Is electricity expensive in Colorado?

Colorado's residential average of 16.5¢/kWh is 12% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 26 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).

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

Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $45 a year at Colorado rates (274 kWh/yr).

How does Colorado 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). Colorado sits at $88.

Data through April 2026

Cost to run · Colorado · 16.5¢/kWh residential average

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

$88/yr · median certified model

Residential electricity in Colorado runs 16.5¢/kWh — 12% under the U.S. average — putting the median certified room air conditioner at about $88 a year, versus $100 nationally.

In the national ranking, Colorado lands at 26 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. Model choice matters as much as geography: at Colorado rates the most efficient certified model (TCL T05WV9M) costs $45 a year while the most power-hungry (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) costs $347 — a spread of $301 every year. 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.

Colorado

$88

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 Colorado rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 16.5¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in CO
1	TCL T05WV9M	274	$45
2	TCL T05WV9MB	274	$45
3	TCL T05WV9R	274	$45
4	TCL T05WV9RB	274	$45
5	TCL W5WC72	274	$45
6	TCL W5WC72-B	274	$45
7	TCL W5WC72M	274	$45
8	TCL W5WC72M-B	274	$45
9	LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient	290	$48
10	Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient	298	$49

Price any model at Colorado rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 24¢
Per month: $7.33
Per year: $88

532 kWh/yr × 16.5¢/kWh = $88/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 Colorado?: About $88 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Colorado's average residential rate of 16.5¢/kWh — that's $7.33 a month.
Is electricity expensive in Colorado?: Colorado's residential average of 16.5¢/kWh is 12% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 26 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Colorado?: Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $45 a year at Colorado rates (274 kWh/yr).
How does Colorado 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). Colorado sits at $88.

Keep digging

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