❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Portable Air Conditioner Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a portable air conditioner costs about $45.72 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
$0.19
at 700–1,500 W
Per day
$1.50
8 hours/day
Per month
$45.72
243 kWh
Per year
$549
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
$0.19
Per day
$1.50
Per month
$45.72
Per year
$549
Uses 243 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 | $0.12 | $30.16 | $362 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | $0.13 | $30.89 | $371 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | $0.13 | $32.35 | $388 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | $0.13 | $32.35 | $388 |
| Utah | 13.3 | $0.13 | $32.35 | $388 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | $0.14 | $33.80 | $406 |
| Montana | 13.9 | $0.14 | $33.80 | $406 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | $0.14 | $34.05 | $409 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | $0.14 | $34.53 | $415 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | $0.14 | $34.78 | $418 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
| Washington | 14.4 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | $0.14 | $35.26 | $423 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | $0.15 | $35.75 | $429 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | $0.15 | $36.24 | $435 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | $0.15 | $36.48 | $438 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | $0.15 | $36.97 | $444 |
| Florida | 15.4 | $0.15 | $37.45 | $450 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | $0.15 | $37.45 | $450 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | $0.15 | $37.70 | $453 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | $0.16 | $38.43 | $461 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | $0.16 | $38.43 | $461 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | $0.16 | $39.16 | $470 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | $0.16 | $39.64 | $476 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | $0.16 | $39.88 | $479 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | $0.17 | $40.13 | $482 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | $0.17 | $40.86 | $491 |
| Texas | 17.0 | $0.17 | $41.34 | $496 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | $0.17 | $41.59 | $499 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | $0.17 | $42.32 | $508 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | $0.17 | $42.32 | $508 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | $0.18 | $43.53 | $523 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | $0.19 | $45.72 | $549 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | $0.19 | $46.69 | $561 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.20 | $47.42 | $569 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | $0.20 | $49.86 | $599 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | $0.21 | $52.04 | $625 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | $0.21 | $52.29 | $628 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | $0.22 | $53.75 | $645 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | $0.23 | $57.15 | $686 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | $0.25 | $59.83 | $718 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | $0.25 | $61.77 | $742 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | $0.27 | $66.15 | $794 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | $0.27 | $66.64 | $800 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.28 | $68.83 | $826 |
| Maine | 28.4 | $0.28 | $69.07 | $829 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | $0.29 | $71.74 | $861 |
| New York | 29.5 | $0.29 | $71.74 | $861 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | $0.32 | $78.31 | $940 |
| California | 35.3 | $0.35 | $85.85 | $1,031 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | $0.47 | $113 | $1,361 |
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 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about $0.19. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's $0.12, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's $0.47.
How much does a portable air conditioner cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $45.72 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $30.16 in North Dakota up to $113 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 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.