How much does a microwave cost to run?
$1.29 a month
- A day of use
- $0.04
- An hour of running
- $0.17
- A year
- $15.48
925 W, 15 minutes a day, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes a day typical | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.48 |
| 1 hour a day | $0.17 | $5.16 | $61.92 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.34 | $10.32 | $123.84 |
| 4 hours a day | $0.68 | $20.64 | $247.68 |
| 8 hours a day | $1.36 | $41.28 | $495.36 |
| 24 hours a day | $4.07 | $123.84 | $1,486.09 |
Models range from 750 W to 1,100 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 925 W, the middle of that range.
Ways to spend less
- Reheat in the microwave instead of the oven; it heats the food, not a box of air.
- Cover dishes so they heat faster.
- Unplug it if you never use the clock; the display draws a little power all day.
What a microwave costs to run in every state
| Rank | State | Rate | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 13.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.07 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $0.93 | $11.18 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.4¢ | $0.94 | $11.29 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 13.5¢ | $0.95 | $11.39 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 14.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.88 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 14.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.92 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 14.1¢ | $0.99 | $11.92 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 14.3¢ | $1.00 | $12.04 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $1.01 | $12.10 |
| 10 | Idaho | 14.4¢ | $1.01 | $12.13 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 14.7¢ | $1.04 | $12.44 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $1.05 | $12.56 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.9¢ | $1.05 | $12.58 |
| 14 | New Mexico | 15.1¢ | $1.06 | $12.71 |
| 15 | Florida | 15.1¢ | $1.06 | $12.75 |
| 16 | Montana | 15.1¢ | $1.06 | $12.78 |
| 17 | Arizona | 15.2¢ | $1.07 | $12.81 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 15.2¢ | $1.07 | $12.86 |
| 19 | South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $1.08 | $12.96 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 15.5¢ | $1.09 | $13.04 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 15.6¢ | $1.09 | $13.13 |
| 22 | Kansas | 15.7¢ | $1.11 | $13.26 |
| 23 | Iowa | 15.9¢ | $1.12 | $13.45 |
| 24 | Texas | 15.9¢ | $1.12 | $13.45 |
| 25 | Missouri | 16.2¢ | $1.14 | $13.69 |
| 26 | Oregon | 16.3¢ | $1.15 | $13.78 |
| 27 | Georgia | 16.4¢ | $1.15 | $13.81 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.4¢ | $1.15 | $13.84 |
| 29 | Colorado | 17.1¢ | $1.20 | $14.46 |
| 30 | Virginia | 17.2¢ | $1.21 | $14.53 |
| 31 | Indiana | 17.5¢ | $1.23 | $14.78 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $1.23 | $14.79 |
| 33 | Ohio | 19.2¢ | $1.35 | $16.20 |
| 34 | Delaware | 19.3¢ | $1.36 | $16.28 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 19.6¢ | $1.38 | $16.51 |
| 36 | Illinois | 19.9¢ | $1.40 | $16.79 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $1.53 | $18.34 |
| 38 | Maryland | 21.8¢ | $1.54 | $18.43 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.0¢ | $1.62 | $19.40 |
| 40 | Connecticut | 24.3¢ | $1.71 | $20.53 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 24.4¢ | $1.72 | $20.59 |
| 42 | Vermont | 24.4¢ | $1.72 | $20.63 |
| 43 | New Jersey | 25.0¢ | $1.75 | $21.06 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 27.0¢ | $1.90 | $22.80 |
| 45 | Alaska | 28.2¢ | $1.98 | $23.81 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | 29.2¢ | $2.06 | $24.67 |
| 47 | New York | 29.5¢ | $2.07 | $24.89 |
| 48 | Maine | 29.6¢ | $2.08 | $24.98 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 29.6¢ | $2.08 | $24.99 |
| 50 | California | 34.7¢ | $2.44 | $29.32 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 52.7¢ | $3.71 | $44.50 |
Questions
How much does it cost to run a microwave per hour?
About $0.17 an hour. A microwave at 925 W uses 0.925 kWh per hour, and at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh that comes to $0.17.
How much does a microwave add to your electric bill?
Used 15 minutes a day, about $1.29 a month, or $15.48 a year.
How much does it cost to run a microwave 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, a microwave would use 22.2 kWh a day and cost $4.07 a day, or $123.84 over an average month.
How many watts does a microwave use?
Models range from 750 W to 1,100 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 925 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 microwave in?
Nevada, at 13.1¢ per kWh: $0.92 a month. The most expensive is Hawaii at 52.7¢ per kWh: $3.71 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.