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How much does it cost to run a central air conditioner?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kilowatt-hour (July 2026), running a central air conditioner costs about $431 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 12.72¢ to 48.00¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 44.9¢
- Per day of use
- $3.59
- Per month
- $35.89
- Per year
- $431
Assumption: 3,500 W at a 70% duty cycle, 8 hours a day, 120 days a year — 2,352 kWh a year. A 3-ton central system draws roughly 3,500 W with the air handler running. Older or oversized units cycle harder and land higher.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $24.93 | $299 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $25.03 | $300 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $25.72 | $309 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $26.28 | $315 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $26.87 | $322 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $26.91 | $323 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $27.01 | $324 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $27.07 | $325 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $28.09 | $337 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $28.13 | $338 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $28.15 | $338 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $28.50 | $342 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $28.83 | $346 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $29.38 | $353 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $29.46 | $354 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $29.71 | $357 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $29.93 | $359 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $30.13 | $362 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $30.14 | $362 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $30.32 | $364 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $30.93 | $371 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $31.12 | $373 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $31.30 | $376 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $31.34 | $376 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $31.54 | $378 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $31.54 | $378 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $31.89 | $383 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $32.14 | $386 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $32.79 | $393 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $33.32 | $400 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $34.20 | $410 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $34.40 | $413 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $36.22 | $435 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $37.36 | $448 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $37.67 | $452 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $38.12 | $457 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $41.96 | $504 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $42.57 | $511 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $45.18 | $542 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $46.55 | $559 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $47.35 | $568 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $49.37 | $592 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $49.41 | $593 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $52.14 | $626 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $55.45 | $665 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $56.51 | $678 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $58.60 | $703 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $59.76 | $717 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $63.52 | $762 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $65.88 | $791 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $94.08 | $1,129 |
Cutting the number down
- Each degree you raise the thermostat in summer trims roughly 3% off cooling energy. Two degrees is a rounding error in comfort and a visible line on the bill.
- A clogged filter makes the blower work against restriction for an entire season. Replacing it is the cheapest maintenance in the house.
- Cooling load tracks the indoor/outdoor gap, so the same thermostat setting costs far more in a 100 F week than an 85 F one.
Questions
- How many watts does a central air conditioner use?
- About 3,500 W while running, though it cycles on and off, so average draw is 2,450 W.
- How much does a central air conditioner cost per month?
- About $35.89 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $431 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Louisiana, at $299 a year, versus $1,129 in Hawaii — a spread of $830.