Dehumidifier electricity cost calculator
In this example, a dehumidifier at 500W and 60% duty cycle costs $0.054 per scheduled hour. At 12.00 hours per day, that is $19.90 per 30.44 use days, using the August 2026 US average of 18.16¢/kWh. Adjust the calculator for your appliance and electricity bill.
Dehumidifier 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
1,314 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 500W, 60% 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 | 0.150 kWh | $0.03 | $0.83 |
| 1 | 0.300 kWh | $0.05 | $1.66 |
| 4 | 1.200 kWh | $0.22 | $6.63 |
| 8 | 2.400 kWh | $0.44 | $13.27 |
How to estimate your dehumidifier electricity use
A dehumidifier may switch or adjust operation as humidity changes. A representative full-period kWh reading captures the powered operation during that period. Rated watts, time plugged in and water-removal capacity describe different things.
The preset watts, hours and duty are an editable example, not measurements of your appliance. A lower wattage does not establish lower energy for the same moisture-control or laundry task. This calculator does not deduct an assumed heating saving or convert water collection into certified efficiency.
- Choose Metered energy for a complete-period kWh reading and the corresponding elapsed days. For a cumulative meter, subtract the starting reading from the ending reading. Short readings may not represent another season or moisture load.
- For a measured drying session, choose Energy per use / load and enter the whole session as one use. Include supporting equipment only when it is outside that energy measurement.
- If entering average measured watts for the entire period, use 100% duty. An active-watts-and-duty estimate may omit fan-only, standby or other powered intervals; add only energy that is not already counted.
- Compare extraction or efficiency figures only with compatible test conditions and methods. A litres/day or pints/day rating is not electrical watts and does not predict the amount collected in your room.
- For an illustrative reading of 1.2 kWh over one day, electricity costs $0.24 at $0.20/kWh. That is arithmetic for a supplied reading, not typical daily consumption. Use your own tariff and season of operation.
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 12.00 hours per day at 60% 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¢ | $13.94 | $167 | |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $14.10 | $169 | |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $14.59 | $175 | |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $14.59 | $175 | |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $14.65 | $176 | |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $14.71 | $176 | |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $14.84 | $178 | |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $15.12 | $181 | |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $15.75 | $189 | |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $15.81 | $190 | |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $15.81 | $190 | |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $16.03 | $192 | |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $16.24 | $195 | |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $16.38 | $196 | |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $16.43 | $197 | |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $16.49 | $198 | |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $16.60 | $199 | |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $16.95 | $203 | |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $17.06 | $205 | |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $17.27 | $207 | |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $17.42 | $209 | |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $17.43 | $209 | |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $17.45 | $209 | |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $17.56 | $211 | |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $17.87 | $214 | |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $17.90 | $215 | |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $18.09 | $217 | |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $18.65 | $224 | |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $18.70 | $224 | |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $18.82 | $226 | |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $18.85 | $226 | |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $19.33 | $232 | |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $20.49 | $246 | |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $21.17 | $254 | |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $21.24 | $255 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $21.27 | $255 | |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $23.45 | $281 | |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $23.86 | $286 | |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $25.19 | $302 | |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $26.12 | $313 | |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $26.86 | $322 | |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $26.97 | $323 | |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $28.47 | $341 | |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $30.29 | $363 | |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $30.88 | $370 | |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $31.40 | $376 | |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $32.23 | $386 | |
| California | 29.75¢ | $32.60 | $391 | |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $33.40 | $401 | |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $35.19 | $422 | |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $51.70 | $620 |
Common questions
How much electricity does a dehumidifier use?
In this example, 500 watts at a 60% duty cycle uses 0.300 kWh per scheduled hour. At 12.00 hours per day, that is 3.600 kWh per use day. Your model and operating conditions can differ.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier for an hour?
The default example costs $0.054 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.
Can I calculate dehumidifier energy from pints or litres per day?
No. That is a water-removal rate at specified test conditions, not electrical input or energy. Use watts with a suitable operating-time estimate, or representative measured kWh. Room temperature and humidity can change performance.
Does 24 hours plugged in mean 24 hours at rated power?
No. Humidity controls and operating modes can change the draw during that period. A full-day kWh measurement captures the powered operation that occurred; repeating it for a month assumes the same daily average.
Should I reduce measured dehumidifier kWh by its duty cycle?
No. The reading already includes cycling during that measurement. Enter kWh directly, or use whole-period average watts with 100% duty. Do not apply the off-time reduction twice.
Does lower wattage mean cheaper moisture removal?
Only the energy used for a comparable task and the electricity price establish its electricity cost. Compare compatible operating conditions, required moisture control and full-period kWh rather than rated watts alone.