Is electricity expensive in Alaska?

Alaska's residential average of 28.2¢/kWh is 54% above the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 45 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).

What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Alaska?

Among currently certified models, the Brothers 102372 costs the least at about $73 a year at Alaska rates (260 kWh/yr).

How does Alaska compare with other states?

The same median room air conditioner costs $70 a year in Nevada (the cheapest state) and $280 in Hawaii (the priciest). Alaska sits at $150.

Data through June 2026

Cost to run · Alaska · 28.2¢/kWh residential average

How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in Alaska?

$150/yr · median certified model

Electricity in Alaska is genuinely expensive — 28.2¢/kWh, 54% above the national average — so the median certified room air conditioner costs about $150 a year, and efficiency differences between models turn into real money.

Alaska ranks 45 of 51 jurisdictions for room air conditioner running costs — solidly mid-table. Model choice matters as much as geography: at Alaska rates the most efficient certified model (Brothers 102372) costs $73 a year while the most power-hungry (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) costs $591 — a spread of $518 every year. For reference, the national extremes are Nevada (13.1¢/kWh) and Hawaii (52.7¢/kWh); the same median room air conditioner would cost $70 and $280 a year there.

Alaska

$150

US average

$98

Nevada

$70

Hawaii

$280

Median certified room air conditioner (532 kWh/yr) per year, at each rate

The cheapest room air conditioners to run at Alaska rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 28.2¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in AK
1	Brothers 102372	260	$73
2	Midea MWEUWA-05CRFN8-BCN4	260	$73
3	Vissani VAW05V1KWT	260	$73
4	TCL T05WV9M	274	$77
5	TCL T05WV9MB	274	$77
6	TCL T05WV9R	274	$77
7	TCL T05WV9RB	274	$77
8	TCL W5WC72	274	$77
9	TCL W5WC72-B	274	$77
10	TCL W5WC72M	274	$77

Price any model at Alaska rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 41¢
Per month: $12.51
Per year: $150

532 kWh/yr × 28.2¢/kWh = $150/yr

Prefilled with the median certified room air conditioner (532 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 room air conditioner in Alaska?: About $150 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Alaska's average residential rate of 28.2¢/kWh — that's $12.50 a month.
Is electricity expensive in Alaska?: Alaska's residential average of 28.2¢/kWh is 54% above the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 45 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Alaska?: Among currently certified models, the Brothers 102372 costs the least at about $73 a year at Alaska rates (260 kWh/yr).
How does Alaska compare with other states?: The same median room air conditioner costs $70 a year in Nevada (the cheapest state) and $280 in Hawaii (the priciest). Alaska sits at $150.

Keep digging

Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.