Laptop electricity cost calculator
In this example, a laptop at 60W and 70% duty cycle costs $0.008 per scheduled hour. At 8.00 hours per day, that is $1.86 per 30.44 use days, using the August 2026 US average of 18.16¢/kWh. Adjust the calculator for your appliance and electricity bill.
Laptop electricity cost calculator
Use watts and running time, or enter energy from a label, meter or completed load. Your inputs stay on this device.
Enter a number within each field’s limits to calculate your cost.
Your estimated energy cost
123 kWh across 365 use days per year
Power mode includes your selected duty cycle. The monthly figure assumes 30.44 use days; the annual total uses your selected use days. These are estimates at the entered rate.
Energy charges only. Fixed utility fees, purchase, installation and maintenance are excluded. See the calculation method and sources.
Running cost at different usage times
These examples hold 60W, 70% duty cycle and 18.16¢/kWh constant. They illustrate the arithmetic, not recommended schedules. Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.
| Hours per use day | kWh per day | Cost per day | 30.44 use days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.021 kWh | $0.00 | $0.12 |
| 1 | 0.042 kWh | $0.01 | $0.23 |
| 4 | 0.168 kWh | $0.03 | $0.93 |
| 8 | 0.336 kWh | $0.06 | $1.86 |
How to estimate your laptop electricity use
Laptop wall power supplies both computer operation and battery charging. An adapter output rating is a capacity limit; the laptop does not necessarily draw that power throughout the day or throughout a charge.
Battery operation shifts when energy is drawn from the outlet. Compare a complete use-and-recharge period rather than treating unplugged hours as permanently free energy.
- Measure energy over a representative work-and-charge period when possible. Charging and running from a full battery can have different wall draw.
- Use measured wall watts rather than treating a USB-C adapter output rating as constant input. Adapter losses mean output and wall-input energy are different quantities.
- If measuring a USB-C dock that powers the laptop, check which monitors and peripherals it includes. Do not add the laptop again to an upstream measurement that already supplies it.
- For an illustrative 40W average wall draw over eight hours, energy is 0.32 kWh and cost is $0.064 at $0.20/kWh. Use 100% duty for an already averaged measurement.
Calculation and data sources
Daily kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × duty cycle ÷ 100. Multiply kWh by your rate in dollars per kWh to get cost. The wattage, hours and duty cycle above are editable example assumptions, not EIA measurements of this appliance.
The US and state average prices come from the EIA for August 2026. A state average is a starting point; your bill is the better source for your tariff.
Electricity running cost by state
Sorted by average electricity price. These reference figures use 8.00 hours per day at 70% duty cycle, for 30.44 days per month and 365 days per year. Seasonal use will cost less than this year-round scenario. Click a state to load its rate.
| State | Rate /kWh | Per month | Per year | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $1.30 | $15.60 | |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $1.32 | $15.78 | |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $1.36 | $16.32 | |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $1.36 | $16.32 | |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $1.37 | $16.40 | |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $1.37 | $16.46 | |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $1.38 | $16.61 | |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $1.41 | $16.92 | |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $1.47 | $17.62 | |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $1.48 | $17.70 | |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $1.48 | $17.70 | |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $1.50 | $17.94 | |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $1.52 | $18.18 | |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $1.53 | $18.33 | |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $1.53 | $18.38 | |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $1.54 | $18.46 | |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $1.55 | $18.58 | |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $1.58 | $18.97 | |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $1.59 | $19.10 | |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $1.61 | $19.33 | |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $1.63 | $19.50 | |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $1.63 | $19.51 | |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $1.63 | $19.52 | |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $1.64 | $19.65 | |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $1.67 | $20.00 | |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $1.67 | $20.03 | |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $1.69 | $20.25 | |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $1.74 | $20.87 | |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $1.74 | $20.92 | |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $1.76 | $21.06 | |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $1.76 | $21.09 | |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $1.80 | $21.63 | |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $1.91 | $22.93 | |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $1.98 | $23.69 | |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $1.98 | $23.77 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $1.99 | $23.80 | |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $2.19 | $26.24 | |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $2.23 | $26.70 | |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $2.35 | $28.19 | |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $2.44 | $29.24 | |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $2.51 | $30.06 | |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $2.52 | $30.18 | |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $2.66 | $31.86 | |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $2.83 | $33.90 | |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $2.88 | $34.56 | |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $2.93 | $35.14 | |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $3.01 | $36.07 | |
| California | 29.75¢ | $3.04 | $36.49 | |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $3.12 | $37.38 | |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $3.28 | $39.38 | |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $4.83 | $57.86 |
Common questions
How much electricity does a laptop use?
In this example, 60 watts at a 70% duty cycle uses 0.042 kWh per scheduled hour. At 8.00 hours per day, that is 0.336 kWh per use day. Your model and operating conditions can differ.
How much does it cost to run a laptop for an hour?
The default example costs $0.008 per scheduled hour at the US average of 18.16¢/kWh for August 2026. This includes the selected duty cycle. Enter your watts, duty cycle and electricity price for your own estimate.
Does the annual cost assume I use it every day?
The reference tables use 365 days at the stated daily hours; monthly figures use 30.44 days. These are comparison scenarios, not forecasts. For a heater used on 90 days, enter 90 use days per year in the calculator.
Why does electricity running cost vary by state?
For August 2026, the EIA state averages range from 12.72¢/kWh in Nevada to 47.18¢/kWh in Hawaii. Equal electricity use costs more at a higher rate. Your utility tariff can differ from the state average.
Does a 65W laptop charger constantly use 65 watts?
No. The label commonly describes maximum output capacity. Actual input varies with laptop workload, charging state and adapter losses. Use measured wall energy or suitable model data.
Should I use battery capacity to estimate a full charge?
Battery energy in Wh can describe energy stored, but wall energy also depends on charging losses and any use during charging. A measured full recharge is more direct.
How do I count a laptop powered through a dock?
Use either the upstream dock wall measurement or separate component measurements with clear boundaries. Avoid counting the same laptop energy in both.