How much does a room air conditioner cost to run per year?

The median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner costs about $98 a year at the U.S. average rate (18.3¢/kWh). Across all 439 certified models, costs range from $48 to $384.

Where is a room air conditioner cheapest and most expensive to run?

Nevada has the lowest residential rate (13.1¢/kWh), putting the median room air conditioner at $70 a year; Hawaii (52.7¢/kWh) is the most expensive at $280.

Data through June 2026

Category · 439 certified models

Room Air Conditioners: what they cost to run

Seasonal appliances concentrate their cost into a few months. On the DOE's standardized basis of 750 hours a year, the 439 certified room air conditioners here span $48–$384 annually (median $98).

Cooling capacity (BTU/hr) sets the baseline draw, so compare CEER within a size class; variable-speed compressors stretch efficiency further at partial load. Every figure on this page comes from ENERGY STAR's certified test data — the 260–2,096 kWh/yr range you see is measured, not estimated.

Median cost: $98/yr
Cheapest model: $48/yr
Priciest model: $384/yr

Distribution of certified annual kWh across 439 room air conditioners

The 20 most efficient to run

Lowest certified annual kWh among all room air conditioners
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr (US avg)
1	Brothers 102372	260	$48
2	Midea MWEUWA-05CRFN8-BCN4	260	$48
3	Vissani VAW05V1KWT	260	$48
4	TCL T05WV9M	274	$50
5	TCL T05WV9MB	274	$50
6	TCL T05WV9R	274	$50
7	TCL T05WV9RB	274	$50
8	TCL W5WC72	274	$50
9	TCL W5WC72-B	274	$50
10	TCL W5WC72M	274	$50
11	TCL W5WC72M-B	274	$50
12	Midea MAW06S1KWT-Amost efficient	281	$52
13	Midea MAW06V1KYWT-Smost efficient	281	$52
14	LG LW6023IVSMmost efficient	290	$53
15	Midea MAW06U1QWTmost efficient	298	$55
16	Midea MAW06V1QWBL-Tmost efficient	298	$55
17	Midea MAW06V1QWTmost efficient	298	$55
18	Midea MAW06V1UBLmost efficient	298	$55
19	Midea MAW06V1UWTmost efficient	298	$55
20	Midea MWAUQB-06CRFN8-BCN11most efficient	298	$55

See the full ranking →

Typical cost by state

Median certified room air conditioner (532 kWh/yr) at each state's average residential rate
State	Rate ¢/kWh	Median $/yr
Alabama	16.4¢	$87
Alaska	28.2¢	$150
Arizona	15.2¢	$81
Arkansas	14.1¢	$75
California	34.7¢	$185
Colorado	17.1¢	$91
Connecticut	24.3¢	$129
Delaware	19.3¢	$103
District of Columbia	24.4¢	$130
Florida	15.1¢	$80
Georgia	16.4¢	$87
Hawaiipriciest	52.7¢	$280
Idaho	14.4¢	$76
Illinois	19.9¢	$106
Indiana	17.5¢	$93
Iowa	15.9¢	$85
Kansas	15.7¢	$84
Kentucky	14.3¢	$76
Louisiana	13.5¢	$72
Maine	29.6¢	$157
Maryland	21.8¢	$116
Massachusetts	29.6¢	$157
Michigan	23.0¢	$122
Minnesota	17.5¢	$93
Mississippi	14.9¢	$79
Missouri	16.2¢	$86
Montana	15.1¢	$81
Nebraska	13.3¢	$70
Nevadacheapest	13.1¢	$70
New Hampshire	27.0¢	$144
New Jersey	24.9¢	$133
New Mexico	15.1¢	$80
New York	29.5¢	$157
North Carolina	14.7¢	$78
North Dakota	14.1¢	$75
Ohio	19.2¢	$102
Oklahoma	14.3¢	$76
Oregon	16.3¢	$87
Pennsylvania	21.7¢	$116
Rhode Island	29.2¢	$155
South Carolina	15.6¢	$83
South Dakota	15.4¢	$82
Tennessee	14.1¢	$75
Texas	15.9¢	$85
Utah	13.4¢	$71
Vermont	24.4¢	$130
Virginia	17.2¢	$92
Washington	14.9¢	$79
West Virginia	15.4¢	$82
Wisconsin	19.6¢	$104
Wyoming	15.2¢	$81

How to read these numbers

The certified annual kWh assumes 750 cooling hours per year (the DOE standard). In hot climates real usage can run well above that; in mild ones, below. Full methodology and limitations →

Browse Room Air Conditioners by Brand

Browse Room Air Conditioners by Size

Browse Room Air Conditioners by Capacity

Browse Room Air Conditioners by Efficiency

Questions, answered with the data

How much does a room air conditioner cost to run per year?: The median ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner costs about $98 a year at the U.S. average rate (18.3¢/kWh). Across all 439 certified models, costs range from $48 to $384.
How much electricity does a room air conditioner use?: Certified models use between 260 and 2,096 kWh per year (median 532). The certified annual kWh assumes 750 cooling hours per year (the DOE standard). In hot climates real usage can run well above that; in mild ones, below.
Where is a room air conditioner cheapest and most expensive to run?: Nevada has the lowest residential rate (13.1¢/kWh), putting the median room air conditioner at $70 a year; Hawaii (52.7¢/kWh) is the most expensive at $280.
What makes one room air conditioner cheaper to run than another?: Cooling capacity (BTU/hr) sets the baseline draw, so compare CEER within a size class; variable-speed compressors stretch efficiency further at partial load.