💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a NAS (Network Storage) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a nas (network storage) costs about $5.34 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.7¢
at 20–80 W
Per day
$0.18
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$5.34
29 kWh
Per year
$64.12
350 kWh
A two-to-four-bay NAS idles at 20–40 watts with drives spun down and more under load, around the clock. Enabling scheduled disk hibernation is the main way to keep a home NAS from costing more than the cloud storage it replaced.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.7¢
Per day
$0.18
Per month
$5.34
Per year
$64.12
Uses 29 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 | 0.5¢ | $3.71 | $44.50 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.5¢ | $3.74 | $44.85 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.5¢ | $3.82 | $45.90 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.5¢ | $3.91 | $46.95 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.5¢ | $4.00 | $48.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.5¢ | $4.00 | $48.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.6¢ | $4.03 | $48.36 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.6¢ | $4.03 | $48.36 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.6¢ | $4.17 | $50.11 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $4.20 | $50.46 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $4.20 | $50.46 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.6¢ | $4.23 | $50.81 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.6¢ | $4.29 | $51.51 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $4.38 | $52.56 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $4.38 | $52.56 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.6¢ | $4.44 | $53.26 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.6¢ | $4.47 | $53.61 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $4.49 | $53.96 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $4.49 | $53.96 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.6¢ | $4.52 | $54.31 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.6¢ | $4.61 | $55.36 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.6¢ | $4.64 | $55.71 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.6¢ | $4.67 | $56.06 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.6¢ | $4.67 | $56.06 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $4.70 | $56.41 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $4.70 | $56.41 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.7¢ | $4.76 | $57.12 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.7¢ | $4.79 | $57.47 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.7¢ | $4.87 | $58.52 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.7¢ | $4.96 | $59.57 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.7¢ | $5.11 | $61.32 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.7¢ | $5.14 | $61.67 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.7¢ | $5.40 | $64.82 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.8¢ | $5.57 | $66.93 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.8¢ | $5.60 | $67.28 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.8¢ | $5.69 | $68.33 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.9¢ | $6.25 | $74.99 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.9¢ | $6.33 | $76.04 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.9¢ | $6.74 | $80.94 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 1.0¢ | $6.95 | $83.40 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 1.0¢ | $7.06 | $84.80 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 1.0¢ | $7.35 | $88.30 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 1.0¢ | $7.35 | $88.30 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 1.1¢ | $7.76 | $93.21 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 1.1¢ | $8.26 | $99.16 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 1.2¢ | $8.40 | $101 |
| New York | 29.9 | 1.2¢ | $8.73 | $105 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 1.2¢ | $8.90 | $107 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 1.3¢ | $9.46 | $114 |
| California | 33.6 | 1.3¢ | $9.81 | $118 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 1.9¢ | $14.01 | $168 |
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 nas (network storage) use?
A typical nas (network storage) draws about 40 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 1.0 kWh per day, or 29 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a nas (network storage) for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.7¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.5¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 1.9¢.
How much does a nas (network storage) cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $5.34 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $3.71 in Louisiana up to $14.01 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a nas (network storage) use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 3% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.