Washing machine: electricity cost calculator
Quick answer: a typical washing machine costs about $2/month while in use at the U.S. average electricity price (18.44¢/kWh) — about $25 per year. Your number depends on wattage, runtime and your state — calculate it below.
A modern washer's motor and pump draw 300–600 W; hot-water cycles on machines with internal heaters can spike to 1,200 W+. Washing cold, the machine itself costs only a few cents per load.
0.38 kWh/day used · 11 kWh/month in use · 137 kWh/year at 18.44¢ per kWh
Low, typical and heavy use
Monthly cost while in use, at the U.S. average price of 18.44¢/kWh.
| Scenario | Watts | Hours/day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light use | 300 W | 0.4 h | $0.76 |
| Typical | 500 W | 0.8 h | $2.10 |
| Heavy use | 1,200 W | 1.1 h | $7.58 |
Common questions
How much does switching to cold water save?
Up to 90% of a load's energy goes to heating water. Cold washing with modern detergent saves roughly $0.30–0.60 per load if you were washing hot from an electric water heater.
Cost in every state
Monthly cost of a typical washing machine (500 W, 0.75h/day) at each state's average residential price, May 2026.
| State | Avg price | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.77¢ | $1.91 |
| Alaska | 28.23¢ | $3.22 |
| Arizona | 15.23¢ | $1.74 |
| Arkansas | 14.36¢ | $1.64 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $3.80 |
| Colorado | 16.16¢ | $1.84 |
| Connecticut | 27.37¢ | $3.12 |
| Delaware | 19.38¢ | $2.21 |
| District of Columbia | 25.40¢ | $2.90 |
| Florida | 15.17¢ | $1.73 |
| Georgia | 15.84¢ | $1.81 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $5.94 |
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $1.41 |
| Illinois | 23.85¢ | $2.72 |
| Indiana | 18.15¢ | $2.07 |
| Iowa | 14.14¢ | $1.61 |
| Kansas | 15.13¢ | $1.73 |
| Kentucky | 14.98¢ | $1.71 |
| Louisiana | 14.15¢ | $1.62 |
| Maine | 28.63¢ | $3.27 |
| Maryland | 21.77¢ | $2.48 |
| Massachusetts | 28.82¢ | $3.29 |
| Michigan | 22.01¢ | $2.51 |
| Minnesota | 16.95¢ | $1.93 |
| Mississippi | 16.16¢ | $1.84 |
| Missouri | 13.68¢ | $1.56 |
| Montana | 14.67¢ | $1.67 |
| Nebraska | 13.59¢ | $1.55 |
| Nevada | 13.60¢ | $1.55 |
| New Hampshire | 27.33¢ | $3.12 |
| New Jersey | 23.27¢ | $2.66 |
| New Mexico | 14.12¢ | $1.61 |
| New York | 29.93¢ | $3.42 |
| North Carolina | 15.09¢ | $1.72 |
| North Dakota | 13.61¢ | $1.55 |
| Ohio | 19.52¢ | $2.23 |
| Oklahoma | 13.38¢ | $1.53 |
| Oregon | 16.27¢ | $1.86 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.55¢ | $2.46 |
| Rhode Island | 29.46¢ | $3.36 |
| South Carolina | 16.18¢ | $1.85 |
| South Dakota | 15.73¢ | $1.80 |
| Tennessee | 14.47¢ | $1.65 |
| Texas | 16.44¢ | $1.88 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $1.48 |
| Vermont | 24.89¢ | $2.84 |
| Virginia | 17.61¢ | $2.01 |
| Washington | 14.95¢ | $1.71 |
| West Virginia | 16.80¢ | $1.92 |
| Wisconsin | 19.74¢ | $2.25 |
| Wyoming | 14.80¢ | $1.69 |
Related calculators
Electric water heater Second-largest electricity user in most all-electric homes.
~4,500 W · 3h/day →
Heat pump water heater Same hot water for about a third of the electricity.
~550 W · 4h/day →
Electric tankless water heater Enormous draw, but only while hot water is flowing.
~18,000 W · 1h/day →
Electric clothes dryer Around 3 kWh per load for a standard electric dryer.
~3,000 W · 1h/day →
Heat pump dryer Slower cycles, less than half the energy per load.
~900 W · 1.5h/day →
Well pump A ½–2 HP motor that runs whenever water flows.
~1,000 W · 2h/day →
Methodology & sources
Cost = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × price per kWh. Electricity prices are average residential prices by state from the EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (May 2026). EIA averages include delivery charges and taxes but are not any specific utility tariff — for an exact figure, use the rate from your own bill. Wattage presets reflect common product ranges; check your appliance's nameplate or a plug-in power meter for its true draw.
Last verified: July 30, 2026. Prices refresh automatically each month when EIA publishes new data.