💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a 3D Printer Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a 3d printer costs about $1.47 per month at typical usage — 3 uses/week at 0.6 kWh each.
Per use
$0.11
0.6 kWh per use
Per day
4.8¢
3 uses/week at 0.6 kWh each
Per month
$1.47
7.8 kWh
Per year
$17.65
94 kWh
A consumer FDM printer averages 50–150 watts once the bed is heated, so a typical multi-hour print uses roughly half a kilowatt-hour. Even heavy hobby printing usually costs less per month than a single spool of filament.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
$0.11
Per day
4.8¢
Per month
$1.47
Per year
$17.65
Uses 7.8 kWh/month at 18.8¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 7.4¢ | $0.97 | $11.64 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 7.6¢ | $0.99 | $11.92 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 8.0¢ | $1.04 | $12.48 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 8.0¢ | $1.04 | $12.48 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 8.0¢ | $1.04 | $12.48 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 8.3¢ | $1.09 | $13.05 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 8.3¢ | $1.09 | $13.05 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 8.4¢ | $1.09 | $13.14 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 8.5¢ | $1.11 | $13.33 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 8.6¢ | $1.12 | $13.42 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 8.6¢ | $1.13 | $13.52 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 8.6¢ | $1.13 | $13.52 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 8.7¢ | $1.13 | $13.61 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 8.8¢ | $1.15 | $13.80 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 8.9¢ | $1.16 | $13.98 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 9.0¢ | $1.17 | $14.08 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 9.1¢ | $1.19 | $14.27 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 9.2¢ | $1.20 | $14.45 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 9.2¢ | $1.20 | $14.45 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 9.3¢ | $1.21 | $14.55 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 9.5¢ | $1.24 | $14.83 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 9.5¢ | $1.24 | $14.83 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | $0.10 | $1.26 | $15.11 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | $0.10 | $1.27 | $15.30 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | $0.10 | $1.28 | $15.39 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | $0.10 | $1.29 | $15.49 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | $0.10 | $1.31 | $15.77 |
| Texas | 17.0 | $0.10 | $1.33 | $15.96 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | $0.10 | $1.34 | $16.05 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | $0.10 | $1.36 | $16.33 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | $0.10 | $1.36 | $16.33 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | $0.11 | $1.40 | $16.80 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | $0.11 | $1.47 | $17.65 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | $0.12 | $1.50 | $18.02 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.12 | $1.52 | $18.30 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | $0.12 | $1.60 | $19.24 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | $0.13 | $1.67 | $20.09 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | $0.13 | $1.68 | $20.18 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | $0.13 | $1.73 | $20.74 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | $0.14 | $1.84 | $22.06 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | $0.15 | $1.92 | $23.09 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | $0.15 | $1.99 | $23.84 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | $0.16 | $2.13 | $25.53 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | $0.16 | $2.14 | $25.72 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.17 | $2.21 | $26.56 |
| Maine | 28.4 | $0.17 | $2.22 | $26.66 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | $0.18 | $2.31 | $27.69 |
| New York | 29.5 | $0.18 | $2.31 | $27.69 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | $0.19 | $2.52 | $30.22 |
| California | 35.3 | $0.21 | $2.76 | $33.13 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | $0.28 | $3.64 | $43.74 |
How to lower the cost
- Enable sleep after 15–20 minutes of idle — modern machines wake in seconds.
- Anything always-on (servers, mining, chargers on strips) deserves a smart plug and a schedule.
- Laptops do the same office work as desktops on a quarter of the power.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a 3d printer use?
A typical 3d printer uses about 0.6 kWh per use. At 3 uses per week, that's roughly 7.8 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a 3d printer cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh, each use costs about $0.11. That ranges from 7.4¢ in North Dakota to $0.28 in Hawaii.
How much does a 3d printer cost to run per month?
With typical usage (3 uses/week at 0.6 kWh each), expect about $1.47 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.97 in North Dakota up to $3.64 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a 3d printer use a lot of electricity?
Not really — at typical usage it's under 1% of an average home's monthly consumption. Heating, cooling, hot water, and drying are the loads that move bills.