Night light vs. salt lamp: running cost
A night light is cheaper to run: about $0 a year versus $12 for a salt lamp at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $11 difference.
| Night light | Salt lamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 1 W | 15 W |
| Watt range | 0–7 W | 3–25 W |
| Typical use | 12 hours a day | 12 hours a day |
| Energy per year | 2 kWh | 66 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 0.01¢ | 0.3¢ |
| Cost per day | 0.1¢ | 3.2¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.03 | $0.99 |
| Cost per year | $0 | $12 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $1 | $29 |
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What drives the difference
- Night light: LED night lights use about 0.3-0.5 W; older incandescent C7 night lights use 4-7 W, roughly 10x more over 12 hours a night.
- Salt lamp: Most salt lamps ship with a 15 W incandescent bulb and are often left on many hours a day; 24/7 use adds up to about 130 kWh a year.
Ways to cut either cost
LED dusk-to-dawn night light
Uses under 0.5 W and turns off automatically in daylight.
See options on Amazon Plug-in timer
Limits run time to the hours you're in the room.
See options on AmazonWe may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. It never changes the numbers we show. Disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a night light or a salt lamp?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a salt lamp costs about $12 a year versus $0 for a night light. That's $11 more, or 30.0× as much.
How many watts do night light and salt lamp use?
A night light typically draws 1 W (range 0–7 W). A salt lamp draws 15 W (range 3–25 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.