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How much does it cost to run a refrigerator?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running a refrigerator costs about $73.36 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per day
- 20.1¢
- Per month
- $6.11
- Per year
- $73.36
Assumption: 400 kWh a year. A current ENERGY STAR top-freezer lands near 400 kWh a year. A 2000s-era side-by-side can be double, and a garage fridge in a hot climate higher still.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢ | $4.37 | $52.44 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | $4.42 | $53.00 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | $4.46 | $53.48 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | $4.50 | $53.96 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | $4.69 | $56.28 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | $4.71 | $56.48 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | $4.71 | $56.48 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | $4.75 | $57.04 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | $4.78 | $57.32 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | $4.79 | $57.48 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | $4.91 | $58.96 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | $4.96 | $59.52 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | $4.97 | $59.64 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | $5.02 | $60.24 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | $5.03 | $60.40 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | $5.05 | $60.56 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | $5.06 | $60.72 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | $5.08 | $60.96 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | $5.12 | $61.44 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | $5.15 | $61.80 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | $5.18 | $62.20 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | $5.24 | $62.84 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | $5.31 | $63.72 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | $5.31 | $63.76 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | $5.41 | $64.88 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | $5.44 | $65.28 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | $5.45 | $65.44 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $5.47 | $65.60 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | $5.71 | $68.52 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | $5.74 | $68.88 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | $5.84 | $70.04 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | $5.84 | $70.08 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | $6.40 | $76.76 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | $6.43 | $77.16 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | $6.52 | $78.24 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | $6.63 | $79.56 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | $7.24 | $86.92 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | $7.28 | $87.36 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $7.66 | $91.96 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | $8.11 | $97.28 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | $8.13 | $97.56 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | $8.15 | $97.76 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | $8.32 | $99.80 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | $9.00 | $108 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | $9.40 | $113 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | $9.74 | $117 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | $9.83 | $118 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | $9.86 | $118 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | $9.87 | $118 |
| California | 34.74¢ | $11.58 | $139 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | $17.57 | $211 |
Cutting the number down
- The second fridge in the garage is often the most expensive appliance in a house, because it is usually the oldest one and it works against garage heat.
- Coils packed with dust make the compressor run longer for the same cooling. Vacuuming them takes minutes.
- A door gasket that no longer grips a dollar bill is leaking cold around the clock.
Questions
- How many watts does a refrigerator use?
- Usage is better expressed as 400 kWh a year.
- How much does a refrigerator cost per month?
- About $6.11 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $73.36 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $52.44 a year, versus $211 in Hawaii — a spread of $158.