💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Cable Modem Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 2026), a cable modem costs about $1.34 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.2¢
at 6–15 W
Per day
4.4¢
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$1.34
7.3 kWh
Per year
$16.12
88 kWh
A cable or fiber modem adds another 6–15 always-on watts alongside the router. Combined home networking gear typically totals 20–40 watts of permanent draw — a small but genuinely constant bill floor.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.2¢
Per day
4.4¢
Per month
$1.34
Per year
$16.12
Uses 7.3 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¢ | $0.90 | $10.86 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.39 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.98 | $11.74 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $1.00 | $12.00 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $1.03 | $12.35 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $1.03 | $12.35 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 0.1¢ | $1.04 | $12.44 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $1.05 | $12.61 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $1.06 | $12.70 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $1.07 | $12.88 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 0.1¢ | $1.08 | $12.96 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.14 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.14 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 0.2¢ | $1.10 | $13.23 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 0.2¢ | $1.10 | $13.23 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.11 | $13.32 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.11 | $13.32 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 0.2¢ | $1.15 | $13.75 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.15 | $13.84 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.19 | $14.28 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.20 | $14.37 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.23 | $14.72 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.23 | $14.72 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 0.2¢ | $1.24 | $14.89 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.28 | $15.42 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 0.2¢ | $1.33 | $15.94 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.42 | $16.99 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.42 | $17.08 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 0.2¢ | $1.44 | $17.26 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.58 | $18.92 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 0.2¢ | $1.59 | $19.10 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 0.2¢ | $1.61 | $19.27 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 0.2¢ | $1.70 | $20.41 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 0.2¢ | $1.74 | $20.94 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 0.2¢ | $1.82 | $21.81 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.3¢ | $1.85 | $22.25 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 0.3¢ | $1.99 | $23.91 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 0.3¢ | $2.00 | $24.00 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 0.3¢ | $2.06 | $24.70 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 0.3¢ | $2.09 | $25.05 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 0.3¢ | $2.10 | $25.23 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 0.3¢ | $2.15 | $25.84 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.3¢ | $2.18 | $26.19 |
| California | 33.3 | 0.3¢ | $2.43 | $29.17 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | 0.5¢ | $3.79 | $45.55 |
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 cable modem use?
A typical cable modem draws about 10 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 0.2 kWh per day, or 7.3 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a cable modem for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.2¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/kWh) it's 0.5¢.
How much does a cable modem cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $1.34 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.90 in Idaho up to $3.79 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 2026.
Does a cable modem 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.