💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Mesh Wi-Fi Node Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a mesh wi-fi node costs about $1.07 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.1¢
at 5–15 W
Per day
3.5¢
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$1.07
5.8 kWh
Per year
$12.82
70 kWh
Each mesh satellite adds 5–15 watts of continuous draw, so a three-node system roughly triples the router line on your bill. Place nodes well rather than adding more of them.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.1¢
Per day
3.5¢
Per month
$1.07
Per year
$12.82
Uses 5.8 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 | 0.1¢ | $0.74 | $8.90 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.75 | $8.97 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.76 | $9.18 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.39 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.60 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.60 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.81 | $9.67 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.81 | $9.67 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.83 | $10.02 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.85 | $10.16 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.86 | $10.30 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.89 | $10.65 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.89 | $10.72 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.90 | $10.79 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.90 | $10.79 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.90 | $10.86 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.07 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.93 | $11.14 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.93 | $11.21 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.93 | $11.21 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.28 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.28 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.42 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.96 | $11.49 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.97 | $11.70 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.1¢ | $1.02 | $12.26 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $1.03 | $12.33 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.1¢ | $1.08 | $12.96 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.2¢ | $1.11 | $13.39 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.12 | $13.46 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.14 | $13.67 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.25 | $15.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.2¢ | $1.27 | $15.21 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.2¢ | $1.35 | $16.19 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.39 | $16.68 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.41 | $16.96 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.47 | $17.66 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.47 | $17.66 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.55 | $18.64 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.65 | $19.83 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.68 | $20.18 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.2¢ | $1.75 | $20.95 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.78 | $21.37 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.3¢ | $1.89 | $22.71 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.3¢ | $1.96 | $23.55 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 0.4¢ | $2.80 | $33.64 |
How to lower the cost
- Enable sleep after 15–20 minutes of idle — modern machines wake in seconds.
- Anything always-on (servers, mining, chargers on strips) deserves a smart plug and a schedule.
- Laptops do the same office work as desktops on a quarter of the power.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a mesh wi-fi node use?
A typical mesh wi-fi node draws about 8 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 0.2 kWh per day, or 5.8 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a mesh wi-fi node for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 0.4¢.
How much does a mesh wi-fi node cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $1.07 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.74 in Louisiana up to $2.80 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a mesh wi-fi node 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.