❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Window Air Conditioner Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a window air conditioner costs about $40.06 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
$0.16
at 500–1,500 W
Per day
$1.32
8 hours/day
Per month
$40.06
219 kWh
Per year
$481
2,628 kWh
Window units draw 500–1,500 watts depending on size, and cooling a single occupied room this way is far cheaper than running central air for the whole house. Efficiency varies widely — a modern inverter unit can halve the cost of a decade-old one.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
$0.16
Per day
$1.32
Per month
$40.06
Per year
$481
Uses 219 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 | $0.11 | $27.80 | $334 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | $0.12 | $28.02 | $336 |
| Utah | 13.1 | $0.12 | $28.67 | $344 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | $0.12 | $29.33 | $352 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | $0.12 | $29.99 | $360 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | $0.12 | $29.99 | $360 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | $0.12 | $30.21 | $363 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | $0.12 | $30.21 | $363 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | $0.13 | $31.30 | $376 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | $0.13 | $31.52 | $378 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | $0.13 | $31.52 | $378 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | $0.13 | $31.74 | $381 |
| Washington | 14.7 | $0.13 | $32.18 | $386 |
| Florida | 15.0 | $0.14 | $32.83 | $394 |
| Montana | 15.0 | $0.14 | $32.83 | $394 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | $0.14 | $33.27 | $399 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | $0.14 | $33.49 | $402 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | $0.14 | $33.71 | $405 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | $0.14 | $33.71 | $405 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | $0.14 | $33.93 | $407 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | $0.14 | $34.58 | $415 |
| Texas | 15.9 | $0.14 | $34.80 | $418 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | $0.14 | $35.24 | $423 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | $0.14 | $35.24 | $423 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | $0.15 | $35.68 | $428 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | $0.15 | $35.90 | $431 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | $0.15 | $36.55 | $439 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | $0.15 | $37.21 | $447 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | $0.16 | $38.30 | $460 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | $0.16 | $38.52 | $463 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | $0.17 | $40.49 | $486 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | $0.17 | $41.81 | $502 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | $0.17 | $42.02 | $505 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.18 | $42.68 | $512 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | $0.19 | $46.84 | $562 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | $0.20 | $47.50 | $570 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | $0.21 | $50.56 | $607 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $0.21 | $52.09 | $625 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $0.22 | $52.97 | $636 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $0.23 | $55.16 | $662 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $0.23 | $55.16 | $662 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $0.24 | $58.22 | $699 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.25 | $61.94 | $744 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $0.26 | $63.04 | $757 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.27 | $65.45 | $786 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $0.27 | $66.76 | $802 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.29 | $70.92 | $851 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.30 | $73.54 | $883 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.43 | $105 | $1,261 |
How to lower the cost
- Buy the right size: an oversized unit short-cycles, dehumidifies poorly, and wastes energy.
- Seal the gaps around the mounting panels — leaks pull in hot outdoor air continuously.
- Use 'eco' or 'auto' mode so the compressor cycles off at temperature instead of running flat out.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a window air conditioner use?
A typical window air conditioner draws about 900 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 7.2 kWh per day, or 219 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a window air conditioner for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about $0.16. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's $0.11, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.43.
How much does a window air conditioner cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $40.06 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $27.80 in Louisiana up to $105 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a window air conditioner use a lot of electricity?
Yes — at typical usage it accounts for roughly 25% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption (885 kWh), which makes it one of the larger loads in the house.