Data through April 2026
Cost to run · Tennessee · 14.9¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in Tennessee?
$79/yr · median certified model
Tennessee's 14.9¢/kWh rate undercuts the national average by 21%, so the typical certified room air conditioner costs roughly $79 a year here instead of $100.
In the national ranking, Tennessee lands at 15 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. At local rates, certified models span $41 (TCL T05WV9M) to $313 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $272 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 Tennessee rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in TN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCL T05WV9M | 274 | $41 |
| 2 | TCL T05WV9MB | 274 | $41 |
| 3 | TCL T05WV9R | 274 | $41 |
| 4 | TCL T05WV9RB | 274 | $41 |
| 5 | TCL W5WC72 | 274 | $41 |
| 6 | TCL W5WC72-B | 274 | $41 |
| 7 | TCL W5WC72M | 274 | $41 |
| 8 | TCL W5WC72M-B | 274 | $41 |
| 9 | LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient | 290 | $43 |
| 10 | Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient | 298 | $45 |
Price any model at Tennessee rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 22¢
- Per month
- $6.62
- Per year
- $79
532 kWh/yr × 14.9¢/kWh = $79/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 Tennessee?
- About $79 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Tennessee's average residential rate of 14.9¢/kWh — that's $6.62 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in Tennessee?
- Tennessee's residential average of 14.9¢/kWh is 21% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 15 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Tennessee?
- Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $41 a year at Tennessee rates (274 kWh/yr).
- How does Tennessee 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). Tennessee sits at $79.
Keep digging
- All certified room air conditioners compared
- Room Air Conditioners costs in South Dakota (rank 13 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Wyoming (rank 14 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Kentucky (rank 16 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in New Mexico (rank 17 of 51)
- Running an air purifier in Tennessee
- Running a clothes dryer in Tennessee
- Running a clothes washer in Tennessee
- Running a computer monitor in Tennessee
Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.