💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Desktop Computer Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a desktop computer costs about $6.88 per month at typical usage — 6 hours/day.
Per hour
3.7¢
at 100–400 W
Per day
$0.23
6 hours/day
Per month
$6.88
38 kWh
Per year
$82.56
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
3.7¢
Per day
$0.22
Per month
$6.68
Per year
$80.15
Uses 36 kWh/month at 18.3¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 2.5¢ | $4.77 | $57.29 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 2.6¢ | $4.81 | $57.75 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 2.6¢ | $4.92 | $59.10 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 2.7¢ | $5.03 | $60.45 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 2.7¢ | $5.15 | $61.81 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 2.7¢ | $5.15 | $61.81 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 2.8¢ | $5.19 | $62.26 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 2.8¢ | $5.19 | $62.26 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 2.9¢ | $5.37 | $64.51 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $5.41 | $64.96 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $5.41 | $64.96 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 2.9¢ | $5.45 | $65.42 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 2.9¢ | $5.52 | $66.32 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 3.0¢ | $5.64 | $67.67 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 3.0¢ | $5.64 | $67.67 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 3.0¢ | $5.71 | $68.57 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 3.1¢ | $5.75 | $69.02 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $5.79 | $69.48 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $5.79 | $69.48 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 3.1¢ | $5.82 | $69.93 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 3.2¢ | $5.94 | $71.28 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 3.2¢ | $5.97 | $71.73 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 3.2¢ | $6.01 | $72.18 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 3.2¢ | $6.01 | $72.18 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 3.2¢ | $6.05 | $72.63 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 3.2¢ | $6.05 | $72.63 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 3.3¢ | $6.12 | $73.54 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 3.3¢ | $6.16 | $73.99 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 3.3¢ | $6.27 | $75.34 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 3.4¢ | $6.39 | $76.69 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 3.5¢ | $6.58 | $78.95 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 3.5¢ | $6.61 | $79.40 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 3.7¢ | $6.95 | $83.46 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 3.8¢ | $7.18 | $86.17 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 3.8¢ | $7.21 | $86.62 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 3.9¢ | $7.33 | $87.97 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 4.3¢ | $8.04 | $96.54 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 4.3¢ | $8.15 | $97.90 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 4.6¢ | $8.68 | $104 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 4.8¢ | $8.94 | $107 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 4.8¢ | $9.09 | $109 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 5.0¢ | $9.47 | $114 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 5.0¢ | $9.47 | $114 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 5.3¢ | $9.99 | $120 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 5.7¢ | $10.63 | $128 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 5.8¢ | $10.82 | $130 |
| New York | 29.9 | 6.0¢ | $11.23 | $135 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 6.1¢ | $11.46 | $138 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 6.5¢ | $12.17 | $146 |
| California | 33.6 | 6.7¢ | $12.62 | $152 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.10 | $18.04 | $217 |
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 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 3.7¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 2.5¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.10.
How much does a desktop computer cost to run per month?
With typical usage (6 hours/day), expect about $6.88 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $4.77 in Louisiana up to $18.04 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 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.