A typical 8,000 BTU window air conditioner uses about 533 watts. At the U.S. average electricity price of 18.31¢ per kWh in July 2026, that costs 9.8¢ for every hour it runs.
Calculate what your air conditioner costs
Cost to run an air conditioner
| Use | kWh | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| One hour | 0.53 | 9.8¢ |
| 1 hour a day for a month | 16.2 | $2.97 |
| 4 hours a day for a month | 64.8 | $11.87 |
| 8 hours a day for a month | 129.6 | $23.73 |
| 4 hours a day for a year | 778 | $142 |
On average, homes that have an air conditioner use about 2,318 kWh a year on it (EIA's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey), which costs $424 a year at the U.S. average price.
Window air conditioner wattage by size
| Size | Watts | Cost per hour | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 BTU | 347 | 6.4¢ | 21 |
| 6,000 BTU | 438 | 8.0¢ | 29 |
| 8,000 BTU | 533 | 9.8¢ | 93 |
| 10,000 BTU | 667 | 12¢ | 90 |
| 12,000 BTU | 800 | 15¢ | 111 |
Across all types of air conditioning, including central systems, homes that use it spend about 2,318 kWh a year on cooling on average (EIA's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey): $424 at the U.S. average price.
Cost to run an air conditioner in every state
| # | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $295 |
| 2 | Nevada | 12.77¢ | $296 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.12¢ | $304 |
| 4 | North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $311 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $318 |
| 6 | Idaho | 13.73¢ | $318 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $319 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $320 |
| 9 | Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $332 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $333 |
| 11 | Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $333 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $337 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.71¢ | $341 |
| 14 | Montana | 14.99¢ | $347 |
| 15 | Florida | 15.03¢ | $348 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $351 |
| 17 | Kansas | 15.27¢ | $354 |
| 18 | South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $356 |
| 19 | Arizona | 15.38¢ | $357 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $359 |
| 21 | West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $366 |
| 22 | Texas | 15.88¢ | $368 |
| 23 | Oregon | 15.97¢ | $370 |
| 24 | Iowa | 15.99¢ | $371 |
| 25 | Missouri | 16.09¢ | $373 |
| 26 | New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $373 |
| 27 | Georgia | 16.27¢ | $377 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.40¢ | $380 |
| 29 | Indiana | 16.73¢ | $388 |
| 30 | Colorado | 17.00¢ | $394 |
| 31 | Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $404 |
| 32 | Virginia | 17.55¢ | $407 |
| 33 | Delaware | 18.48¢ | $428 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $442 |
| 35 | Illinois | 19.22¢ | $446 |
| 36 | Ohio | 19.45¢ | $451 |
| 37 | Maryland | 21.41¢ | $496 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $503 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.05¢ | $534 |
| 40 | Vermont | 23.75¢ | $551 |
| 41 | Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $560 |
| 42 | New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $584 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $584 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $617 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $656 |
| 46 | Alaska | 28.83¢ | $668 |
| 47 | New York | 29.90¢ | $693 |
| 48 | Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $707 |
| 49 | Maine | 32.41¢ | $751 |
| 50 | California | 33.61¢ | $779 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $1,113 |
Air Conditioner energy use FAQ
How many watts does an air conditioner use?
A typical 8,000 BTU window air conditioner typically uses about 533 watts. Check the label on yours for its exact rating.
How much does it cost to run an air conditioner?
At the U.S. average of 18.31¢ per kWh (July 2026), it costs 9.8¢ an hour. Used one hour a day, that is $2.97 a month at 533 watts.
Where is it cheapest to run an air conditioner?
With electricity at 12.72¢ per kWh, Louisiana is the cheapest state: $295 a year for 2,318 kWh a year. The same use costs $1,113 in Hawaii.
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey; ENERGY STAR certified product data; electricity prices: EIA retail sales data (July 2026). Last updated 2026-10-20.