🩺 Personal Care & Health
How Much Does a Hair Dryer Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a hair dryer costs about $1.11 per month at typical usage — 7 uses/week at 0.2 kWh each.
Per use
3.7¢
0.2 kWh per use
Per day
3.7¢
7 uses/week at 0.2 kWh each
Per month
$1.11
6.1 kWh
Per year
$13.36
73 kWh
Hair dryers pull 1,500–1,875 watts — as much as a space heater — but only for minutes at a time. Daily ten-minute drying works out to roughly a dollar a month even in high-rate states.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
3.7¢
Per day
3.7¢
Per month
$1.11
Per year
$13.36
Uses 6.1 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 use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 2.5¢ | $0.77 | $9.27 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 2.6¢ | $0.78 | $9.34 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 2.6¢ | $0.80 | $9.56 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 2.7¢ | $0.81 | $9.78 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 2.7¢ | $0.83 | $10.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 2.7¢ | $0.83 | $10.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 2.8¢ | $0.84 | $10.07 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 2.8¢ | $0.84 | $10.07 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 2.9¢ | $0.87 | $10.44 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 2.9¢ | $0.88 | $10.58 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 2.9¢ | $0.89 | $10.73 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 3.0¢ | $0.91 | $10.95 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 3.0¢ | $0.91 | $10.95 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 3.0¢ | $0.92 | $11.10 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 3.1¢ | $0.93 | $11.17 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.24 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.24 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 3.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.31 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 3.2¢ | $0.96 | $11.53 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 3.2¢ | $0.97 | $11.61 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 3.2¢ | $0.97 | $11.68 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 3.2¢ | $0.97 | $11.68 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 3.2¢ | $0.98 | $11.75 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 3.2¢ | $0.98 | $11.75 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 3.3¢ | $0.99 | $11.90 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 3.3¢ | $1.00 | $11.97 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 3.3¢ | $1.02 | $12.19 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 3.4¢ | $1.03 | $12.41 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 3.5¢ | $1.06 | $12.77 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 3.5¢ | $1.07 | $12.85 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 3.7¢ | $1.12 | $13.50 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 3.8¢ | $1.16 | $13.94 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 3.8¢ | $1.17 | $14.02 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 3.9¢ | $1.19 | $14.24 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 4.3¢ | $1.30 | $15.62 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 4.3¢ | $1.32 | $15.84 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 4.6¢ | $1.40 | $16.86 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 4.8¢ | $1.45 | $17.37 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 4.8¢ | $1.47 | $17.67 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 5.0¢ | $1.53 | $18.40 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 5.0¢ | $1.53 | $18.40 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 5.3¢ | $1.62 | $19.42 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 5.7¢ | $1.72 | $20.66 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 5.8¢ | $1.75 | $21.02 |
| New York | 29.9 | 6.0¢ | $1.82 | $21.83 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 6.1¢ | $1.85 | $22.27 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 6.5¢ | $1.97 | $23.65 |
| California | 33.6 | 6.7¢ | $2.04 | $24.53 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.10 | $2.92 | $35.04 |
How to lower the cost
- Heat-producing devices (dryers, irons, beds) dominate this category — minutes of use, not watts, drive cost.
- Medical devices that run all night or all day may qualify for utility medical-rate discounts — ask your provider.
- Chargers left plugged in draw almost nothing on modern hardware; focus on bigger loads.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a hair dryer use?
A typical hair dryer uses about 0.2 kWh per use. At 7 uses per week, that's roughly 6.1 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a hair dryer cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh, each use costs about 3.7¢. That ranges from 2.5¢ in Louisiana to $0.10 in Hawaii.
How much does a hair dryer cost to run per month?
With typical usage (7 uses/week at 0.2 kWh each), expect about $1.11 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.77 in Louisiana up to $2.92 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a hair dryer 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.