🚗 Outdoor, Garage & EV
How Much Does a Welder (Home Shop) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a welder (home shop) costs about $1.99 per month at typical usage — 1 use/week at 2.5 kWh each.
Per use
$0.46
2.5 kWh per use
Per day
6.5¢
1 use/week at 2.5 kWh each
Per month
$1.99
11 kWh
Per year
$23.86
130 kWh
A 240 V hobby welder can draw several kilowatts mid-arc, but actual arc-on time in a weekend project is minutes, not hours. Even regular hobby welding rarely adds more than a few dollars a month.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
$0.46
Per day
6.5¢
Per month
$1.99
Per year
$23.86
Uses 11 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 use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | $0.32 | $1.38 | $16.56 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | $0.32 | $1.39 | $16.69 |
| Utah | 13.1 | $0.33 | $1.42 | $17.08 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | $0.34 | $1.45 | $17.47 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | $0.34 | $1.49 | $17.86 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | $0.34 | $1.49 | $17.86 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | $0.35 | $1.50 | $17.99 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | $0.35 | $1.50 | $17.99 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | $0.36 | $1.55 | $18.64 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | $0.36 | $1.56 | $18.77 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | $0.36 | $1.56 | $18.77 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | $0.36 | $1.57 | $18.90 |
| Washington | 14.7 | $0.37 | $1.60 | $19.16 |
| Florida | 15.0 | $0.38 | $1.63 | $19.55 |
| Montana | 15.0 | $0.38 | $1.63 | $19.55 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | $0.38 | $1.65 | $19.81 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | $0.38 | $1.66 | $19.94 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | $0.39 | $1.67 | $20.07 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | $0.39 | $1.67 | $20.07 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | $0.39 | $1.68 | $20.21 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | $0.40 | $1.72 | $20.60 |
| Texas | 15.9 | $0.40 | $1.73 | $20.73 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | $0.40 | $1.74 | $20.86 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | $0.40 | $1.74 | $20.86 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | $0.40 | $1.75 | $20.99 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | $0.40 | $1.75 | $20.99 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | $0.41 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | $0.41 | $1.78 | $21.38 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | $0.42 | $1.81 | $21.77 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | $0.43 | $1.85 | $22.16 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | $0.44 | $1.90 | $22.81 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | $0.44 | $1.91 | $22.94 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | $0.46 | $2.01 | $24.12 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | $0.48 | $2.07 | $24.90 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | $0.48 | $2.08 | $25.03 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.49 | $2.12 | $25.42 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | $0.54 | $2.32 | $27.90 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | $0.54 | $2.36 | $28.29 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | $0.58 | $2.51 | $30.11 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $0.60 | $2.58 | $31.03 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $0.60 | $2.63 | $31.55 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $0.63 | $2.74 | $32.85 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $0.63 | $2.74 | $32.85 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $0.67 | $2.89 | $34.68 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.71 | $3.07 | $36.89 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $0.72 | $3.13 | $37.54 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.75 | $3.25 | $38.98 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $0.76 | $3.31 | $39.76 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.81 | $3.52 | $42.24 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.84 | $3.65 | $43.80 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $1.20 | $5.21 | $62.57 |
How to lower the cost
- Charge vehicles and batteries overnight if your utility offers time-of-use rates.
- Standby draw hides in garages — openers, chargers, and old fridges add up around the clock.
- Electric yard tools cost pennies per session; the battery’s lifespan is the real economics.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a welder (home shop) use?
A typical welder (home shop) uses about 2.5 kWh per use. At 1 uses per week, that's roughly 11 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a welder (home shop) cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh, each use costs about $0.46. That ranges from $0.32 in Louisiana to $1.20 in Hawaii.
How much does a welder (home shop) cost to run per month?
With typical usage (1 use/week at 2.5 kWh each), expect about $1.99 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.38 in Louisiana up to $5.21 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a welder (home shop) 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.