Data through April 2026
Cost to run · Texas · 17.0¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in Texas?
$90/yr · median certified model
Electricity in Texas is priced within a few percent of the U.S. average — 17.0¢/kWh — which puts the typical certified room air conditioner at about $90 annually, essentially the national number.
In the national ranking, Texas lands at 28 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. At local rates, certified models span $47 (TCL T05WV9M) to $356 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $310 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 Texas rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in TX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCL T05WV9M | 274 | $47 |
| 2 | TCL T05WV9MB | 274 | $47 |
| 3 | TCL T05WV9R | 274 | $47 |
| 4 | TCL T05WV9RB | 274 | $47 |
| 5 | TCL W5WC72 | 274 | $47 |
| 6 | TCL W5WC72-B | 274 | $47 |
| 7 | TCL W5WC72M | 274 | $47 |
| 8 | TCL W5WC72M-B | 274 | $47 |
| 9 | LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient | 290 | $49 |
| 10 | Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient | 298 | $51 |
Price any model at Texas rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 25¢
- Per month
- $7.53
- Per year
- $90
532 kWh/yr × 17.0¢/kWh = $90/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 Texas?
- About $90 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Texas's average residential rate of 17.0¢/kWh — that's $7.53 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in Texas?
- Texas's residential average of 17.0¢/kWh is 10% below the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 28 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Texas?
- Among currently certified models, the TCL T05WV9M costs the least at about $47 a year at Texas rates (274 kWh/yr).
- How does Texas 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). Texas sits at $90.
Keep digging
- All certified room air conditioners compared
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Colorado (rank 26 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Mississippi (rank 27 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in South Carolina (rank 29 of 51)
- Room Air Conditioners costs in Virginia (rank 30 of 51)
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Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.