United States Living room and office
How much does it cost to run an air purifier?
An air purifier is a fan and a filter. On its lowest setting a HEPA purifier draws 5 to 15 watts, on high 50 to 100. Left on auto around the clock a typical unit averages about 40 watts, a little under 1 kWh a day.
A 40 watt air purifier costs about 0.7 cents an hour to run in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh. Running it 24 hours a day comes to about 17 cents a day, $5.31 a month and $63.68 a year.
- Prices: EIA, August 2026, every state
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 0.96 kWh a day, 29 kWh a month, at 18.16 cents per kWh (US average).
The dial places the daily cost between a 50 watt fan and a 4.5 kW water heater on 2.5 hours a day.
A 40 watt air purifier costs about 0.7 cents an hour to run in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh. Running it 24 hours a day comes to about 17 cents a day, $5.31 a month and $63.68 a year.
What this assumes
The default is a 40 watt air purifier running 24 hours a day. Published typical ratings run from 10 to 100 watts. Your label or manual gives the exact figure, and the calculator takes it.
The price is the average residential rate in each state from the EIA's Electric Power Monthly for August 2026, released 23 October 2026. The next monthly table is due 24 November 2026. A fixed tariff, a time-of-use plan or a different payment method changes the rate, which is why the rate field is editable.
Cost to run an air purifier in every state
Same 40 watt air purifier, 24 hours a day, priced at each state's average residential rate for August 2026. Cheapest: Nevada at 12.72 cents per kWh. Dearest: Hawaii at 47.18. Change the numbers above and the table follows.
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72c | 0.5 cents | 12 cents | $3.72 | $44.60 |
| Louisiana | 12.87c | 0.5 cents | 12 cents | $3.76 | $45.13 |
| North Dakota | 13.31c | 0.5 cents | 13 cents | $3.89 | $46.67 |
| Utah | 13.31c | 0.5 cents | 13 cents | $3.89 | $46.67 |
| Idaho | 13.37c | 0.5 cents | 13 cents | $3.91 | $46.88 |
| Tennessee | 13.42c | 0.5 cents | 13 cents | $3.92 | $47.06 |
| Nebraska | 13.54c | 0.5 cents | 13 cents | $3.96 | $47.48 |
| Kentucky | 13.8c | 0.6 cents | 13 cents | $4.03 | $48.39 |
| Arkansas | 14.37c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.20 | $50.39 |
| Mississippi | 14.43c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.22 | $50.60 |
| Wyoming | 14.43c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.22 | $50.60 |
| Washington | 14.63c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.27 | $51.30 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.33 | $51.96 |
| North Carolina | 14.95c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.37 | $52.42 |
| Florida | 14.99c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.38 | $52.56 |
| Arizona | 15.05c | 0.6 cents | 14 cents | $4.40 | $52.77 |
| South Dakota | 15.15c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.43 | $53.12 |
| Kansas | 15.47c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.52 | $54.24 |
| Montana | 15.57c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.55 | $54.59 |
| South Carolina | 15.76c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.61 | $55.26 |
| Georgia | 15.9c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.65 | $55.75 |
| Texas | 15.91c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.65 | $55.79 |
| Oregon | 15.92c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.65 | $55.82 |
| Missouri | 16.02c | 0.6 cents | 15 cents | $4.68 | $56.17 |
| West Virginia | 16.31c | 0.7 cents | 16 cents | $4.77 | $57.19 |
| Alabama | 16.33c | 0.7 cents | 16 cents | $4.77 | $57.26 |
| New Mexico | 16.51c | 0.7 cents | 16 cents | $4.82 | $57.89 |
| Indiana | 17.02c | 0.7 cents | 16 cents | $4.97 | $59.68 |
| Iowa | 17.06c | 0.7 cents | 16 cents | $4.98 | $59.82 |
| Colorado | 17.17c | 0.7 cents | 16 cents | $5.02 | $60.20 |
| Minnesota | 17.2c | 0.7 cents | 17 cents | $5.03 | $60.31 |
| Virginia | 17.64c | 0.7 cents | 17 cents | $5.15 | $61.85 |
| Delaware | 18.7c | 0.7 cents | 18 cents | $5.46 | $65.57 |
| Illinois | 19.32c | 0.8 cents | 19 cents | $5.65 | $67.74 |
| Ohio | 19.38c | 0.8 cents | 19 cents | $5.66 | $67.95 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41c | 0.8 cents | 19 cents | $5.67 | $68.06 |
| Maryland | 21.4c | 0.9 cents | 21 cents | $6.25 | $75.04 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77c | 0.9 cents | 21 cents | $6.36 | $76.33 |
| Michigan | 22.99c | 0.9 cents | 22 cents | $6.72 | $80.61 |
| Vermont | 23.84c | 1 cent | 23 cents | $6.97 | $83.59 |
| Connecticut | 24.51c | 1 cent | 24 cents | $7.16 | $85.94 |
| New Jersey | 24.61c | 1 cent | 24 cents | $7.19 | $86.29 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98c | 1 cent | 25 cents | $7.59 | $91.10 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64c | 1.1 cents | 27 cents | $8.08 | $96.92 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18c | 1.1 cents | 27 cents | $8.23 | $98.81 |
| New York | 28.65c | 1.1 cents | 28 cents | $8.37 | $100.46 |
| Alaska | 29.41c | 1.2 cents | 28 cents | $8.59 | $103.12 |
| California | 29.75c | 1.2 cents | 29 cents | $8.69 | $104.32 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48c | 1.2 cents | 29 cents | $8.91 | $106.88 |
| Maine | 32.11c | 1.3 cents | 31 cents | $9.38 | $112.59 |
| Hawaii | 47.18c | 1.9 cents | 45 cents | $13.79 | $165.43 |
Rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, residential sector, August 2026, preliminary. All rates with the year-on-year change.
How an air purifier uses electricity
The filter does not use energy, the fan does, so a bigger unit on low usually uses less than a small unit on high for the same clean air delivery rate.
Twenty-four hours a day is the normal way to run one, so the hours here are set to 24.
Ways to cut the cost
- Use auto mode so it only speeds up when the sensor sees particles.
- Replace the filter on schedule. A clogged filter makes the fan work harder.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run an air purifier 24/7?
At 40 watts, about 0.96 kWh a day, about 17 cents at 18 cents per kWh or 25p at 26.32p per kWh.
Do air purifiers use a lot of electricity?
No. Even on high, most draw less than a large fan.
Other living room and office costs
More in the US
Sources
The electricity price on this page is read from the data file that also lists the release it came from. The wattage range is a published typical range, not a measurement of your appliance.