How much does it cost to run an air purifier?
EIA data · June 2026About $3.35 a month at the U.S. average price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour — but that figure moves a long way depending on where you live. Set your state below.
18.3 kWh a month at the U.S. average, 18.34¢/kWh for June 2026. Excludes fixed charges, taxes and time-of-use rates, which vary by utility and are on your bill.
Typical 15–120 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
An air purifier sits mid-table at #41 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether home & cleaning or something else drives your bill.
Every figure here is priced per kilowatt-hour. What a kilowatt-hour actually is.
How many watts an air purifier uses
HEPA air purifiers draw 15–60 W on low and 50–120 W on high, depending on room size. The fan is the entire load; the filter is passive.
- Low
- 15 W
- Typical
- 50 W
- High
- 120 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 50 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $115 |
| California | 34.74 | $76.08 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $64.85 |
| New York | 29.49 | $64.58 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $42.03 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $34.91 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $33.07 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $29.28 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $29.02 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $28.71 |
Worth knowing
- Purifiers are usually run continuously, which makes hours matter far more than wattage — a 50 W unit left on all year uses about as much electricity as an oven run an hour a day over the same year, despite drawing a sixtieth of the power.
- Auto modes drop to a low fan speed when the air is clean and cut running costs substantially over a fixed high setting.
- A clogged filter forces the fan to work harder for less airflow, raising both draw and noise.
Other appliances
- Vacuum cleaner
- Robot vacuum
- Hair dryer
- Steam mop
- Space heater
- Central air conditioner
- Window air conditioner
- Electric water heater
Prices are statewide residential averages for June 2026 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. They exclude fixed monthly charges, taxes and time-of-use rates. See how these figures are calculated.