kitchen · 1000W typical

Running a microwave oven costs about $2.48/month.

That's the typical microwave oven at 1000W, run 0.5 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

$2.48/month

$0.08 per day$30.11 per year15.0 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

Full-power draw for 0.5 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same microwave oven can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

heavy daily use

$2.48

per month

30 minutes of cumulative daily use (reheating, cooking)

0.5 hrs/day·$30.11/yr

light use

$0.74

per month

10 minutes — coffee and leftovers

0.15 hrs/day·$9.03/yr

standby clock

$118.80

per month

clock display draws 2-4W constantly

24 hrs/day·$1,445.40/yr

Where you live

$4.49 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¢	$6.18	$75.19
California	31.4¢	$4.71	$57.31
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$4.62	$56.21
Connecticut	28.7¢	$4.31	$52.38
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$4.19	$50.92
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$3.69	$44.90
Alaska	24.3¢	$3.65	$44.35
New York	22.3¢	$3.35	$40.70
Maine	22.1¢	$3.32	$40.33
Vermont	21.5¢	$3.23	$39.24
Michigan	19.3¢	$2.90	$35.22
New Jersey	19.1¢	$2.87	$34.86
Maryland	18.4¢	$2.76	$33.58
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$2.72	$33.03
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$2.67	$32.49
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$2.61	$31.76
Delaware	17.2¢	$2.58	$31.39
Illinois	16.9¢	$2.53	$30.84
Ohio	16.6¢	$2.49	$30.30
Nevada	16.3¢	$2.45	$29.75
Indiana	15.8¢	$2.37	$28.84
Virginia	15.7¢	$2.36	$28.65
Minnesota	15.6¢	$2.34	$28.47
Colorado	15.4¢	$2.31	$28.11
Alabama	15.2¢	$2.28	$27.74
West Virginia	15.2¢	$2.28	$27.74
Florida	15.1¢	$2.27	$27.56
New Mexico	14.8¢	$2.22	$27.01
Texas	14.8¢	$2.22	$27.01
Arizona	14.7¢	$2.21	$26.83
South Carolina	14.7¢	$2.21	$26.83
Kansas	14.6¢	$2.19	$26.65
Georgia	14.2¢	$2.13	$25.92
Iowa	14.1¢	$2.11	$25.73
North Carolina	13.9¢	$2.09	$25.37
Missouri	13.6¢	$2.04	$24.82
Oregon	13.4¢	$2.01	$24.46
Tennessee	13.3¢	$2.00	$24.27
Kentucky	13.2¢	$1.98	$24.09
Mississippi	13.1¢	$1.97	$23.91
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$1.97	$23.91
South Dakota	12.7¢	$1.91	$23.18
Montana	12.4¢	$1.86	$22.63
Nebraska	12.2¢	$1.83	$22.27
Arkansas	12.1¢	$1.82	$22.08
Washington	12.1¢	$1.82	$22.08
Louisiana	11.9¢	$1.79	$21.72
Wyoming	11.6¢	$1.74	$21.17
North Dakota	11.5¢	$1.73	$20.99
Utah	11.4¢	$1.71	$20.81
Idaho	11.3¢	$1.70	$20.62

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $36.14/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

600W

$1.49 per month

$18.07 per year

Typical

1000W

$2.48 per month

$30.11 per year

High draw

1800W

$4.46 per month

$54.20 per year

When it hits hardest

year-round peak

Constant use year-round.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Use microwave over oven when possible — 3-4x more efficient per cook
Saves 50-75% vs. preheating a full oven
2
Unplug or smart-plug if you don't need the clock
Saves 20-30 kWh/year in standby
3
Use covers to trap steam and shorten heating time
Cuts cook time 20-30%

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Panasonic	NN-SN966S 1250W	1750W
Toshiba	EM131A5C-BS 1100W	1550W
GE	JES1072SHSS 700W	1050W

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.

Toshiba EM131A5C-BS 1.2 cu ft Microwave

Smart sensor cooks in less time than fixed timers

$130-170

Smart Plug with Schedule

Cut standby clock draw overnight

$18-25

Microwave Cover (vent holes)

Shortens cook time 20-30% for leftovers

$10-15