💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Mesh Wi-Fi Node Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 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
$12.89
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
$12.89
Uses 5.8 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¢ | $0.72 | $8.69 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.76 | $9.11 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.39 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.79 | $9.53 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.79 | $9.53 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.79 | $9.53 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.60 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.82 | $9.88 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.82 | $9.88 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.83 | $9.95 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.85 | $10.16 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.86 | $10.30 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.86 | $10.37 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.58 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.58 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.89 | $10.65 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.89 | $10.65 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.00 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.07 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.35 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.35 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.35 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.42 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.96 | $11.49 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.98 | $11.77 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.98 | $11.77 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $1.03 | $12.33 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 0.1¢ | $1.06 | $12.75 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.13 | $13.60 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.14 | $13.67 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 0.2¢ | $1.15 | $13.81 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.26 | $15.14 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.27 | $15.28 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 0.2¢ | $1.28 | $15.42 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.36 | $16.33 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 0.2¢ | $1.39 | $16.75 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 0.2¢ | $1.45 | $17.45 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.48 | $17.80 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.59 | $19.13 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.60 | $19.20 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.65 | $19.76 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.67 | $20.04 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.68 | $20.18 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.72 | $20.67 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.2¢ | $1.75 | $20.95 |
| California | 33.3 | 0.3¢ | $1.94 | $23.34 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | 0.4¢ | $3.04 | $36.44 |
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 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/kWh) it's 0.4¢.
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 $0.72 in Idaho up to $3.04 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 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.