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How much does it cost to run a garage refrigerator?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running a garage refrigerator costs about $165 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per day
- 45.2¢
- Per month
- $13.76
- Per year
- $165
Assumption: 900 kWh a year. An older second fridge in an unconditioned garage. Age and ambient heat both push this well above a modern kitchen unit.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢ | $9.83 | $118 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | $9.94 | $119 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | $10.03 | $120 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | $10.12 | $121 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | $10.55 | $127 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | $10.59 | $127 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | $10.59 | $127 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | $10.70 | $128 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | $10.75 | $129 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | $10.78 | $129 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | $11.05 | $133 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | $11.16 | $134 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | $11.18 | $134 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | $11.30 | $136 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | $11.33 | $136 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | $11.36 | $136 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | $11.38 | $137 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | $11.43 | $137 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | $11.52 | $138 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | $11.59 | $139 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | $11.66 | $140 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | $11.78 | $141 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | $11.95 | $143 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | $11.95 | $143 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | $12.16 | $146 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | $12.24 | $147 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | $12.27 | $147 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $12.30 | $148 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | $12.85 | $154 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | $12.91 | $155 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | $13.13 | $158 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | $13.14 | $158 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | $14.39 | $173 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | $14.47 | $174 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | $14.67 | $176 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | $14.92 | $179 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | $16.30 | $196 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | $16.38 | $197 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $17.24 | $207 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | $18.24 | $219 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | $18.29 | $220 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | $18.33 | $220 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | $18.71 | $225 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | $20.26 | $243 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | $21.16 | $254 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | $21.92 | $263 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | $22.12 | $265 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | $22.19 | $266 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | $22.21 | $266 |
| California | 34.74¢ | $26.06 | $313 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | $39.54 | $474 |
Cutting the number down
- This is the classic hidden line item: a 20-year-old beer fridge can cost more per year than every light in the house combined.
- Running it only in the months you actually need it, rather than year-round, cuts the cost proportionally.
Questions
- How many watts does a garage refrigerator use?
- Usage is better expressed as 900 kWh a year.
- How much does a garage refrigerator cost per month?
- About $13.76 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $165 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $118 a year, versus $474 in Hawaii — a spread of $356.