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How much does it cost to run a microwave?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running a microwave costs about $20.08 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 22.0¢
- Per day of use
- 5.5¢
- Per month
- $1.67
- Per year
- $20.08
Assumption: 1,200 W, 15 minutes a day, 365 days a year — 110 kWh a year. Draw while cooking; the 1,100 W on the label is delivered power and the wall draw is a little higher. Assumes 15 minutes a day of actual use.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢ | $1.20 | $14.36 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | $1.21 | $14.51 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | $1.22 | $14.64 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | $1.23 | $14.77 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | $1.28 | $15.41 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | $1.29 | $15.46 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | $1.29 | $15.46 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | $1.30 | $15.61 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | $1.31 | $15.69 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | $1.31 | $15.74 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | $1.35 | $16.14 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | $1.36 | $16.29 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | $1.36 | $16.33 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | $1.37 | $16.49 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | $1.38 | $16.53 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | $1.38 | $16.58 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | $1.39 | $16.62 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | $1.39 | $16.69 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | $1.40 | $16.82 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | $1.41 | $16.92 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | $1.42 | $17.03 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | $1.43 | $17.20 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | $1.45 | $17.44 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | $1.45 | $17.45 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | $1.48 | $17.76 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | $1.49 | $17.87 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | $1.49 | $17.91 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $1.50 | $17.96 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | $1.56 | $18.76 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | $1.57 | $18.86 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | $1.60 | $19.17 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | $1.60 | $19.18 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | $1.75 | $21.01 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | $1.76 | $21.12 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | $1.78 | $21.42 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | $1.81 | $21.78 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | $1.98 | $23.79 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | $1.99 | $23.91 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $2.10 | $25.17 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | $2.22 | $26.63 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | $2.23 | $26.71 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | $2.23 | $26.76 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | $2.28 | $27.32 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | $2.46 | $29.58 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | $2.57 | $30.89 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | $2.67 | $32.01 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | $2.69 | $32.29 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | $2.70 | $32.40 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | $2.70 | $32.42 |
| California | 34.74¢ | $3.17 | $38.04 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | $4.81 | $57.73 |
Cutting the number down
- Reheating in a microwave is close to the cheapest way to put heat into food, because nearly all of it lands in the food rather than the air.
- The clock display draws a couple of watts around the clock, which over a year is a meaningful share of a lightly used microwave's total.
Questions
- How many watts does a microwave use?
- About 1,200 W while running.
- How much does a microwave cost per month?
- About $1.67 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $20.08 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $14.36 a year, versus $57.73 in Hawaii — a spread of $43.37.