Data through April 2026
Cost to run · California · 35.3¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run a computer monitor in California?
$16/yr · median certified model
At 35.3¢/kWh, California ranks among the priciest states for power. The typical certified computer monitor runs about $16 annually here, which makes choosing an efficient model worth actual dollars, not rounding error.
California sits at rank 50 of 51 — near the very top of the cost table for a computer monitor. Model choice matters as much as geography: at California rates the most efficient certified model (Acer PE140WU_z) costs $3.92 a year while the most power-hungry (PLANAR 2E0I1) costs $142 — a spread of $138 every year. For reference, the national extremes are North Dakota (12.3¢/kWh) and Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh); the same median computer monitor would cost $5.57 and $21 a year there.
The cheapest computer monitors to run at California rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acer PE140WU_zmost efficient | 11 | $3.92 |
| 2 | HP HP E14 G4most efficient | 13 | $4.51 |
| 3 | DELL P1424Hf | 13 | $4.74 |
| 4 | VAIO VJ5VP141XXXXmost efficient | 14 | $5.03 |
| 5 | Wacom One DTC141 | 14 | $5.10 |
| 6 | PLANAR PM16-S | 14 | $5.11 |
| 7 | EIZO FlexScan FLTmost efficient | 15 | $5.15 |
| 8 | MSI PRO MP161 E2most efficient | 15 | $5.30 |
| 9 | ASUS MQ16FCmost efficient | 15 | $5.38 |
| 10 | ASUS MB14AC | 15 | $5.44 |
Price any model at California rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 4¢
- Per month
- $1.32
- Per year
- $16
45 kWh/yr × 35.3¢/kWh = $16/yr
Prefilled with the median certified computer monitor (45 kWh/yr). Every model page on this site carries its exact certified figure.
Questions, answered with the data
- How much does it cost to run a computer monitor in California?
- About $16 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified computer monitor, at California's average residential rate of 35.3¢/kWh — that's $1.32 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in California?
- California's residential average of 35.3¢/kWh is 87% above the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 50 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest computer monitor to run in California?
- Among currently certified models, the Acer PE140WU_z costs the least at about $3.92 a year at California rates (11 kWh/yr).
- How does California compare with other states?
- The same median computer monitor costs $5.57 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $21 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $16.
Keep digging
- All certified computer monitors compared
- Computer Monitors costs in New York (rank 48 of 51)
- Computer Monitors costs in Connecticut (rank 49 of 51)
- Computer Monitors costs in Hawaii (rank 51 of 51)
- Running an air purifier in California
- Running a clothes dryer in California
- Running a clothes washer in California
- Running a dehumidifier in California
Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.