How much does a dehumidifier cost to run?
$53 a month while in use, May to September
- A day of use
- $1.73
- An hour of running
- $0.14
- A year (season only)
- $264.33
785 W, 12 hours a day of running time, May to September, at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026). How we calculate this
Change the watts, hours or rate
What it costs at other usage levels
| Use | A day | A month in use | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour a day | $0.14 | $4.38 | $22.03 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.29 | $8.76 | $44.05 |
| 4 hours a day | $0.58 | $17.52 | $88.11 |
| 8 hours a day | $1.15 | $35.03 | $176.22 |
| 12 hours a day typical | $1.73 | $52.55 | $264.33 |
| 24 hours a day | $3.46 | $105.10 | $528.65 |
A typical model draws about 785 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension).
Ways to spend less
- Set the humidistat to the highest humidity you are comfortable with rather than the lowest setting; it will run far less.
- Keep doors and windows of the room closed while it runs.
- Clean the filter and coils so it removes water faster per hour of running.
- Cut its running time by two hours a day. Saves about $8.76 a month in season.
What a dehumidifier costs to run in every state
| Rank | State | Rate | A month in use | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 13.1¢ | $37.56 | $188.95 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $37.96 | $190.97 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.4¢ | $38.31 | $192.70 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 13.5¢ | $38.65 | $194.43 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 14.1¢ | $40.31 | $202.79 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 14.1¢ | $40.46 | $203.51 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 14.1¢ | $40.46 | $203.51 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 14.3¢ | $40.86 | $205.52 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $41.06 | $206.53 |
| 10 | Idaho | 14.4¢ | $41.17 | $207.11 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 14.7¢ | $42.23 | $212.44 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $42.63 | $214.46 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.9¢ | $42.72 | $214.89 |
| 14 | New Mexico | 15.1¢ | $43.15 | $217.05 |
| 15 | Florida | 15.1¢ | $43.27 | $217.63 |
| 16 | Montana | 15.1¢ | $43.38 | $218.21 |
| 17 | Arizona | 15.2¢ | $43.49 | $218.78 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 15.2¢ | $43.67 | $219.65 |
| 19 | South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $44.01 | $221.38 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 15.5¢ | $44.27 | $222.67 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 15.6¢ | $44.55 | $224.12 |
| 22 | Kansas | 15.7¢ | $45.01 | $226.42 |
| 23 | Iowa | 15.9¢ | $45.64 | $229.59 |
| 24 | Texas | 15.9¢ | $45.67 | $229.74 |
| 25 | Missouri | 16.2¢ | $46.47 | $233.77 |
| 26 | Oregon | 16.3¢ | $46.76 | $235.21 |
| 27 | Georgia | 16.4¢ | $46.88 | $235.79 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.4¢ | $46.99 | $236.37 |
| 29 | Colorado | 17.1¢ | $49.08 | $246.89 |
| 30 | Virginia | 17.2¢ | $49.34 | $248.18 |
| 31 | Indiana | 17.5¢ | $50.17 | $252.36 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $50.20 | $252.51 |
| 33 | Ohio | 19.2¢ | $54.98 | $276.58 |
| 34 | Delaware | 19.3¢ | $55.27 | $278.02 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 19.6¢ | $56.04 | $281.91 |
| 36 | Illinois | 19.9¢ | $56.99 | $286.67 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $62.26 | $313.19 |
| 38 | Maryland | 21.8¢ | $62.58 | $314.77 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.0¢ | $65.87 | $331.35 |
| 40 | Connecticut | 24.3¢ | $69.68 | $350.51 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 24.4¢ | $69.88 | $351.52 |
| 42 | Vermont | 24.4¢ | $70.03 | $352.24 |
| 43 | New Jersey | 25.0¢ | $71.49 | $359.59 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 27.0¢ | $77.39 | $389.28 |
| 45 | Alaska | 28.2¢ | $80.83 | $406.58 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | 29.2¢ | $83.75 | $421.28 |
| 47 | New York | 29.5¢ | $84.50 | $425.03 |
| 48 | Maine | 29.6¢ | $84.78 | $426.47 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 29.6¢ | $84.84 | $426.76 |
| 50 | California | 34.7¢ | $99.54 | $500.69 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 52.7¢ | $151.06 | $759.83 |
Questions
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier per hour?
About $0.14 an hour. A dehumidifier at 785 W uses 0.785 kWh per hour, and at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh that comes to $0.14.
How much does a dehumidifier add to your electric bill?
Used 12 hours a day of running time, May to September, about $52.55 a month while it is in use, or $264.33 a year across the May to September season.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, a dehumidifier would use 18.8 kWh a day and cost $3.46 a day, or $105.10 over an average month.
How many watts does a dehumidifier use?
A typical model draws about 785 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). Check the label on yours: cost scales directly with watts, so a 20% lower wattage means a 20% lower bill.
Which state is cheapest to run a dehumidifier in?
Nevada, at 13.1¢ per kWh: $37.56 a month. The most expensive is Hawaii at 52.7¢ per kWh: $151.06 a month. Same appliance, same hours; only the rate differs.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (reproduces U.S. Department of Energy sample wattages)
- Penn State EGEE 102: Typical range of power consumption (wattage)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, residential, June 2026 Figures transcribed from republications of this table on September 26, 2026; pending direct verification from the EIA API.
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.