Is electricity expensive in Delaware?

Delaware's residential average of 18.8¢/kWh is 0% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 33 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).

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

Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $51 a year at Delaware rates (274 kWh/yr).

How does Delaware 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). Delaware sits at $100.

Data through April 2026

Cost to run · Delaware · 18.8¢/kWh residential average

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

$100/yr · median certified model

Electricity in Delaware is priced within a few percent of the U.S. average — 18.8¢/kWh — which puts the typical certified room air conditioner at about $100 annually, essentially the national number.

In the national ranking, Delaware lands at 33 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. Model choice matters as much as geography: at Delaware rates the most efficient certified model (TCL T05WV9M) costs $51 a year while the most power-hungry (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) costs $394 — a spread of $342 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.

Delaware

$100

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 Delaware rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 18.8¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in DE
1	TCL T05WV9M	274	$51
2	TCL T05WV9MB	274	$51
3	TCL T05WV9R	274	$51
4	TCL T05WV9RB	274	$51
5	TCL W5WC72	274	$51
6	TCL W5WC72-B	274	$51
7	TCL W5WC72M	274	$51
8	TCL W5WC72M-B	274	$51
9	LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient	290	$55
10	Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient	298	$56

Price any model at Delaware rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 27¢
Per month: $8.33
Per year: $100

532 kWh/yr × 18.8¢/kWh = $100/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 Delaware?: About $100 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Delaware's average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh — that's $8.33 a month.
Is electricity expensive in Delaware?: Delaware's residential average of 18.8¢/kWh is 0% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 33 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Delaware?: Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $51 a year at Delaware rates (274 kWh/yr).
How does Delaware 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). Delaware sits at $100.

Keep digging

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