How much does a space heater cost to run in Colorado?
$63 a month while in use, November to March
- A day of use
- $2.06
- An hour of running
- $0.26
- A year (season only)
- $310.40
1,500 W, 8 hours a day on its high setting, November to March, at Colorado’s average rate of 17.1¢ 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 | $0.26 | $7.82 | $38.80 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.51 | $15.63 | $77.60 |
| 4 hours a day | $1.03 | $31.26 | $155.20 |
| 8 hours a day typical | $2.06 | $62.52 | $310.40 |
| 24 hours a day | $6.17 | $187.57 | $931.19 |
Models range from 750 W to 1,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,500 W, the figure the source gives.
Colorado compared with other states
Colorado’s residential rate is the 23rd most expensive of 51 states and DC, 1.2¢ below the US average of 18.3¢ (−7%). Colorado’s rate is up 1.1¢ from June 2025 (16.0¢, +6.8%).
A cheaper way to do the same job
- A ductless heat pump giving the same heat would cost $20.84 a month in season, saving $41.68 a month in season and $206.93 a year. Assumes a heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.
- An electric blanket for the same hours would cost $4.17 a month in season, saving $58.36 a month in season and $289.70 a year.
Ways to spend less
- Heat the person, not the room: a space heater makes sense only when it lets you turn the central thermostat down for the rest of the house.
- Run it an hour less each day. Saves about $7.82 a month in season.
- Use the low setting when the room is already warm; many 1,500 W heaters drop to about half power on low. Saves about $31.26 a month in season.
- Close the door of the room you are heating so the warm air stays where you are.
- Use a timer or thermostat plug so it doesn't run after you leave the room.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a space heater per hour?
About $0.26 an hour in Colorado. A space heater at 1,500 W uses 1.50 kWh per hour, and at Colorado’s average of 17.1¢ per kWh that comes to $0.26.
How much does a space heater add to your electric bill?
Used 8 hours a day on its high setting, November to March, about $62.52 a month while it is in use in Colorado, or $310.40 a year across the November to March season.
How much does it cost to run a space heater 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, a space heater would use 36.0 kWh a day and cost $6.17 a day, or $187.57 over an average month in Colorado.
How many watts does a space heater use?
Models range from 750 W to 1,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,500 W, the figure the source gives. Check the label on yours: cost scales directly with watts, so a 20% lower wattage means a 20% lower bill.
Is it cheaper to run a space heater or a ductless heat pump?
Using a ductless heat pump giving the same heat instead would cost about $20.84 a month in season instead of $62.52, saving $41.68 in Colorado. This assumes a heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.
Why does a space heater cost more or less to run in Colorado than elsewhere?
Colorado’s residential rate is the 23rd most expensive of 51 states and DC, 1.2¢ below the US average of 18.3¢ (−7%). Colorado’s rate is up 1.1¢ from June 2025 (16.0¢, +6.8%). The appliance uses the same energy everywhere; only the price per kWh changes.
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.
- Carrier page: June 2026 residential average price, citing EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.