Pre-lit Christmas tree vs. christmas light projector: running cost
A christmas light projector is cheaper to run: about $1 a year versus $4 for a pre-lit Christmas tree at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $3 difference.
| Pre-lit Christmas tree | Christmas light projector | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 40 W | 8 W |
| Watt range | 15–300 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 | 22 kWh | 6 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 0.7¢ | 0.1¢ |
| Cost per day | 4.3¢ | 0.9¢ |
| Cost per month | $1.31 | $0.26 |
| Cost per year | $4 | $1 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $10 | $3 |
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What drives the difference
- Pre-lit Christmas tree: A 7.5-ft pre-lit tree with 700-1,000 warm-white LEDs draws about 30-60 W; incandescent versions with 700 mini lights draw about 280 W.
- 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 AmazonUses about a sixth of the power of incandescent pre-lit trees.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a pre-lit Christmas tree or a christmas light projector?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a pre-lit Christmas tree costs about $4 a year versus $1 for a christmas light projector. That's $3 more, or 3.8× as much.
How many watts do pre-lit Christmas tree and christmas light projector use?
A pre-lit Christmas tree typically draws 40 W (range 15–300 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.