💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Desktop Computer Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a desktop computer costs about $7.06 per month at typical usage — 6 hours/day.
Per hour
3.8¢
at 100–400 W
Per day
$0.23
6 hours/day
Per month
$7.06
38 kWh
Per year
$84.81
451 kWh
A typical office desktop draws 100–200 watts in use, more under load. Left running around the clock, an ordinary PC can cost more per year than a refrigerator — sleep settings are the single biggest lever.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
3.8¢
Per day
$0.23
Per month
$6.86
Per year
$82.34
Uses 36 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 | 2.5¢ | $4.66 | $55.94 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 2.5¢ | $4.77 | $57.29 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 2.7¢ | $5.00 | $60.00 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 2.7¢ | $5.00 | $60.00 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 2.7¢ | $5.00 | $60.00 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 2.8¢ | $5.22 | $62.71 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 2.8¢ | $5.22 | $62.71 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 2.8¢ | $5.26 | $63.16 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 2.8¢ | $5.34 | $64.06 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 2.9¢ | $5.37 | $64.51 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $5.41 | $64.96 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $5.41 | $64.96 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 2.9¢ | $5.45 | $65.42 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 2.9¢ | $5.52 | $66.32 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 3.0¢ | $5.60 | $67.22 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 3.0¢ | $5.64 | $67.67 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 3.0¢ | $5.71 | $68.57 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $5.79 | $69.48 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $5.79 | $69.48 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 3.1¢ | $5.82 | $69.93 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 3.2¢ | $5.94 | $71.28 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 3.2¢ | $5.94 | $71.28 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 3.2¢ | $6.05 | $72.63 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 3.3¢ | $6.12 | $73.54 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 3.3¢ | $6.16 | $73.99 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 3.3¢ | $6.20 | $74.44 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 3.4¢ | $6.31 | $75.79 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 3.4¢ | $6.39 | $76.69 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 3.4¢ | $6.43 | $77.14 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 3.5¢ | $6.54 | $78.50 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 3.5¢ | $6.54 | $78.50 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 3.6¢ | $6.73 | $80.75 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 3.8¢ | $7.06 | $84.81 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 3.8¢ | $7.21 | $86.62 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 3.9¢ | $7.33 | $87.97 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 4.1¢ | $7.70 | $92.48 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 4.3¢ | $8.04 | $96.54 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 4.3¢ | $8.08 | $97.00 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 4.4¢ | $8.30 | $99.70 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 4.7¢ | $8.83 | $106 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 4.9¢ | $9.24 | $111 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 5.1¢ | $9.54 | $115 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 5.4¢ | $10.22 | $123 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 5.5¢ | $10.30 | $124 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 5.7¢ | $10.63 | $128 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 5.7¢ | $10.67 | $128 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 5.9¢ | $11.08 | $133 |
| New York | 29.5 | 5.9¢ | $11.08 | $133 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 6.4¢ | $12.10 | $145 |
| California | 35.3 | 7.1¢ | $13.26 | $159 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 9.3¢ | $17.51 | $210 |
How to lower the cost
- Set sleep after 15–20 minutes idle; modern PCs wake in seconds.
- Skip screensavers — they keep the GPU and monitor fully powered.
- If it must stay on for remote access, enable wake-on-LAN and let it sleep anyway.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a desktop computer use?
A typical desktop computer draws about 200 watts in use. At 6 hours/day, that works out to roughly 1.2 kWh per day, or 38 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a desktop computer for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 3.8¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 2.5¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 9.3¢.
How much does a desktop computer cost to run per month?
With typical usage (6 hours/day), expect about $7.06 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $4.66 in North Dakota up to $17.51 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a desktop computer use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 4% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.