hvac · 50W typical
Running a humidifier costs about $1.58/month.
That's the typical humidifier at 50W, run 8 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
A humidifier draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 6.4 effective hours at 50W across your 8-hour window.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same humidifier can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
bedroom overnight
$1.58
per month
running through the night in winter for sleep comfort
nursery all day
$2.77
per month
maintaining humidity for babies in dry winter months
whole-room daytime
$1.98
per month
running while home during winter
Where you live
$2.87 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¢ | $3.96 | $48.12 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $3.01 | $36.68 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $2.96 | $35.97 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $2.76 | $33.52 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $2.68 | $32.59 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $2.36 | $28.73 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $2.33 | $28.38 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $2.14 | $26.05 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $2.12 | $25.81 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $2.06 | $25.11 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $1.85 | $22.54 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $1.83 | $22.31 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $1.77 | $21.49 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $1.74 | $21.14 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $1.71 | $20.79 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $1.67 | $20.32 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $1.65 | $20.09 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $1.62 | $19.74 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $1.59 | $19.39 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $1.56 | $19.04 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $1.52 | $18.45 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $1.51 | $18.34 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $1.50 | $18.22 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $1.48 | $17.99 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $1.46 | $17.75 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $1.46 | $17.75 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $1.45 | $17.64 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $1.42 | $17.29 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $1.42 | $17.29 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $1.41 | $17.17 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $1.41 | $17.17 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $1.40 | $17.05 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $1.36 | $16.59 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $1.35 | $16.47 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $1.33 | $16.24 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $1.31 | $15.88 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $1.29 | $15.65 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $1.28 | $15.53 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $1.27 | $15.42 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $1.26 | $15.30 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $1.26 | $15.30 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $1.22 | $14.83 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $1.19 | $14.48 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $1.17 | $14.25 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $1.16 | $14.13 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $1.16 | $14.13 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $1.14 | $13.90 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $1.11 | $13.55 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $1.10 | $13.43 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $1.09 | $13.32 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $1.08 | $13.20 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $107.92/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
20W
$0.63 per month
$7.71 per year
Typical
50W
$1.58 per month
$19.27 per year
High draw
300W
$9.50 per month
$115.63 per year
When it hits hardest
winter peak
Dry winter air drives heaviest use Nov-Mar.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Use auto mode with a 40-50% RH target
Cuts runtime 25-35% vs. 'always on'
- 2
Choose evaporative over ultrasonic for larger rooms
Evaporative uses 1/3 the watts of heated models
- 3
Clean every 3 days — scaling forces higher power to maintain output
Restores 10-15% efficiency on older units
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Levoit | Classic 300S | 30W |
| Honeywell | HCM-350 Germ-Free | 47W |
| Vornado | EVAP40 | 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