Is electricity expensive in Texas?

Texas's residential average of 15.9¢/kWh is 13% below the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 24 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).

What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Texas?

Among currently certified models, the Brothers 102372 costs the least at about $42 a year at Texas rates (260 kWh/yr).

How does Texas 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). Texas sits at $85.

Data through June 2026

Cost to run · Texas · 15.9¢/kWh residential average

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

$85/yr · median certified model

Texas's 15.9¢/kWh rate undercuts the national average by 13%, so the typical certified room air conditioner costs roughly $85 a year here instead of $98.

In the national ranking, Texas lands at 24 of 51 for what a room air conditioner costs to run. At local rates, certified models span $42 (Brothers 102372) to $334 (Friedrich KCVL36B30A) per year — $293 of annual headroom that depends entirely on which unit you buy. 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.

Texas

$85

US average

$98

Nevada

$70

Hawaii

$280

Median certified room air conditioner (532 kWh/yr) per year, at each rate

The cheapest room air conditioners to run at Texas rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 15.9¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in TX
1	Brothers 102372	260	$42
2	Midea MWEUWA-05CRFN8-BCN4	260	$42
3	Vissani VAW05V1KWT	260	$42
4	TCL T05WV9M	274	$44
5	TCL T05WV9MB	274	$44
6	TCL T05WV9R	274	$44
7	TCL T05WV9RB	274	$44
8	TCL W5WC72	274	$44
9	TCL W5WC72-B	274	$44
10	TCL W5WC72M	274	$44

Price any model at Texas rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 23¢
Per month: $7.07
Per year: $85

532 kWh/yr × 15.9¢/kWh = $85/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 $85 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner, at Texas's average residential rate of 15.9¢/kWh — that's $7.07 a month.
Is electricity expensive in Texas?: Texas's residential average of 15.9¢/kWh is 13% below the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 24 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest room air conditioner to run in Texas?: Among currently certified models, the Brothers 102372 costs the least at about $42 a year at Texas rates (260 kWh/yr).
How does Texas 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). Texas sits at $85.

Keep digging

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