How much does it cost to run a humidifier?
EIA data · June 2026About $5.58 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.
30.4 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 30–450 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
50% duty cycle applied — it draws power for part of that time.
A humidifier sits mid-table at #31 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether heating & cooling or something else drives your bill.
Published figures for this appliance disagree by a wide margin. Why other sites price a humidifier so differently.
How many watts a humidifier uses
The range here is genuinely wide because two different technologies share the name. Evaporative and ultrasonic humidifiers use only a fan or a transducer and draw 30–50 W. Warm-mist models boil water and draw 200–450 W.
- Low
- 30 W
- Typical
- 200 W
- High
- 450 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 200 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $192 |
| California | 34.74 | $127 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $108 |
| New York | 29.49 | $108 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $70.04 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $58.18 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $55.11 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $48.80 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $48.36 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $47.85 |
Worth knowing
- Choosing evaporative over warm-mist cuts the running cost by roughly ten times for the same output. No other decision on this page has that leverage.
- Humid air feels warmer at the same temperature, so a humidifier can let you lower the thermostat a degree, which usually saves more than the humidifier costs.
- Most units cycle on a humidistat once the target is reached, so actual draw is well below the hours it is switched on.
Other appliances
- Space heater
- Central air conditioner
- Window air conditioner
- Dehumidifier
- Ceiling fan
- Electric blanket
- Heat pump
- Electric baseboard 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.