🚗 Outdoor, Garage & EV
How Much Does a Garage Door Opener Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 2026), a garage door opener costs about $0.67 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.1¢
at 1–10 W
Per day
2.2¢
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$0.67
3.6 kWh
Per year
$8.06
44 kWh
Opening the door uses trivial energy; the surprise is standby. Older openers idle at 5–10 watts around the clock waiting for the remote — often 50 times more energy per year than the actual lifting.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.1¢
Per day
2.2¢
Per month
$0.67
Per year
$8.06
Uses 3.6 kWh/month at 18.4¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.45 | $5.43 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.69 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.49 | $5.87 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $5.96 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $5.96 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $5.96 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.00 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.51 | $6.18 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.51 | $6.18 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.52 | $6.22 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.31 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.35 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.44 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.48 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.57 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.57 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.61 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.61 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.57 | $6.88 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.58 | $6.92 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.10 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.10 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.10 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.14 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.60 | $7.18 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.61 | $7.36 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.61 | $7.36 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.62 | $7.45 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.64 | $7.71 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.66 | $7.97 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.71 | $8.50 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.71 | $8.54 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.72 | $8.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.79 | $9.46 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.55 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.64 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.85 | $10.21 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.47 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.91 | $10.91 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.93 | $11.13 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 0.1¢ | $1.00 | $11.96 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 0.1¢ | $1.00 | $12.00 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 0.1¢ | $1.03 | $12.35 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 0.1¢ | $1.04 | $12.53 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 0.1¢ | $1.05 | $12.61 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 0.1¢ | $1.08 | $12.92 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.10 |
| California | 33.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.21 | $14.59 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | 0.3¢ | $1.90 | $22.78 |
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 garage door opener use?
A typical garage door opener draws about 5 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 3.6 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a garage door opener for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/kWh) it's 0.3¢.
How much does a garage door opener cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $0.67 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.45 in Idaho up to $1.90 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 2026.
Does a garage door opener 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.