How much does a dishwasher cost to run?
$7.17 a month
- A day of use
- $0.33
- An hour of running
- $0.33
- A year
- $86.07
1,800 W, one 1-hour cycle, 5 days a week, 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 | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour a day typical | $0.33 | $7.17 | $86.07 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.66 | $14.34 | $172.13 |
| 4 hours a day | $1.32 | $28.69 | $344.27 |
| 8 hours a day | $2.64 | $57.38 | $688.54 |
| 24 hours a day | $7.92 | $172.13 | $2,065.61 |
Models range from 1,200 W to 2,400 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,800 W, the middle of that range.
Ways to spend less
- Run it only when it is full. Saves about $1.43 a month.
- Turn off heated drying and let dishes air-dry.
- Use the eco cycle; it runs longer but heats less.
What a dishwasher costs to run in every state
| Rank | State | Rate | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 13.1¢ | $5.13 | $61.52 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $5.18 | $62.18 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.4¢ | $5.23 | $62.74 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 13.5¢ | $5.28 | $63.31 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 14.1¢ | $5.50 | $66.03 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 14.1¢ | $5.52 | $66.26 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 14.1¢ | $5.52 | $66.26 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 14.3¢ | $5.58 | $66.92 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $5.60 | $67.25 |
| 10 | Idaho | 14.4¢ | $5.62 | $67.44 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 14.7¢ | $5.76 | $69.17 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $5.82 | $69.83 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.9¢ | $5.83 | $69.97 |
| 14 | New Mexico | 15.1¢ | $5.89 | $70.67 |
| 15 | Florida | 15.1¢ | $5.91 | $70.86 |
| 16 | Montana | 15.1¢ | $5.92 | $71.05 |
| 17 | Arizona | 15.2¢ | $5.94 | $71.24 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 15.2¢ | $5.96 | $71.52 |
| 19 | South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $6.01 | $72.08 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 15.5¢ | $6.04 | $72.50 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 15.6¢ | $6.08 | $72.97 |
| 22 | Kansas | 15.7¢ | $6.14 | $73.72 |
| 23 | Iowa | 15.9¢ | $6.23 | $74.76 |
| 24 | Texas | 15.9¢ | $6.23 | $74.80 |
| 25 | Missouri | 16.2¢ | $6.34 | $76.12 |
| 26 | Oregon | 16.3¢ | $6.38 | $76.59 |
| 27 | Georgia | 16.4¢ | $6.40 | $76.78 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.4¢ | $6.41 | $76.96 |
| 29 | Colorado | 17.1¢ | $6.70 | $80.39 |
| 30 | Virginia | 17.2¢ | $6.73 | $80.81 |
| 31 | Indiana | 17.5¢ | $6.85 | $82.17 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $6.85 | $82.22 |
| 33 | Ohio | 19.2¢ | $7.50 | $90.06 |
| 34 | Delaware | 19.3¢ | $7.54 | $90.53 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 19.6¢ | $7.65 | $91.79 |
| 36 | Illinois | 19.9¢ | $7.78 | $93.34 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $8.50 | $101.98 |
| 38 | Maryland | 21.8¢ | $8.54 | $102.49 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.0¢ | $8.99 | $107.89 |
| 40 | Connecticut | 24.3¢ | $9.51 | $114.13 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 24.4¢ | $9.54 | $114.46 |
| 42 | Vermont | 24.4¢ | $9.56 | $114.69 |
| 43 | New Jersey | 25.0¢ | $9.76 | $117.09 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 27.0¢ | $10.56 | $126.75 |
| 45 | Alaska | 28.2¢ | $11.03 | $132.39 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | 29.2¢ | $11.43 | $137.17 |
| 47 | New York | 29.5¢ | $11.53 | $138.39 |
| 48 | Maine | 29.6¢ | $11.57 | $138.86 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 29.6¢ | $11.58 | $138.96 |
| 50 | California | 34.7¢ | $13.59 | $163.03 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 52.7¢ | $20.62 | $247.41 |
Questions
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher per hour?
About $0.33 an hour. A dishwasher at 1,800 W uses 1.80 kWh per hour, and at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh that comes to $0.33.
How much does a dishwasher add to your electric bill?
Used one 1-hour cycle, 5 days a week, about $7.17 a month, or $86.07 a year.
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, a dishwasher would use 43.2 kWh a day and cost $7.92 a day, or $240.99 over an average month.
How many watts does a dishwasher use?
Models range from 1,200 W to 2,400 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,800 W, the middle of that range. 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 dishwasher in?
Nevada, at 13.1¢ per kWh: $5.13 a month. The most expensive is Hawaii at 52.7¢ per kWh: $20.62 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.