Data through April 2026
Cost to run · Montana · 13.9¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in Montana?
$74/yr · median certified model
Residential electricity in Montana runs 13.9¢/kWh — 26% under the U.S. average — putting the median certified room air conditioner at about $74 a year, versus $100 nationally.
In the national ranking, Montana lands at 7 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. At local rates, certified models span $38 (TCL T05WV9M) to $291 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $253 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.
The cheapest room air conditioners to run at Montana rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in MT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCL T05WV9M | 274 | $38 |
| 2 | TCL T05WV9MB | 274 | $38 |
| 3 | TCL T05WV9R | 274 | $38 |
| 4 | TCL T05WV9RB | 274 | $38 |
| 5 | TCL W5WC72 | 274 | $38 |
| 6 | TCL W5WC72-B | 274 | $38 |
| 7 | TCL W5WC72M | 274 | $38 |
| 8 | TCL W5WC72M-B | 274 | $38 |
| 9 | LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient | 290 | $40 |
| 10 | Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient | 298 | $41 |
Price any model at Montana rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 20¢
- Per month
- $6.16
- Per year
- $74
532 kWh/yr × 13.9¢/kWh = $74/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 Montana?
- About $74 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Montana's average residential rate of 13.9¢/kWh — that's $6.16 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in Montana?
- Montana's residential average of 13.9¢/kWh is 26% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 7 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Montana?
- Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $38 a year at Montana rates (274 kWh/yr).
- How does Montana 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). Montana sits at $74.
Keep digging
- All certified room air conditioners compared
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Oklahoma (rank 5 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Iowa (rank 6 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Missouri (rank 8 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Arkansas (rank 9 of 51)
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Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.