How much does it cost to run central air conditioning?
EIA data · June 2026About $93.72 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.
511.0 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 1,500–6,000 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
60% duty cycle applied — it draws power for part of that time.
A central air conditioner is #4 of 88 on this site by annual cost, so it is probably not the only thing worth checking. See what a central air conditioner costs beside everything else you run.
Published figures for this appliance disagree by a wide margin. Why other sites price a central air conditioner so differently.
How many watts a central air conditioner uses
A 3-ton residential system — the common size for a 1,500–2,000 sq ft US home — draws roughly 3,000–3,800 W while the compressor runs. The range spans a small 1.5-ton unit to a 5-ton unit on an older, lower-SEER system.
- Low
- 1,500 W
- Typical
- 3,500 W
- High
- 6,000 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 3,500 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $3,233 |
| California | 34.74 | $2,130 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $1,816 |
| New York | 29.49 | $1,808 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $1,177 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $977 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $926 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $820 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $812 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $804 |
Worth knowing
- Central AC cycles. Even on a hot day the compressor typically runs 50–70% of the time, so the hours you set the thermostat are not the hours you pay for.
- Efficiency is rated in SEER2. Replacing a SEER 10 unit with a SEER 16 unit cuts the running cost for the same cooling by roughly a third.
- The air handler fan keeps drawing 300–700 W even when the compressor is off, if the fan is set to ON rather than AUTO.
Other appliances
- Space heater
- Window air conditioner
- Dehumidifier
- Ceiling fan
- Electric blanket
- Heat pump
- Electric baseboard heater
- Portable air conditioner
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.