34¢ |
| Hair dryers | 29¢ |
| Space heaters | 29¢ |
| Electric kettles | 29¢ |
| Clothes irons | 27¢ |
| Toaster ovens | 23¢ |
| Vacuum cleaners | 23¢ |
More about laptops
- Laptops & Computers: models and list prices
- Safety: 26 CPSC recalls since 2010 mention laptops or similar products. Search recalls
- Running costs of other appliances
Sources: electricity prices from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, “Electricity per kWh” (about the data); U.S. Department of Energy typical wattages (Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use, Virginia Cooperative Extension BSE-301NP, developed with DOE, 2020). Cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh. Your own price per kWh, including delivery charges and taxes, is on your electricity bill.