🚗 Outdoor, Garage & EV
How Much Does a Bug Zapper Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a bug zapper costs about $1.83 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
0.8¢
at 20–100 W
Per day
6.0¢
8 hours/day
Per month
$1.83
9.7 kWh
Per year
$21.96
117 kWh
Bug zappers run 20–100 watts through summer evenings. A season of nightly operation costs a few dollars — though studies find they mostly kill harmless insects while mosquitoes ignore them.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.8¢
Per day
6.0¢
Per month
$1.83
Per year
$21.96
Uses 9.7 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 hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.21 | $14.48 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.5¢ | $1.24 | $14.83 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.5¢ | $1.29 | $15.53 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.5¢ | $1.29 | $15.53 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.5¢ | $1.29 | $15.53 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.6¢ | $1.35 | $16.24 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.6¢ | $1.35 | $16.24 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.6¢ | $1.36 | $16.35 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.6¢ | $1.38 | $16.59 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.6¢ | $1.39 | $16.70 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.40 | $16.82 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.40 | $16.82 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.41 | $16.94 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.6¢ | $1.43 | $17.17 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.6¢ | $1.45 | $17.40 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $1.46 | $17.52 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.6¢ | $1.48 | $17.75 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.50 | $17.99 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.50 | $17.99 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.51 | $18.10 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.6¢ | $1.54 | $18.45 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.6¢ | $1.54 | $18.45 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $1.57 | $18.80 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.7¢ | $1.59 | $19.04 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.7¢ | $1.60 | $19.16 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.7¢ | $1.61 | $19.27 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.7¢ | $1.63 | $19.62 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.7¢ | $1.65 | $19.86 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.7¢ | $1.66 | $19.97 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.7¢ | $1.69 | $20.32 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.7¢ | $1.69 | $20.32 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.7¢ | $1.74 | $20.91 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.8¢ | $1.83 | $21.96 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.8¢ | $1.87 | $22.43 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.8¢ | $1.90 | $22.78 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.8¢ | $1.99 | $23.94 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.9¢ | $2.08 | $25.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.9¢ | $2.09 | $25.11 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.9¢ | $2.15 | $25.81 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.9¢ | $2.29 | $27.45 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 1.0¢ | $2.39 | $28.73 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 1.0¢ | $2.47 | $29.67 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 1.1¢ | $2.65 | $31.77 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 1.1¢ | $2.67 | $32.00 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 1.1¢ | $2.75 | $33.05 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 1.1¢ | $2.76 | $33.17 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 1.2¢ | $2.87 | $34.46 |
| New York | 29.5 | 1.2¢ | $2.87 | $34.46 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 1.3¢ | $3.13 | $37.61 |
| California | 35.3 | 1.4¢ | $3.43 | $41.23 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 1.9¢ | $4.53 | $54.43 |
How to lower the cost
- Charge vehicles and batteries overnight if your utility offers time-of-use rates.
- Standby draw hides in garages — openers, chargers, and old fridges add up around the clock.
- Electric yard tools cost pennies per session; the battery’s lifespan is the real economics.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a bug zapper use?
A typical bug zapper draws about 40 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.3 kWh per day, or 9.7 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a bug zapper for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.8¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.5¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 1.9¢.
How much does a bug zapper cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $1.83 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.21 in North Dakota up to $4.53 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a bug zapper 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.