🍳 Kitchen
How Much Does a Microwave Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a microwave costs about $1.53 per month at typical usage — 0.25 hours/day.
Per hour
$0.20
at 600–1,500 W
Per day
5.0¢
0.25 hours/day
Per month
$1.53
8.4 kWh
Per year
$18.37
100 kWh
Microwaves draw over a kilowatt but run in short bursts, so typical daily use amounts to a few cents. For reheating and small portions, the microwave is nearly always the cheapest cooking appliance in the kitchen.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
$0.20
Per day
5.0¢
Per month
$1.53
Per year
$18.37
Uses 8.4 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 | $0.14 | $1.06 | $12.75 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | $0.14 | $1.07 | $12.85 |
| Utah | 13.1 | $0.14 | $1.10 | $13.15 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | $0.15 | $1.12 | $13.45 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | $0.15 | $1.15 | $13.75 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | $0.15 | $1.15 | $13.75 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | $0.15 | $1.15 | $13.85 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | $0.15 | $1.15 | $13.85 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | $0.16 | $1.20 | $14.35 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | $0.16 | $1.20 | $14.45 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | $0.16 | $1.20 | $14.45 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | $0.16 | $1.21 | $14.55 |
| Washington | 14.7 | $0.16 | $1.23 | $14.76 |
| Florida | 15.0 | $0.17 | $1.25 | $15.06 |
| Montana | 15.0 | $0.17 | $1.25 | $15.06 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | $0.17 | $1.27 | $15.26 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | $0.17 | $1.28 | $15.36 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | $0.17 | $1.29 | $15.46 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | $0.17 | $1.29 | $15.46 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | $0.17 | $1.30 | $15.56 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | $0.17 | $1.32 | $15.86 |
| Texas | 15.9 | $0.17 | $1.33 | $15.96 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | $0.18 | $1.34 | $16.06 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | $0.18 | $1.34 | $16.06 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | $0.18 | $1.35 | $16.16 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | $0.18 | $1.35 | $16.16 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | $0.18 | $1.36 | $16.36 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | $0.18 | $1.37 | $16.46 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | $0.18 | $1.40 | $16.76 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | $0.19 | $1.42 | $17.06 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | $0.19 | $1.46 | $17.57 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | $0.19 | $1.47 | $17.67 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | $0.20 | $1.55 | $18.57 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | $0.21 | $1.60 | $19.17 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | $0.21 | $1.61 | $19.27 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.21 | $1.63 | $19.57 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | $0.24 | $1.79 | $21.48 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | $0.24 | $1.81 | $21.78 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | $0.25 | $1.93 | $23.19 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $0.26 | $1.99 | $23.89 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $0.27 | $2.02 | $24.29 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $0.28 | $2.11 | $25.29 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $0.28 | $2.11 | $25.29 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $0.29 | $2.22 | $26.70 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.31 | $2.37 | $28.41 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $0.32 | $2.41 | $28.91 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.33 | $2.50 | $30.01 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $0.34 | $2.55 | $30.61 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.36 | $2.71 | $32.52 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.37 | $2.81 | $33.73 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.53 | $4.01 | $48.18 |
How to lower the cost
- Match the appliance to the portion: microwave and air fryer beat the big oven for anything small.
- Keep refrigerator coils clean and gaskets tight — it runs 24/7, so small inefficiencies compound.
- Run the dishwasher full and skip heated dry.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a microwave use?
A typical microwave draws about 1,100 watts in use. At 0.25 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.3 kWh per day, or 8.4 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a microwave for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about $0.20. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's $0.14, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.53.
How much does a microwave cost to run per month?
With typical usage (0.25 hours/day), expect about $1.53 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.06 in Louisiana up to $4.01 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a microwave 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.