🏠 Household
How Much Does a Essential Oil Diffuser Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a essential oil diffuser costs about $0.55 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
0.2¢
at 5–20 W
Per day
1.8¢
8 hours/day
Per month
$0.55
2.9 kWh
Per year
$6.59
35 kWh
Ultrasonic diffusers draw 5–20 watts. Running one every evening all month costs a few cents; the oils cost hundreds of times more than the electricity.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.2¢
Per day
1.8¢
Per month
$0.55
Per year
$6.59
Uses 2.9 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 | 0.1¢ | $0.36 | $4.34 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.37 | $4.45 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.39 | $4.66 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.39 | $4.66 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.39 | $4.66 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.41 | $4.87 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.41 | $4.87 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.41 | $4.91 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.2¢ | $0.41 | $4.98 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.42 | $5.01 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.42 | $5.05 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.42 | $5.05 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.42 | $5.08 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.43 | $5.15 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.43 | $5.22 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.2¢ | $0.44 | $5.33 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.45 | $5.40 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.45 | $5.40 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.45 | $5.43 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.46 | $5.54 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.46 | $5.54 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.47 | $5.64 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.48 | $5.71 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.48 | $5.75 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.48 | $5.78 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.49 | $5.89 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.50 | $5.96 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.50 | $5.99 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.51 | $6.10 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.51 | $6.10 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.52 | $6.27 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.55 | $6.59 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.2¢ | $0.56 | $6.73 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.57 | $6.83 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.60 | $7.18 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.62 | $7.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.63 | $7.53 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.64 | $7.74 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.69 | $8.23 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 0.3¢ | $0.72 | $8.62 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.74 | $8.90 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.79 | $9.53 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.80 | $9.60 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.83 | $9.92 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.83 | $9.95 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.86 | $10.34 |
| New York | 29.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.86 | $10.34 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.94 | $11.28 |
| California | 35.3 | 0.4¢ | $1.03 | $12.37 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 0.6¢ | $1.36 | $16.33 |
How to lower the cost
- Always-on devices are the quiet budget line: audit anything that runs 24/7.
- Auto modes with sensors (purifiers, dehumidifiers) cut runtime dramatically versus always-on.
- A smart plug with energy monitoring answers “what does this actually use?” for $10.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a essential oil diffuser use?
A typical essential oil diffuser draws about 12 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 2.9 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a essential oil diffuser for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.2¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 0.6¢.
How much does a essential oil diffuser cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $0.55 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.36 in North Dakota up to $1.36 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a essential oil diffuser 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.