How much does it cost to run a security camera?
EIA data · June 2026About 80.3¢ 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.
4.4 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 3–15 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
A security camera sits mid-table at #71 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether electronics or something else drives your bill.
This figure covers the hours it is switched on. What it costs while you are not using it.
How many watts a security camera uses
A fixed IP or WiFi camera draws roughly 4–8 W. Cameras with motorised pan-tilt-zoom, heaters for cold weather, or infrared illuminators reach about 15 W when those features engage.
- Low
- 3 W
- Typical
- 6 W
- High
- 15 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 6 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $27.71 |
| California | 34.74 | $18.26 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $15.56 |
| New York | 29.49 | $15.50 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $10.09 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $8.38 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $7.94 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $7.03 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $6.96 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $6.89 |
Worth knowing
- Individually negligible, collectively not. Eight cameras at 6 W each is a permanent 48 W load, comparable to leaving a ceiling fan running all year.
- Infrared night illumination raises draw noticeably after dark, so winter costs more than summer for the same installation.
- A network video recorder is usually the larger load in a camera system — often 30–60 W continuously, more than several cameras combined.
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.