How much does it cost to run a humidifier?

A humidifier costs about 0.5¢ per hour, 5.6¢ a day, $1.72 a month and $9 a year at typical use (10 hours a day for 5 months a year) and the U.S. average rate of 17.99¢/kWh. Ultrasonic humidifiers use 20-40 W and evaporative wick models 30-70 W. Warm mist and steam models boil water and use 200-400 W.

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Cost by setting

Setting	Watts	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Ultrasonic cool mist	30	0.5¢	5.6¢	$1.72	$9
Evaporative (wick)	50	0.9¢	9.2¢	$2.81	$14
Warm mist	300	5.4¢	54¢	$16.50	$83

At 10 hours a day for 5 months a year and 17.99¢/kWh.

Cost by hours of use

Hours per day	kWh/day	Per day	Per month	Per year (all year)
1 hour	0.05	1.0¢	$0.29	$3
2 hours	0.08	1.5¢	$0.45	$5
4 hours	0.14	2.5¢	$0.77	$9
8 hours	0.26	4.6¢	$1.40	$17
12 hours	0.37	6.7¢	$2.04	$24
24 hours	0.72	13¢	$3.94	$47

Cost to run a humidifier in every state

The same humidifier costs $6 a year in North Dakota and $21 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¢	0.4¢	$1.18	$6
Idaho	12.65¢	0.4¢	$1.21	$6
Nebraska	12.86¢	0.4¢	$1.23	$6
Louisiana	12.99¢	0.4¢	$1.24	$6
Utah	13.32¢	0.4¢	$1.27	$6
Nevada	13.36¢	0.4¢	$1.28	$6
Arkansas	13.43¢	0.4¢	$1.28	$6
Tennessee	13.56¢	0.4¢	$1.30	$6
Oklahoma	13.70¢	0.4¢	$1.31	$7
Montana	13.84¢	0.4¢	$1.32	$7
Kentucky	13.92¢	0.4¢	$1.33	$7
Missouri	13.95¢	0.4¢	$1.33	$7
Wyoming	14.01¢	0.4¢	$1.34	$7
Washington	14.12¢	0.4¢	$1.35	$7
Iowa	14.13¢	0.4¢	$1.35	$7
South Dakota	14.20¢	0.4¢	$1.36	$7
Mississippi	14.77¢	0.4¢	$1.41	$7
North Carolina	14.77¢	0.4¢	$1.41	$7
Kansas	15.09¢	0.5¢	$1.44	$7
Georgia	15.12¢	0.5¢	$1.45	$7
New Mexico	15.32¢	0.5¢	$1.46	$7
Florida	15.39¢	0.5¢	$1.47	$7
Arizona	15.40¢	0.5¢	$1.47	$7
West Virginia	15.48¢	0.5¢	$1.48	$7
Oregon	15.50¢	0.5¢	$1.48	$7
South Carolina	15.64¢	0.5¢	$1.49	$7
Texas	15.96¢	0.5¢	$1.53	$8
Minnesota	16.22¢	0.5¢	$1.55	$8
Alabama	16.44¢	0.5¢	$1.57	$8
Virginia	16.48¢	0.5¢	$1.58	$8
Colorado	16.58¢	0.5¢	$1.58	$8
Indiana	16.94¢	0.5¢	$1.62	$8
Delaware	17.79¢	0.5¢	$1.70	$9
Ohio	18.25¢	0.5¢	$1.74	$9
Wisconsin	18.74¢	0.6¢	$1.79	$9
Illinois	18.79¢	0.6¢	$1.80	$9
Pennsylvania	20.70¢	0.6¢	$1.98	$10
Maryland	21.03¢	0.6¢	$2.01	$10
Michigan	21.05¢	0.6¢	$2.01	$10
New Jersey	23.78¢	0.7¢	$2.27	$11
Vermont	23.80¢	0.7¢	$2.27	$11
District of Columbia	24.20¢	0.7¢	$2.31	$12
New Hampshire	26.67¢	0.8¢	$2.55	$13
Alaska	26.85¢	0.8¢	$2.57	$13
Connecticut	27.99¢	0.8¢	$2.68	$13
New York	28.39¢	0.9¢	$2.71	$14
Rhode Island	29.27¢	0.9¢	$2.80	$14
Maine	29.31¢	0.9¢	$2.80	$14
Massachusetts	30.43¢	0.9¢	$2.91	$15
California	32.99¢	1.0¢	$3.15	$16
Hawaii	43.51¢	1.3¢	$4.16	$21

How to cut the cost

Target 40-45% humidity; above 50% risks condensation and mold.
Use a humidifier with a built-in humidistat so it stops once the setpoint is reached.
Use distilled water in ultrasonic units to avoid white dust.
Choose cool mist over warm mist; it uses about 90% less electricity.

Cheaper ways to get the job done

Ultrasonic humidifier with humidistat

Uses about 30 W versus 300 W for warm mist models.

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Compare with similar appliances

Appliance	Watts	Typical use	Per month	Per year
Humidifier	30	10 hours a day for 5 months a year	$1.72	$9
Warm mist humidifier	300	8 hours a day for 5 months a year	$9.20	$46
Whole-house humidifier	20	12 hours a day for 5 months a year	$0.66	$3
Dehumidifier	500	24 hours a day for 6 months a year	$26.28	$158
Air purifier	40	24 hours a day	$5.26	$63
Desk fan	25	8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 5 months a year	$0.78	$4
Ceiling fan	40	8 hours a day	$1.84	$22

Compare these side by side at your rate →

Head-to-head comparisons

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a humidifier per hour?

A humidifier drawing 30 watts uses 0.03 kWh per hour. At the U.S. average of 17.99¢/kWh that's 0.5¢ per hour. In North Dakota (12.32¢) it's 0.4¢. In Hawaii (43.51¢) it's 1.3¢.

How much does it cost to run a humidifier per month?

At typical use (10 hours a day for 5 months a year), a humidifier costs about $1.72 a month while in use and $9 a year over the 5 months it's typically used, at the U.S. average rate. Enter your ZIP in the calculator above for your utility's rate.

How many watts does a humidifier use?

Most humidifiers use 10 to 400 watts, depending on the setting (ultrasonic cool mist 30 W, evaporative (wick) 50 W, warm mist 300 W). Plugged in but off, it still draws about 1 W of standby power. Check the label on the back or bottom for your model's exact rating.

How many kWh does a humidifier use?

About 0.31 kWh a day and 48 kWh a year at typical use (10 hours a day for 5 months a year).

Does a humidifier use a lot of electricity?

No. At about 48 kWh a year it's a small share (0.5%) of the average U.S. home's 10,492 kWh.

Is it cheaper to run a humidifier or a warm mist humidifier?

At typical use, a humidifier costs about $9 a year versus $46 for a warm mist humidifier. So the humidifier is cheaper by about $37 a year. Use the comparison table above to compare them at your own settings.

How can I lower the cost of running a humidifier?

Target 40-45% humidity; above 50% risks condensation and mold.
Use a humidifier with a built-in humidistat so it stops once the setpoint is reached.
Use distilled water in ultrasonic units to avoid white dust.

Rates updated 2026-10-21: EIA data through July 2026. Typical wattage and usage reviewed against DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer specs. Methodology.