❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Portable Air Conditioner Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a portable air conditioner costs about $44.51 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
$0.18
at 700–1,500 W
Per day
$1.46
8 hours/day
Per month
$44.51
243 kWh
Per year
$534
2,920 kWh
Portable ACs are the least efficient common cooling option — single-hose designs pull conditioned air out of the room, so more of every kilowatt-hour is wasted compared with a window unit of the same rating. Expect meaningfully higher costs for the same cooling.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
$0.18
Per day
$1.46
Per month
$44.51
Per year
$534
Uses 243 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 | $0.13 | $30.89 | $371 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | $0.13 | $31.13 | $374 |
| Utah | 13.1 | $0.13 | $31.86 | $383 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | $0.13 | $32.59 | $391 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | $0.14 | $33.32 | $400 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | $0.14 | $33.32 | $400 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | $0.14 | $33.56 | $403 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | $0.14 | $33.56 | $403 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | $0.14 | $34.78 | $418 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | $0.14 | $35.26 | $423 |
| Washington | 14.7 | $0.15 | $35.75 | $429 |
| Florida | 15.0 | $0.15 | $36.48 | $438 |
| Montana | 15.0 | $0.15 | $36.48 | $438 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | $0.15 | $36.97 | $444 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | $0.15 | $37.21 | $447 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | $0.15 | $37.45 | $450 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | $0.15 | $37.45 | $450 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | $0.15 | $37.70 | $453 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | $0.16 | $38.43 | $461 |
| Texas | 15.9 | $0.16 | $38.67 | $464 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | $0.16 | $38.91 | $467 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | $0.16 | $38.91 | $467 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | $0.16 | $39.16 | $470 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | $0.16 | $39.16 | $470 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | $0.16 | $39.64 | $476 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | $0.16 | $39.88 | $479 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | $0.17 | $40.61 | $488 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | $0.17 | $41.34 | $496 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | $0.17 | $42.56 | $511 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | $0.18 | $42.80 | $514 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | $0.18 | $44.99 | $540 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | $0.19 | $46.45 | $558 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | $0.19 | $46.69 | $561 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.20 | $47.42 | $569 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | $0.21 | $52.04 | $625 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | $0.22 | $52.77 | $634 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | $0.23 | $56.18 | $675 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $0.24 | $57.88 | $695 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $0.24 | $58.85 | $707 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $0.25 | $61.29 | $736 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $0.25 | $61.29 | $736 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $0.27 | $64.69 | $777 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.28 | $68.83 | $826 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $0.29 | $70.04 | $841 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.30 | $72.72 | $873 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $0.30 | $74.18 | $891 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.32 | $78.80 | $946 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.34 | $81.72 | $981 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.48 | $117 | $1,402 |
How to lower the cost
- Raise the setpoint and add air movement — a fan makes a room feel several degrees cooler for pennies.
- Clean filters and outdoor coils each season; restricted airflow raises wattage for the same cooling.
- Close blinds on sun-facing windows during the day — blocked solar gain is cooling you don’t pay for.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a portable air conditioner use?
A typical portable air conditioner draws about 1,000 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 8.0 kWh per day, or 243 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a portable air conditioner for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about $0.18. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's $0.13, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.48.
How much does a portable air conditioner cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $44.51 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $30.89 in Louisiana up to $117 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a portable air conditioner use a lot of electricity?
Yes — at typical usage it accounts for roughly 27% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption (885 kWh), which makes it one of the larger loads in the house.