📺 TV & Entertainment
How Much Does a Nintendo Switch (Docked) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a nintendo switch (docked) costs about $0.36 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
$0.36
2.0 kWh
Per year
$4.31
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
$0.30
Per year
$3.61
Uses 1.6 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 | 0.2¢ | $0.25 | $2.99 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.25 | $3.01 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.26 | $3.08 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.26 | $3.15 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.27 | $3.23 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.27 | $3.23 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.27 | $3.25 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.27 | $3.25 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.37 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.39 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.39 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.28 | $3.41 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.29 | $3.46 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.29 | $3.53 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.29 | $3.53 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.58 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.60 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.63 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.63 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.30 | $3.65 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.31 | $3.72 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.31 | $3.74 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.31 | $3.77 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.31 | $3.77 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.79 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.79 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.84 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.86 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.33 | $3.93 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.33 | $4.00 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.34 | $4.12 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.3¢ | $0.35 | $4.14 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.36 | $4.36 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.37 | $4.50 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.38 | $4.52 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.38 | $4.59 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.4¢ | $0.42 | $5.04 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.4¢ | $0.43 | $5.11 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.4¢ | $0.45 | $5.44 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.4¢ | $0.47 | $5.60 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.47 | $5.70 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.49 | $5.93 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.49 | $5.93 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.5¢ | $0.52 | $6.26 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.5¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.5¢ | $0.56 | $6.78 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.5¢ | $0.59 | $7.04 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.5¢ | $0.60 | $7.18 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.64 | $7.63 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.6¢ | $0.66 | $7.91 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 0.9¢ | $0.94 | $11.30 |
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 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.3¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.2¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 0.9¢.
How much does a nintendo switch (docked) cost to run per month?
With typical usage (3 hours/day), expect about $0.36 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.25 in Louisiana up to $0.94 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 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.