entertainment · 100W typical
Running a home theater in a box costs about $1.49/month.
That's the typical home theater in a box at 100W, run 3 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.
Estimated cost
Full-power draw for 3 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same home theater in a box can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
movie night
$1.49
per month
active watching
standby
$10.40
per month
typical 3-8W standby
Where you live
$2.69 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.
Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.
| State | Rate | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.2¢ | $3.71 | $45.11 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $2.83 | $34.38 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $2.77 | $33.73 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $2.58 | $31.43 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $2.51 | $30.55 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $2.21 | $26.94 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $2.19 | $26.61 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $2.01 | $24.42 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $1.99 | $24.20 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $1.94 | $23.54 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $1.74 | $21.13 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $1.72 | $20.91 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $1.66 | $20.15 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $1.63 | $19.82 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $1.60 | $19.49 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $1.57 | $19.05 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $1.55 | $18.83 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $1.52 | $18.51 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $1.49 | $18.18 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $1.47 | $17.85 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $1.42 | $17.30 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $1.41 | $17.19 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $1.40 | $17.08 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $1.39 | $16.86 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $1.37 | $16.64 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $1.37 | $16.64 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $1.36 | $16.53 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $1.33 | $16.21 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $1.33 | $16.21 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $1.32 | $16.10 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $1.32 | $16.10 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $1.31 | $15.99 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $1.28 | $15.55 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $1.27 | $15.44 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $1.25 | $15.22 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $1.22 | $14.89 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $1.21 | $14.67 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $1.20 | $14.56 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $1.19 | $14.45 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $1.18 | $14.34 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $1.18 | $14.34 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $1.14 | $13.91 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $1.12 | $13.58 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $1.10 | $13.36 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.25 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.25 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $1.07 | $13.03 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $1.04 | $12.70 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $1.04 | $12.59 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $1.03 | $12.48 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $1.02 | $12.37 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $46.98/year difference across the wattage range.
Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.
Most efficient
40W
$0.59 per month
$7.23 per year
Typical
100W
$1.49 per month
$18.07 per year
High draw
300W
$4.46 per month
$54.20 per year
When it hits hardest
winter peak
Heavier winter movie-watching.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Use smart plug/power strip to cut standby
Saves 20-50 kWh/year
- 2
Enable HDMI-CEC so system follows TV power state
Prevents leaving amp on after TV off
- 3
Disable 'always listening' voice assistant if unused
Cuts standby 1-3W
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Sony | HT-S40R 5.1ch | 150W |
| LG | SN5Y 2.1ch | 80W |
| Yamaha | YAS-209 | 65W |
Picks that actually move the needle
Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.
See also
Related appliances
Sources: www.energy.gov · www.energystar.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13