entertainment · 30W typical
Running a soundbar costs about $0.59/month.
That's the typical soundbar at 30W, run 4 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 4 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same soundbar can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
nightly watching
$0.59
per month
during TV viewing
standby on
$2.97
per month
HDMI CEC standby draw is 2-5W
Where you live
$1.08 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¢ | $1.48 | $18.05 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $1.13 | $13.75 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $1.11 | $13.49 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $1.03 | $12.57 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $1.00 | $12.22 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $0.89 | $10.77 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $0.87 | $10.64 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $0.80 | $9.77 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.68 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $0.77 | $9.42 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $0.69 | $8.45 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $0.69 | $8.37 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $0.66 | $8.06 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $0.65 | $7.93 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $0.64 | $7.80 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $0.63 | $7.62 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $0.62 | $7.53 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $0.61 | $7.40 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $0.60 | $7.27 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $0.59 | $7.14 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $0.57 | $6.92 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $0.57 | $6.88 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $0.56 | $6.83 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $0.55 | $6.75 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.61 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $0.53 | $6.48 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $0.53 | $6.48 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $0.53 | $6.44 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $0.53 | $6.44 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $0.53 | $6.39 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $0.51 | $6.22 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.51 | $6.18 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $0.50 | $6.09 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $0.49 | $5.96 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $0.48 | $5.87 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $0.48 | $5.83 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $0.48 | $5.78 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.74 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.74 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $0.46 | $5.56 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $0.45 | $5.43 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $0.44 | $5.34 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.30 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.30 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $0.43 | $5.21 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $0.42 | $5.08 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $0.41 | $5.04 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $0.41 | $4.99 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $0.41 | $4.95 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $20.48/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
15W
$0.30 per month
$3.61 per year
Typical
30W
$0.59 per month
$7.23 per year
High draw
100W
$1.98 per month
$24.09 per year
When it hits hardest
year-round peak
Steady use.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Use smart plug to kill standby (2-5W continuous)
Saves 15-30 kWh/year
- 2
Disable voice assistant features if unused — they keep mic live
Cuts continuous draw 1-3W
- 3
Lower volume — speaker amp watts scale with volume
Can cut active watts 30-40%
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Sonos | Arc | 40W |
| Samsung | HW-Q990C | 55W |
| Vizio | M-Series M51a-H6 | 25W |
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