Data through June 2026
Cost to run · California · 34.7¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in California?
$185/yr · median certified model
At 34.7¢/kWh, California ranks among the priciest states for power. The typical certified room air conditioner runs about $185 annually here, which makes choosing an efficient model worth actual dollars, not rounding error.
Only 1 jurisdiction costs more: California ranks 50 of 51 for running a room air conditioner. At local rates, certified models span $90 (Brothers 102372) to $728 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $638 of annual headroom that depends entirely on which unit you buy. 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.
The cheapest room air conditioners to run at California rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brothers 102372 | 260 | $90 |
| 2 | Midea MWEUWA-05CRFN8-BCN4 | 260 | $90 |
| 3 | Vissani VAW05V1KWT | 260 | $90 |
| 4 | TCL T05WV9M | 274 | $95 |
| 5 | TCL T05WV9MB | 274 | $95 |
| 6 | TCL T05WV9R | 274 | $95 |
| 7 | TCL T05WV9RB | 274 | $95 |
| 8 | TCL W5WC72 | 274 | $95 |
| 9 | TCL W5WC72-B | 274 | $95 |
| 10 | TCL W5WC72M | 274 | $95 |
Price any model at California rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 51¢
- Per month
- $15.40
- Per year
- $185
532 kWh/yr × 34.7¢/kWh = $185/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 California?
- About $185 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at California's average residential rate of 34.7¢/kWh — that's $15.40 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in California?
- California's residential average of 34.7¢/kWh is 89% above the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 50 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in California?
- Among currently certified models, the Brothers 102372 costs the least at about $90 a year at California rates (260 kWh/yr).
- How does California 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). California sits at $185.
Keep digging
- All certified room air conditioners compared
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Maine (rank 48 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Massachusetts (rank 49 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners 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 computer monitor in California
Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.