Data through June 2026
Cost to run · Illinois · 19.9¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in Illinois?
$106/yr · median certified model
Illinois's residential rate of 19.9¢/kWh tracks the national average (18.3¢) closely, so national cost figures translate almost directly: a median certified room air conditioner runs about $106 a year here.
In the national ranking, Illinois lands at 36 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. Model choice matters as much as geography: at Illinois rates the most efficient certified model (Brothers 102372) costs $52 a year while the most power-hungry (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) costs $417 — a spread of $365 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.
The cheapest room air conditioners to run at Illinois rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in IL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brothers 102372 | 260 | $52 |
| 2 | Midea MWEUWA-05CRFN8-BCN4 | 260 | $52 |
| 3 | Vissani VAW05V1KWT | 260 | $52 |
| 4 | TCL T05WV9M | 274 | $54 |
| 5 | TCL T05WV9MB | 274 | $54 |
| 6 | TCL T05WV9R | 274 | $54 |
| 7 | TCL T05WV9RB | 274 | $54 |
| 8 | TCL W5WC72 | 274 | $54 |
| 9 | TCL W5WC72-B | 274 | $54 |
| 10 | TCL W5WC72M | 274 | $54 |
Price any model at Illinois rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 29¢
- Per month
- $8.82
- Per year
- $106
532 kWh/yr × 19.9¢/kWh = $106/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 Illinois?
- About $106 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Illinois's average residential rate of 19.9¢/kWh — that's $8.82 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in Illinois?
- Illinois's residential average of 19.9¢/kWh is 8% above the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 36 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Illinois?
- Among currently certified models, the Brothers 102372 costs the least at about $52 a year at Illinois rates (260 kWh/yr).
- How does Illinois 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). Illinois sits at $106.
Keep digging
- All certified room air conditioners compared
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Delaware (rank 34 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Wisconsin (rank 35 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Pennsylvania (rank 37 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Maryland (rank 38 of 51)
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- Running a computer monitor in Illinois
Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.