How much does it cost to run a projector?

EIA data · June 2026

vs median appliance

1.1× less

median $35.65/yr

Rank

#47

of 88

Typical draw

250W

continuous

About $2.79 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.

Your state

Per day

9.2¢

Per month

$2.79

Per year

$33.47

15.2 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.

Power draw

watts

Typical 50–450 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.

Hours used per day

hours

A projector sits mid-table at #47 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether electronics or something else drives your bill.

Every figure here is priced per kilowatt-hour. What a kilowatt-hour actually is.

How many watts a projector uses

Lamp-based home projectors draw roughly 200–350 W, with bright models reaching 450 W. LED and laser projectors draw far less, from about 50 W for a portable unit.

Low: 50 W
Typical: 250 W
High: 450 W

What it costs across the country

Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 250 W and the default usage above.

Annual cost to run a projector by state
State	¢/kWh	Per year
Hawaii	52.72	$96.21
California	34.74	$63.40
Massachusetts	29.61	$54.04
New York	29.49	$53.82
Ohio	19.19	$35.02
Texas	15.94	$29.09
Florida	15.10	$27.56
Utah	13.37	$24.40
Nebraska	13.25	$24.18
Nevada	13.11	$23.93

Worth knowing

A lamp projector draws two to three times what a large television does for the same viewing, which reverses the usual assumption that a bigger picture is not a bigger bill.
Eco or lamp-saver mode typically cuts draw by 20–30% and extends lamp life, which is the larger saving of the two.
Laser and LED models have no lamp to replace and draw considerably less, so the running-cost gap against a TV largely disappears.

Other appliances

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.