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How much does it cost to run a game console?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.16¢ per kilowatt-hour (August 2026), running a game console costs about $39.77 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
- 10.9¢
- Per month
- $3.31
- Per year
- $39.77
Assumption: 200 W, 3 hours a day, 365 days a year — 219 kWh a year. A current-generation console under load. Menus and streaming apps draw far less than a demanding game.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $2.32 | $27.86 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $2.35 | $28.19 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $2.43 | $29.15 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $2.43 | $29.15 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $2.44 | $29.28 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $2.45 | $29.39 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $2.47 | $29.65 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $2.52 | $30.22 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $2.62 | $31.47 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $2.63 | $31.60 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $2.63 | $31.60 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $2.67 | $32.04 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $2.70 | $32.46 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $2.73 | $32.74 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $2.74 | $32.83 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $2.75 | $32.96 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $2.76 | $33.18 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $2.82 | $33.88 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $2.84 | $34.10 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $2.88 | $34.51 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $2.90 | $34.82 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $2.90 | $34.84 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $2.91 | $34.86 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $2.92 | $35.08 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $2.98 | $35.72 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $2.98 | $35.76 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $3.01 | $36.16 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $3.11 | $37.27 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $3.11 | $37.36 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $3.13 | $37.60 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $3.14 | $37.67 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $3.22 | $38.63 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $3.41 | $40.95 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $3.53 | $42.31 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $3.54 | $42.44 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $3.54 | $42.51 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $3.91 | $46.87 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $3.97 | $47.68 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $4.20 | $50.35 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $4.35 | $52.21 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $4.47 | $53.68 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $4.49 | $53.90 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $4.74 | $56.90 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $5.04 | $60.53 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $5.14 | $61.71 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $5.23 | $62.74 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $5.37 | $64.41 |
| California | 29.75¢ | $5.43 | $65.15 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $5.56 | $66.75 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $5.86 | $70.32 |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $8.61 | $103 |
Cutting the number down
- The instant-on standby mode can draw 10 to 15 W around the clock, which over a year rivals the actual playing.
- Streaming video through a console uses several times the power of a dedicated streaming stick.
Questions
- How many watts does a game console use?
- About 200 W while running.
- How much does a game console cost per month?
- About $3.31 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $39.77 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $27.86 a year, versus $103 in Hawaii — a spread of $75.47.