outdoor · 60W typical

Running a landscape / path lights costs about $1.78/month.

That's the typical landscape / path lights at 60W, run 6 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

$1.78/month

$0.06 per day$21.68 per year10.8 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

Full-power draw for 6 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same landscape / path lights can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

dusk to midnight

$1.78

per month

transformer cycles lights off at midnight

6 hrs/day·$21.68/yr

dusk to dawn

$3.56

per month

continuous overnight

12 hrs/day·$43.36/yr

Where you live

$3.23 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¢	$4.45	$54.14
California	31.4¢	$3.39	$41.26
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$3.33	$40.47
Connecticut	28.7¢	$3.10	$37.71
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$3.01	$36.66
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$2.66	$32.32
Alaska	24.3¢	$2.62	$31.93
New York	22.3¢	$2.41	$29.30
Maine	22.1¢	$2.39	$29.04
Vermont	21.5¢	$2.32	$28.25
Michigan	19.3¢	$2.08	$25.36
New Jersey	19.1¢	$2.06	$25.10
Maryland	18.4¢	$1.99	$24.18
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$1.95	$23.78
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$1.92	$23.39
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$1.88	$22.86
Delaware	17.2¢	$1.86	$22.60
Illinois	16.9¢	$1.83	$22.21
Ohio	16.6¢	$1.79	$21.81
Nevada	16.3¢	$1.76	$21.42
Indiana	15.8¢	$1.71	$20.76
Virginia	15.7¢	$1.70	$20.63
Minnesota	15.6¢	$1.68	$20.50
Colorado	15.4¢	$1.66	$20.24
Alabama	15.2¢	$1.64	$19.97
West Virginia	15.2¢	$1.64	$19.97
Florida	15.1¢	$1.63	$19.84
New Mexico	14.8¢	$1.60	$19.45
Texas	14.8¢	$1.60	$19.45
Arizona	14.7¢	$1.59	$19.32
South Carolina	14.7¢	$1.59	$19.32
Kansas	14.6¢	$1.58	$19.18
Georgia	14.2¢	$1.53	$18.66
Iowa	14.1¢	$1.52	$18.53
North Carolina	13.9¢	$1.50	$18.26
Missouri	13.6¢	$1.47	$17.87
Oregon	13.4¢	$1.45	$17.61
Tennessee	13.3¢	$1.44	$17.48
Kentucky	13.2¢	$1.43	$17.34
Mississippi	13.1¢	$1.41	$17.21
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$1.41	$17.21
South Dakota	12.7¢	$1.37	$16.69
Montana	12.4¢	$1.34	$16.29
Nebraska	12.2¢	$1.32	$16.03
Arkansas	12.1¢	$1.31	$15.90
Washington	12.1¢	$1.31	$15.90
Louisiana	11.9¢	$1.29	$15.64
Wyoming	11.6¢	$1.25	$15.24
North Dakota	11.5¢	$1.24	$15.11
Utah	11.4¢	$1.23	$14.98
Idaho	11.3¢	$1.22	$14.85

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $65.04/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

$0.59 per month

$7.23 per year

Typical

60W

$1.78 per month

$21.68 per year

High draw

200W

$5.94 per month

$72.27 per year

When it hits hardest

winter peak

Longer nights = more runtime.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Upgrade halogen landscape bulbs to LED — same fixture, 1/5 watts
A 10-light 600W halogen system drops to 120W with LEDs
2
Use solar path lights where possible
Eliminates grid energy entirely
3
Set transformer to turn off at midnight
Cuts runtime 50%

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Hampton Bay	Low-Voltage LED Path 10-light	40W
Malibu	Low-Voltage LED Path 6-light	24W
Kichler	LED Path Light 15391AZT	30W

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.

Low-Voltage LED Pathway Lights 12-pack

Whole-yard path set, efficient LEDs

$60-90

Solar Path Lights 12-pack

Zero electricity cost — many modern solars are quite bright

$50-75

Low-Voltage Landscape Transformer Timer

Timer + photocell combo limits runtime

$80-120