🏠 Household
How Much Does a Reptile Heat Lamp / Terrarium Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a reptile heat lamp / terrarium costs about $6.86 per month at typical usage — 12 hours/day.
Per hour
1.9¢
at 50–250 W
Per day
$0.23
12 hours/day
Per month
$6.86
36 kWh
Per year
$82.34
438 kWh
Reptile setups combine heat lamps, ceramic emitters, UVB tubes, and mats running half the day or more — commonly 50–250 watts in aggregate. A large terrarium can quietly cost more per month than the family refrigerator.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
1.9¢
Per day
$0.23
Per month
$6.86
Per year
$82.34
Uses 36 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 | 1.2¢ | $4.52 | $54.31 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 1.3¢ | $4.63 | $55.63 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $4.85 | $58.25 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $4.85 | $58.25 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $4.85 | $58.25 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 1.4¢ | $5.07 | $60.88 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 1.4¢ | $5.07 | $60.88 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 1.4¢ | $5.11 | $61.32 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 1.4¢ | $5.18 | $62.20 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 1.4¢ | $5.22 | $62.63 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $5.25 | $63.07 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $5.25 | $63.07 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 1.4¢ | $5.29 | $63.51 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 1.5¢ | $5.36 | $64.39 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 1.5¢ | $5.44 | $65.26 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 1.5¢ | $5.47 | $65.70 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 1.5¢ | $5.54 | $66.58 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $5.62 | $67.45 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $5.62 | $67.45 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 1.6¢ | $5.65 | $67.89 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $5.76 | $69.20 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $5.76 | $69.20 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 1.6¢ | $5.87 | $70.52 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 1.6¢ | $5.95 | $71.39 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 1.6¢ | $5.98 | $71.83 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 1.7¢ | $6.02 | $72.27 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 1.7¢ | $6.13 | $73.58 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 1.7¢ | $6.20 | $74.46 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 1.7¢ | $6.24 | $74.90 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 1.7¢ | $6.35 | $76.21 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 1.7¢ | $6.35 | $76.21 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 1.8¢ | $6.53 | $78.40 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 1.9¢ | $6.86 | $82.34 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 1.9¢ | $7.00 | $84.10 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 2.0¢ | $7.11 | $85.41 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 2.1¢ | $7.48 | $89.79 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 2.1¢ | $7.81 | $93.73 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 2.2¢ | $7.84 | $94.17 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 2.2¢ | $8.06 | $96.80 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 2.4¢ | $8.57 | $103 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 2.5¢ | $8.97 | $108 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 2.5¢ | $9.27 | $111 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 2.7¢ | $9.92 | $119 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 2.7¢ | $10.00 | $120 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 2.8¢ | $10.32 | $124 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 2.8¢ | $10.36 | $124 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 2.9¢ | $10.76 | $129 |
| New York | 29.5 | 2.9¢ | $10.76 | $129 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 3.2¢ | $11.75 | $141 |
| California | 35.3 | 3.5¢ | $12.88 | $155 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 4.7¢ | $17.00 | $204 |
How to lower the cost
- Always-on devices are the quiet budget line: audit anything that runs 24/7.
- Auto modes with sensors (purifiers, dehumidifiers) cut runtime dramatically versus always-on.
- A smart plug with energy monitoring answers “what does this actually use?” for $10.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a reptile heat lamp / terrarium use?
A typical reptile heat lamp / terrarium draws about 100 watts in use. At 12 hours/day, that works out to roughly 1.2 kWh per day, or 36 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a reptile heat lamp / terrarium for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.9¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 1.2¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 4.7¢.
How much does a reptile heat lamp / terrarium cost to run per month?
With typical usage (12 hours/day), expect about $6.86 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $4.52 in North Dakota up to $17.00 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a reptile heat lamp / terrarium use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 4% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.