WattCost

Data through April 2026

Cost to run · Maryland · 22.1¢/kWh residential average

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

$117/yr · median certified model

Maryland pays 22.1¢/kWh for residential power — 17% above the national average — lifting the median certified room air conditioner to about $117 a year, versus $100 nationally.

In the national ranking, Maryland lands at 39 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. At local rates, certified models span $60 (TCL T05WV9M) to $463 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $402 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.

Maryland
$117
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 Maryland rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 22.1¢/kWh
#ModelkWh/yr$/yr in MD
1TCL T05WV9M274$60
2TCL T05WV9MB274$60
3TCL T05WV9R274$60
4TCL T05WV9RB274$60
5TCL W5WC72274$60
6TCL W5WC72-B274$60
7TCL W5WC72M274$60
8TCL W5WC72M-B274$60
9LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient290$64
10Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient298$66

Price any model at Maryland rates

Your rate, your numbers

Per day
32¢
Per month
$9.78
Per year
$117

532 kWh/yr × 22.1¢/kWh = $117/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 Maryland?
About $117 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Maryland's average residential rate of 22.1¢/kWh — that's $9.78 a month.
Is electricity expensive in Maryland?
Maryland's residential average of 22.1¢/kWh is 17% above the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 39 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Maryland?
Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $60 a year at Maryland rates (274 kWh/yr).
How does Maryland 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). Maryland sits at $117.

Keep digging

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