Electronics & Office · South
Cost to run a phone charger in North Carolina
At North Carolina’s average residential rate of 15.09¢ 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 15.09¢/kWh, the North Carolina average for May 2026.
Calculate your own cost
Everything is worked out in your browser. Your numbers are never sent to our server.
— per year
Why the cost differs in North Carolina
North Carolina has the 17th cheapest residential electricity of the 51 US states and territories we track, at 15.09¢ per kWh against a national average of 18.44¢. That is -18.2% compared with the national figure. North Carolina runs a nuclear and natural gas mix alongside one of the largest solar buildouts in the Southeast, keeping rates below average. Retail service is regulated. Summer cooling drives the annual peak, and because electric heating is widespread, the winter shoulder carries more load than in neighbouring states with more gas heating.
For this appliance specifically, the difference works out to a saving of $0.22 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.
North Carolina sits below the national average, so this phone charger costs slightly less to run here than it would for a typical US household. How you use it will move the number far more than where you live.
Retail service in North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina this page | 15.09¢ | $0.08 | $0.99 |
| 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 |
North Carolina electricity rate trend
Rates in North Carolina have moved from 13.38¢ to 15.09¢ 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 × 15.09¢ = $0.003 per day
One honest caveat: North Carolina’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.