🏠 Household
How Much Does a Reptile Heat Lamp / Terrarium Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a reptile heat lamp / terrarium costs about $6.68 per month at typical usage — 12 hours/day.
Per hour
1.8¢
at 50–250 W
Per day
$0.22
12 hours/day
Per month
$6.68
36 kWh
Per year
$80.15
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
1.8¢
Per day
$0.22
Per month
$6.68
Per year
$80.15
Uses 36 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 | 1.3¢ | $4.63 | $55.63 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 1.3¢ | $4.67 | $56.06 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 1.3¢ | $4.78 | $57.38 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 1.3¢ | $4.89 | $58.69 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 1.4¢ | $5.00 | $60.01 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 1.4¢ | $5.00 | $60.01 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 1.4¢ | $5.03 | $60.44 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 1.4¢ | $5.03 | $60.44 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 1.4¢ | $5.22 | $62.63 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $5.25 | $63.07 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $5.25 | $63.07 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 1.4¢ | $5.29 | $63.51 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 1.5¢ | $5.36 | $64.39 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 1.5¢ | $5.47 | $65.70 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 1.5¢ | $5.47 | $65.70 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 1.5¢ | $5.54 | $66.58 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 1.5¢ | $5.58 | $67.01 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $5.62 | $67.45 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $5.62 | $67.45 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 1.6¢ | $5.65 | $67.89 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $5.76 | $69.20 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 1.6¢ | $5.80 | $69.64 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 1.6¢ | $5.84 | $70.08 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 1.6¢ | $5.84 | $70.08 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 1.6¢ | $5.87 | $70.52 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 1.6¢ | $5.87 | $70.52 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 1.6¢ | $5.95 | $71.39 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 1.6¢ | $5.98 | $71.83 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 1.7¢ | $6.09 | $73.15 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 1.7¢ | $6.20 | $74.46 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 1.7¢ | $6.38 | $76.65 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 1.8¢ | $6.42 | $77.09 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 1.8¢ | $6.75 | $81.03 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 1.9¢ | $6.97 | $83.66 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 1.9¢ | $7.00 | $84.10 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 2.0¢ | $7.11 | $85.41 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 2.1¢ | $7.81 | $93.73 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 2.2¢ | $7.92 | $95.05 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 2.3¢ | $8.43 | $101 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 2.4¢ | $8.68 | $104 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 2.4¢ | $8.83 | $106 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 2.5¢ | $9.19 | $110 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 2.5¢ | $9.19 | $110 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 2.7¢ | $9.70 | $117 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 2.8¢ | $10.32 | $124 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 2.9¢ | $10.51 | $126 |
| New York | 29.9 | 3.0¢ | $10.91 | $131 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 3.0¢ | $11.13 | $134 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 3.2¢ | $11.82 | $142 |
| California | 33.6 | 3.4¢ | $12.26 | $147 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 4.8¢ | $17.51 | $210 |
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 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.8¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 1.3¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 4.8¢.
How much does a reptile heat lamp / terrarium cost to run per month?
With typical usage (12 hours/day), expect about $6.68 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $4.63 in Louisiana up to $17.51 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 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.