How much does it cost to run a home theater receiver?
A home theater receiver costs about 1.6¢ per hour, 7.2¢ a day, $2.19 a month and $26 a year at typical use (4 hours a day) and the U.S. average rate of 17.99¢/kWh. Receivers idle at 40-60 W and average about 90 W at normal volume; the 1,000+ W nameplate is only reached at extreme volume. Network standby keeps some at 2-5 W.
Calculate your cost
Add as many devices as you like to compare them side by side. Search again to add another, or use Duplicate to compare two settings.
Cost by setting
| Setting | Watts | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idle / quiet listening | 50 | 0.9¢ | 4.3¢ | $1.31 | $16 |
| Normal movie volume | 90 | 1.6¢ | 7.2¢ | $2.19 | $26 |
| Loud action movies | 200 | 3.6¢ | 15¢ | $4.60 | $55 |
At 4 hours a day and 17.99¢/kWh.
Cost by hours of use
| Hours per day | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year (all year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 0.14 | 2.4¢ | $0.74 | $9 |
| 2 hours | 0.22 | 4.0¢ | $1.23 | $15 |
| 4 hours | 0.40 | 7.2¢ | $2.19 | $26 |
| 8 hours | 0.75 | 14¢ | $4.12 | $49 |
| 12 hours | 1.10 | 20¢ | $6.05 | $73 |
| 24 hours | 2.16 | 39¢ | $11.83 | $142 |
Cost to run a home theater receiver in every state
The same home theater receiver costs $18 a year in North Dakota and $64 in Hawaii, at each state's average residential rate (12 months ending July 2026).
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.32¢ | 1.1¢ | $1.50 | $18 |
| Idaho | 12.65¢ | 1.1¢ | $1.54 | $18 |
| Nebraska | 12.86¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.57 | $19 |
| Louisiana | 12.99¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.58 | $19 |
| Utah | 13.32¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.62 | $19 |
| Nevada | 13.36¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.63 | $20 |
| Arkansas | 13.43¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.64 | $20 |
| Tennessee | 13.56¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.65 | $20 |
| Oklahoma | 13.70¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.67 | $20 |
| Montana | 13.84¢ | 1.2¢ | $1.69 | $20 |
| Kentucky | 13.92¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.69 | $20 |
| Missouri | 13.95¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.70 | $20 |
| Wyoming | 14.01¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.71 | $20 |
| Washington | 14.12¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.72 | $21 |
| Iowa | 14.13¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.72 | $21 |
| South Dakota | 14.20¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.73 | $21 |
| Mississippi | 14.77¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.80 | $22 |
| North Carolina | 14.77¢ | 1.3¢ | $1.80 | $22 |
| Kansas | 15.09¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.84 | $22 |
| Georgia | 15.12¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.84 | $22 |
| New Mexico | 15.32¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.87 | $22 |
| Florida | 15.39¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.87 | $22 |
| Arizona | 15.40¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.87 | $22 |
| West Virginia | 15.48¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.88 | $23 |
| Oregon | 15.50¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.89 | $23 |
| South Carolina | 15.64¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.90 | $23 |
| Texas | 15.96¢ | 1.4¢ | $1.94 | $23 |
| Minnesota | 16.22¢ | 1.5¢ | $1.97 | $24 |
| Alabama | 16.44¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.00 | $24 |
| Virginia | 16.48¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.01 | $24 |
| Colorado | 16.58¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.02 | $24 |
| Indiana | 16.94¢ | 1.5¢ | $2.06 | $25 |
| Delaware | 17.79¢ | 1.6¢ | $2.17 | $26 |
| Ohio | 18.25¢ | 1.6¢ | $2.22 | $27 |
| Wisconsin | 18.74¢ | 1.7¢ | $2.28 | $27 |
| Illinois | 18.79¢ | 1.7¢ | $2.29 | $27 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70¢ | 1.9¢ | $2.52 | $30 |
| Maryland | 21.03¢ | 1.9¢ | $2.56 | $31 |
| Michigan | 21.05¢ | 1.9¢ | $2.56 | $31 |
| New Jersey | 23.78¢ | 2.1¢ | $2.90 | $35 |
| Vermont | 23.80¢ | 2.1¢ | $2.90 | $35 |
| District of Columbia | 24.20¢ | 2.2¢ | $2.95 | $35 |
| New Hampshire | 26.67¢ | 2.4¢ | $3.25 | $39 |
| Alaska | 26.85¢ | 2.4¢ | $3.27 | $39 |
| Connecticut | 27.99¢ | 2.5¢ | $3.41 | $41 |
| New York | 28.39¢ | 2.6¢ | $3.46 | $41 |
| Rhode Island | 29.27¢ | 2.6¢ | $3.56 | $43 |
| Maine | 29.31¢ | 2.6¢ | $3.57 | $43 |
| Massachusetts | 30.43¢ | 2.7¢ | $3.70 | $44 |
| California | 32.99¢ | 3.0¢ | $4.02 | $48 |
| Hawaii | 43.51¢ | 3.9¢ | $5.30 | $64 |
How to cut the cost
- Use ECO mode on Denon/Marantz or Yamaha receivers, which cuts amplifier draw 20-40% at normal volume.
- Turn off network standby and HDMI pass-through in standby if you do not need them.
- Power it off instead of leaving it on muted between viewing sessions; idle draw alone is about 50 W.
Cheaper ways to get the job done
A soundbar uses roughly a third of the power of a receiver driving separate speakers.
See options on AmazonWe may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. It never changes the numbers we show. Disclosure.
Compare with similar appliances
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a home theater receiver per hour?
A home theater receiver drawing 90 watts uses 0.09 kWh per hour. At the U.S. average of 17.99¢/kWh that's 1.6¢ per hour. In North Dakota (12.32¢) it's 1.1¢. In Hawaii (43.51¢) it's 3.9¢.
How much does it cost to run a home theater receiver per month?
At typical use (4 hours a day), a home theater receiver costs about $2.19 a month and $26 a year, at the U.S. average rate. Enter your ZIP in the calculator above for your utility's rate.
How many watts does a home theater receiver use?
Most home theater receivers use 40 to 400 watts, depending on the setting (idle / quiet listening 50 W, normal movie volume 90 W, loud action movies 200 W). Plugged in but off, it still draws about 2 W of standby power. Check the label on the back or bottom for your model's exact rating.
How many kWh does a home theater receiver use?
About 0.40 kWh a day and 146 kWh a year at typical use (4 hours a day).
Does a home theater receiver use a lot of electricity?
No. At about 146 kWh a year it's a small share (1.4%) of the average U.S. home's 10,492 kWh.
Is it cheaper to run a home theater receiver or a soundbar?
At typical use, a home theater receiver costs about $26 a year versus $14 for a soundbar. So the soundbar is cheaper by about $13 a year. Use the comparison table above to compare them at your own settings.
How can I lower the cost of running a home theater receiver?
- Use ECO mode on Denon/Marantz or Yamaha receivers, which cuts amplifier draw 20-40% at normal volume.
- Turn off network standby and HDMI pass-through in standby if you do not need them.
- Power it off instead of leaving it on muted between viewing sessions; idle draw alone is about 50 W.
Rates updated 2026-10-21: EIA data through July 2026. Typical wattage and usage reviewed against DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer specs. Methodology.