💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Mesh Wi-Fi Node Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a mesh wi-fi node costs about $1.10 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.2¢
at 5–15 W
Per day
3.6¢
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$1.10
5.8 kWh
Per year
$13.18
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
0.2¢
Per day
3.6¢
Per month
$1.10
Per year
$13.18
Uses 5.8 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¢ | $0.72 | $8.69 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.74 | $8.90 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.32 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.32 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.32 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.81 | $9.74 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.81 | $9.74 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.82 | $9.81 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.83 | $9.95 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.83 | $10.02 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.85 | $10.16 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.86 | $10.30 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.44 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.89 | $10.65 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.90 | $10.79 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.90 | $10.79 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.90 | $10.86 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.07 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.07 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.28 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.42 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.96 | $11.49 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.96 | $11.56 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.98 | $11.77 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.1¢ | $1.00 | $11.98 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.1¢ | $1.02 | $12.19 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.1¢ | $1.02 | $12.19 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.1¢ | $1.04 | $12.54 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.10 | $13.18 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.12 | $13.46 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.14 | $13.67 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.20 | $14.37 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.25 | $15.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.25 | $15.07 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.2¢ | $1.29 | $15.49 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.37 | $16.47 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.44 | $17.24 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.48 | $17.80 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.59 | $19.06 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.60 | $19.20 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.65 | $19.83 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.66 | $19.90 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.72 | $20.67 |
| New York | 29.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.72 | $20.67 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 0.3¢ | $1.88 | $22.57 |
| California | 35.3 | 0.3¢ | $2.06 | $24.74 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 0.4¢ | $2.72 | $32.66 |
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 18.8¢/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 0.4¢.
How much does a mesh wi-fi node cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $1.10 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.72 in North Dakota up to $2.72 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 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.