Electronics & Office · West
Cost to run a phone charger in New Mexico
At New Mexico’s average residential rate of 14.12¢ per kWh, a phone charger drawing 6W for 3 hours a day costs about $0.08 a month. Change the numbers below to match how you actually use yours.
Quick answer
Based on 6W and 14.12¢/kWh, the New Mexico average for May 2026.
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— per year
Why the cost differs in New Mexico
New Mexico has the 8th cheapest residential electricity of the 51 US states and territories we track, at 14.12¢ per kWh against a national average of 18.44¢. That is -23.4% compared with the national figure. New Mexico has strong solar and wind resources and is retiring coal capacity, a transition being recovered through rates but from a below-average starting point. Retail service is regulated. High-altitude dry heat means summer cooling is real but less punishing than in humid states, and evaporative cooling remains viable in much of the state at a fraction of refrigerated air conditioning's cost.
For this appliance specifically, the difference works out to a saving of $0.28 a year against what the same phone charger would cost at the national average rate. Run the identical appliance in Hawaii and it would cost $3.42 a year; in Idaho it would cost $0.81. That spread of $2.61 is entirely down to location.
Electricity in New Mexico is cheap by national standards, which cuts both ways: running this phone charger costs less than it would almost anywhere else, but the payback period on an efficiency upgrade is correspondingly longer. Replacing a working unit purely to save energy is harder to justify here.
Retail service in New Mexico is regulated, so most households pay a tariff set through state rate cases rather than a shopped rate. The state average is a reasonable proxy, though your utility's specific tariff still varies.
| Location | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico this page | 14.12¢ | $0.08 | $0.93 |
| US average | 18.44¢ | $0.10 | $1.21 |
| Idaho cheapest state | 12.35¢ | $0.07 | $0.81 |
| Hawaii most expensive | 52.00¢ | $0.28 | $3.42 |
New Mexico electricity rate trend
Rates in New Mexico have moved from 14.68¢ to 14.12¢ per kWh over the last twelve months of published data. Nationally, residential rates rose about 6.2% year over year.
2025-06 to 2026-05 · cents per kWh
About running a phone charger
Charging a phone costs a trivial amount - well under a dollar a year in most states. The "vampire draw" concern is largely obsolete with modern chargers.
What actually changes the cost
- Models vary widely, from about 3W to 25W. Check the nameplate on your own unit rather than assuming an average, because the spread is more than 2x.
- If your utility offers time-of-use pricing, shifting this load off-peak can cut its cost substantially without using any less energy.
How we worked this out
The arithmetic is simple and we would rather show it than hide it. Divide watts by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by hours of use and by the duty cycle to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your rate:
6W ÷ 1000 × 3h = 0.018 kWh/day × 14.12¢ = $0.003 per day
One honest caveat: New Mexico’s figure is a state average published by the EIA. Your own utility’s tariff, any time-of-use pricing, fixed monthly service charges and local taxes all shift the real number. Put your actual per-kWh rate into the calculator above for a figure that reflects your bill.
Questions about phone charger running costs
How many watts does a phone charger use?
A typical phone charger draws about 6 watts while running, with most models falling between 3W and 25W. Check the nameplate label or manual for your specific unit - the range is wide enough that averages can mislead.
How much electricity does a phone charger use per day?
At around 3 hours of use a day and a 100% duty cycle, that works out to roughly 0.02 kWh per day, or about 1 kWh a month. Your actual figure depends on your usage and model.
Why does the cost differ so much between states?
Residential electricity rates across the US range from about 12.35 cents per kWh in North Dakota to 46.62 cents in Hawaii - nearly a fourfold difference. The same phone charger, used identically, therefore costs almost four times as much to run in the most expensive state as in the cheapest.
Is it cheaper to run a phone charger at night?
Only if you are on a time-of-use or variable tariff. On a flat rate, the time of day makes no difference to cost. If you are on time-of-use pricing, off-peak hours are typically materially cheaper, and shifting this load can reduce its cost without reducing usage.