📺 TV & Entertainment
How Much Does a Nintendo Switch (Docked) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a nintendo switch (docked) costs about $0.37 per month at typical usage — 3 hours/day.
Per hour
0.3¢
at 10–25 W
Per day
1.2¢
3 hours/day
Per month
$0.37
2.0 kWh
Per year
$4.43
24 kWh
The Switch is the efficiency champion of consoles, drawing 10–25 watts docked — about a tenth of a PS5. Even heavy daily play costs under a dollar a month everywhere in the U.S.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.3¢
Per day
1.0¢
Per month
$0.31
Per year
$3.71
Uses 1.6 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 | 0.2¢ | $0.24 | $2.92 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.25 | $2.99 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.26 | $3.13 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.26 | $3.13 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.26 | $3.13 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.27 | $3.27 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.27 | $3.27 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.27 | $3.30 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.34 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.37 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.39 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.39 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.41 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.29 | $3.46 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.29 | $3.51 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.29 | $3.53 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.58 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.63 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.63 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.65 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.31 | $3.72 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.31 | $3.72 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.79 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.84 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.86 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.88 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.33 | $3.96 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.33 | $4.00 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.34 | $4.03 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.34 | $4.10 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.34 | $4.10 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.35 | $4.21 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.37 | $4.43 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.38 | $4.52 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.38 | $4.59 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.40 | $4.83 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.4¢ | $0.42 | $5.04 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.42 | $5.06 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.4¢ | $0.43 | $5.20 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.46 | $5.53 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 0.4¢ | $0.48 | $5.79 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.50 | $5.98 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.53 | $6.40 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.54 | $6.45 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.5¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.56 | $6.69 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 0.5¢ | $0.58 | $6.95 |
| New York | 29.5 | 0.5¢ | $0.58 | $6.95 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 0.6¢ | $0.63 | $7.58 |
| California | 35.3 | 0.6¢ | $0.69 | $8.31 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 0.8¢ | $0.91 | $10.97 |
How to lower the cost
- Disable instant-on standby modes — they can idle at 10–20 watts around the clock.
- Stream on a stick, not a console: the same show can use 10× less power.
- Turn down screen brightness or enable the ambient light sensor.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a nintendo switch (docked) use?
A typical nintendo switch (docked) draws about 18 watts in use. At 3 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 2.0 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a nintendo switch (docked) for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.3¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.2¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 0.8¢.
How much does a nintendo switch (docked) cost to run per month?
With typical usage (3 hours/day), expect about $0.37 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.24 in North Dakota up to $0.91 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a nintendo switch (docked) 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.