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How much does it cost to run a desktop computer?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.16¢ per kilowatt-hour (August 2026), running a desktop computer costs about $72.64 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 12.72¢ to 47.18¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 3.6¢
- Per day of use
- 29.1¢
- Per month
- $6.05
- Per year
- $72.64
Assumption: 200 W, 8 hours a day, 250 days a year — 400 kWh a year. An office-class tower plus monitor, doing ordinary work.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $4.24 | $50.88 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $4.29 | $51.48 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $4.44 | $53.24 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $4.44 | $53.24 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $4.46 | $53.48 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $4.47 | $53.68 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $4.51 | $54.16 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $4.60 | $55.20 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $4.79 | $57.48 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $4.81 | $57.72 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $4.81 | $57.72 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $4.88 | $58.52 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $4.94 | $59.28 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $4.98 | $59.80 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $5.00 | $59.96 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $5.02 | $60.20 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $5.05 | $60.60 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $5.16 | $61.88 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $5.19 | $62.28 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $5.25 | $63.04 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $5.30 | $63.60 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $5.30 | $63.64 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $5.31 | $63.68 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $5.34 | $64.08 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $5.44 | $65.24 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $5.44 | $65.32 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $5.50 | $66.04 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $5.67 | $68.08 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $5.69 | $68.24 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $5.72 | $68.68 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $5.73 | $68.80 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $5.88 | $70.56 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $6.23 | $74.80 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $6.44 | $77.28 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $6.46 | $77.52 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $6.47 | $77.64 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $7.13 | $85.60 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $7.26 | $87.08 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $7.66 | $91.96 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $7.95 | $95.36 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $8.17 | $98.04 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $8.20 | $98.44 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $8.66 | $104 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $9.21 | $111 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $9.39 | $113 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $9.55 | $115 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $9.80 | $118 |
| California | 29.75¢ | $9.92 | $119 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $10.16 | $122 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $10.70 | $128 |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $15.73 | $189 |
Cutting the number down
- Sleep after 15 minutes idle is the default with the largest payoff and the smallest downside.
- Screensavers do not save energy; a display running a 3D animation costs more than a blank screen.
Questions
- How many watts does a desktop computer use?
- About 200 W while running.
- How much does a desktop computer cost per month?
- About $6.05 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $72.64 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $50.88 a year, versus $189 in Hawaii — a spread of $138.