🚗 Outdoor, Garage & EV
How Much Does a Welder (Home Shop) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a welder (home shop) costs about $2.04 per month at typical usage — 1 use/week at 2.5 kWh each.
Per use
$0.47
2.5 kWh per use
Per day
6.7¢
1 use/week at 2.5 kWh each
Per month
$2.04
11 kWh
Per year
$24.51
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
$0.47
Per day
6.7¢
Per month
$2.04
Per year
$24.51
Uses 11 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 use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | $0.31 | $1.35 | $16.16 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | $0.32 | $1.38 | $16.56 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | $0.33 | $1.44 | $17.34 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | $0.33 | $1.44 | $17.34 |
| Utah | 13.3 | $0.33 | $1.44 | $17.34 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | $0.35 | $1.51 | $18.12 |
| Montana | 13.9 | $0.35 | $1.51 | $18.12 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | $0.35 | $1.52 | $18.25 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | $0.35 | $1.54 | $18.51 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | $0.36 | $1.55 | $18.64 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | $0.36 | $1.56 | $18.77 |
| Washington | 14.4 | $0.36 | $1.56 | $18.77 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | $0.36 | $1.57 | $18.90 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | $0.37 | $1.60 | $19.16 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | $0.37 | $1.62 | $19.42 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | $0.38 | $1.63 | $19.55 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | $0.38 | $1.65 | $19.81 |
| Florida | 15.4 | $0.39 | $1.67 | $20.07 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | $0.39 | $1.67 | $20.07 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | $0.39 | $1.68 | $20.21 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | $0.40 | $1.72 | $20.60 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | $0.40 | $1.72 | $20.60 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | $0.40 | $1.75 | $20.99 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | $0.41 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | $0.41 | $1.78 | $21.38 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | $0.41 | $1.79 | $21.51 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | $0.42 | $1.82 | $21.90 |
| Texas | 17.0 | $0.43 | $1.85 | $22.16 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | $0.43 | $1.86 | $22.29 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | $0.43 | $1.89 | $22.68 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | $0.43 | $1.89 | $22.68 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | $0.45 | $1.94 | $23.33 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | $0.47 | $2.04 | $24.51 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | $0.48 | $2.08 | $25.03 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.49 | $2.12 | $25.42 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | $0.51 | $2.23 | $26.72 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | $0.54 | $2.32 | $27.90 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | $0.54 | $2.33 | $28.03 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | $0.55 | $2.40 | $28.81 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | $0.59 | $2.55 | $30.63 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | $0.62 | $2.67 | $32.07 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | $0.64 | $2.76 | $33.11 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | $0.68 | $2.95 | $35.46 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | $0.68 | $2.97 | $35.72 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.71 | $3.07 | $36.89 |
| Maine | 28.4 | $0.71 | $3.08 | $37.02 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | $0.74 | $3.20 | $38.46 |
| New York | 29.5 | $0.74 | $3.20 | $38.46 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | $0.81 | $3.50 | $41.98 |
| California | 35.3 | $0.88 | $3.83 | $46.02 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | $1.17 | $5.06 | $60.75 |
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 18.8¢/kWh, each use costs about $0.47. That ranges from $0.31 in North Dakota to $1.17 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 $2.04 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.35 in North Dakota up to $5.06 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 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.