Outdoor inflatable decoration vs. christmas light projector: running cost
A christmas light projector is cheaper to run: about $1 a year versus $15 for an outdoor inflatable decoration at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $14 difference.
| Outdoor inflatable decoration | Christmas light projector | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 150 W | 8 W |
| Watt range | 60–400 W | 3–30 W |
| Typical use | 6 hours a day for 3 months a year | 6 hours a day for 4 months a year |
| Energy per year | 82 kWh | 6 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 2.7¢ | 0.1¢ |
| Cost per day | 16¢ | 0.9¢ |
| Cost per month | $4.93 | $0.26 |
| Cost per year | $15 | $1 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $36 | $3 |
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What drives the difference
- Outdoor inflatable decoration: Inflatables run a constant blower fan of about 60-300 W plus LED lights; they must run continuously to stay up.
- Christmas light projector: Outdoor laser and LED holiday projectors draw about 3-15 W; video projector models used for window displays draw 30-200 W.
Ways to cut either cost
Covers a house front for under 10 W.
See options on AmazonCovers the house in moving lights for 5-10 W.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, an outdoor inflatable decoration or a christmas light projector?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), an outdoor inflatable decoration costs about $15 a year versus $1 for a christmas light projector. That's $14 more, or 14.1× as much.
How many watts do outdoor inflatable decoration and christmas light projector use?
An outdoor inflatable decoration typically draws 150 W (range 60–400 W). A christmas light projector draws 8 W (range 3–30 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.