Cost to run a window air conditioner in Texas

Why the cost differs in Texas

Texas has the 22nd cheapest residential electricity of the 50 US states and Washington, DC we track, at 15.91¢ per kWh against a national average of 18.16¢. That is -12.4% compared with the national figure. Texas runs its own grid, ERCOT, largely isolated from the national interconnections, and most households buy from competing retail providers. That matters more here than anywhere: plans vary enormously in structure, including fixed, variable, free-nights and tiered pricing, so your contracted rate may differ sharply from the state average. Summer cooling dominates, and extreme heat events drive both demand and wholesale prices.

For this appliance specifically, the difference works out to a saving of $41.39 a year against what the same window air conditioner would cost at the national average rate. Run the identical appliance in Hawaii and it would cost $868 a year; in Nevada it would cost $234. That spread of $634 is entirely down to location.

Reducing use by 100 kWh would save $15.91 in energy charges at Texas's average rate, compared with $18.16 at the US average. Whether a replacement appliance pays for itself also depends on its purchase price and the energy it actually saves.

Use the energy and delivery price that applies to your own utility plan in Texas. If your plan has time-of-use prices, calculate each period separately or use a rate weighted by the electricity used in each period. Fixed monthly fees are outside this appliance energy-cost estimate.

Texas electricity rate trend

Rates in Texas have moved from 15.77¢ to 15.91¢ per kWh between September 2025 and August 2026. The national residential average changed +3.4% from the same month a year earlier.

About running a window air conditioner

Window air-conditioner cost depends on electrical energy, settings, room conditions and runtime. A BTU/h rating describes cooling capacity, not input watts. Compare the energy for the rooms and hours you need cooled; there is no fixed number of window units that is always cheaper than central cooling.

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:

900W ÷ 1000 × 8h × 70% = 5.040 kWh/day × 15.91¢ = $0.802 per day

One honest caveat: Texas’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.

How to estimate your window air conditioner electricity use

For a window unit, electricity cost is recorded kWh multiplied by your price per kWh. Cooling capacity in BTU/h, electrical input in watts and energy in kWh are different quantities. Use model-specific input information or a representative reading for the operating conditions you want to estimate.

Measure a window unit over a useful period

1. Use a whole-unit kWh reading that covers the compressor, fan and other powered modes during the measurement. For a cumulative meter, subtract its starting reading from its ending reading. In Metered energy (kWh), enter that difference and all elapsed days.
2. Keep the room, settings, weather and schedule with your reading. A hot afternoon or a week of mild weather need not represent the whole season. Metered energy mode shows a 365-day projection of that daily average; use actual seasonal periods when preparing a cooling budget.
3. If using Watts and hours, enter whole-period average watts and 100% duty, or a clearly defined operating-power and runtime estimate. Include fan-only or other powered intervals separately when the active-compressor estimate excludes them.

Enter your readings in the calculator →

This is a hypothetical reading, not typical consumption for a BTU size. Enter 14 kWh, 7 elapsed days and a rate of 20 in Metered energy mode. Its annual projection assumes the same daily average all year; it does not establish the cost of a shorter cooling season.

BTU ratings, compressor settings and comparisons

Add separate units or operating periods in the electricity planner. Each row uses average input for its stated hours; the planner repeats that schedule for the number of days you enter.

Related guide: Central AC energy and running cost.

The editable preset, the meter example and the central-AC example are separate illustrations. They are not matched equipment tests or an equal-comfort comparison. Fixed utility charges and buying, installing or maintaining the equipment are outside this electricity estimate.

• Conventional and variable-speed compressors behave differently. A conventional compressor can switch on and off; a variable-speed model can vary its draw while running. Neither time plugged in nor maximum rated watts establishes the energy for a day.
• The fan can operate when the compressor is off. ENERGY STAR describes Energy Saver Mode as limiting fan operation during compressor-off periods, with an override available. Use the settings and behaviour of your model in the estimate.
• CEER is a standardized combined efficiency rating, including specified operating and inactive/off conditions. BTU/h divided by CEER is not a measurement of your unit's actual compressor-on watts. Reprice a documented annual kWh figure only with its original test assumptions.
• Choose cooling capacity for the room and conditions, following the model guidance. An oversized unit can cool the room before removing enough humidity. A larger BTU/h number alone does not establish better comfort or a lower electricity bill.
• To estimate several units, use a separate planner row for each unit's quantity, average input and hours. Compare that room-by-room plan with central cooling for a clearly stated service and schedule; no fixed unit count determines the cheaper option.

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.

• EIA: US average electricity prices by sector
• EIA: residential electricity prices by state
• ENERGY STAR: room AC capacity, sizing and variable-speed compressors
• ENERGY STAR: room AC efficiency criteria and Energy Saver Mode
• DOE room AC test method: electrical input, annual energy and CEER
• Our assumptions and calculation method