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 room air conditioner to run in California?

Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $96 a year at California rates (274 kWh/yr).

How does California compare with other states?

The same median room air conditioner costs $66 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $248 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $187.

Data through April 2026

Cost to run · California · 35.3¢/kWh residential average

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

$187/yr · median certified model

At 35.3¢/kWh, California ranks among the priciest states for power. The typical certified room air conditioner runs about $187 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 $96 (TCL T05WV9M) to $739 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $642 of annual headroom that depends entirely on which unit you buy. For reference, the national extremes are North Dakota (12.3¢/kWh) and Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh); the same median room air conditioner would cost $66 and $248 a year there.

California

$187

US average

$100

North Dakota

$66

Hawaii

$248

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

The cheapest room air conditioners to run at California rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 35.3¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in CA
1	TCL T05WV9M	274	$96
2	TCL T05WV9MB	274	$96
3	TCL T05WV9R	274	$96
4	TCL T05WV9RB	274	$96
5	TCL W5WC72	274	$96
6	TCL W5WC72-B	274	$96
7	TCL W5WC72M	274	$96
8	TCL W5WC72M-B	274	$96
9	LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient	290	$102
10	Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient	298	$105

Price any model at California rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 51¢
Per month: $15.63
Per year: $188

532 kWh/yr × 35.3¢/kWh = $188/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 $187 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at California's average residential rate of 35.3¢/kWh — that's $15.62 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 room air conditioner to run in California?: Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $96 a year at California rates (274 kWh/yr).
How does California compare with other states?: The same median room air conditioner costs $66 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $248 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $187.

Keep digging

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