United States Heating
How much does it cost to run a heat pump or mini split?
A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, so each kilowatt hour of electricity delivers two to four kilowatt hours of heating or cooling. That is why a 1,200 watt mini split can heat a room that would need a 3,000 watt resistance heater.
A 1.2 kW heat pump or mini split costs about 15 cents an hour to run in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh. Running it 8 hours a day cycling 70% of the time comes to about $1.22 a day, $37.14 a month and $445.73 a year.
- Prices: EIA, August 2026, every state
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 6.7 kWh a day, 205 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 1.2 kW heat pump or mini split costs about 15 cents an hour to run in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh. Running it 8 hours a day cycling 70% of the time comes to about $1.22 a day, $37.14 a month and $445.73 a year.
What this assumes
The default is a 1.2 kW heat pump or mini split running 8 hours a day, drawing full power 70% of the time it is switched on (the rest of the time a thermostat or sensor has it idle). Published typical ratings run from 600 to 2,500 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 a heat pump or mini split in every state
Same 1.2 kW heat pump or mini split, 8 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 | 11 cents | 85 cents | $26.02 | $312.21 |
| Louisiana | 12.87c | 11 cents | 86 cents | $26.32 | $315.89 |
| North Dakota | 13.31c | 11 cents | 89 cents | $27.22 | $326.69 |
| Utah | 13.31c | 11 cents | 89 cents | $27.22 | $326.69 |
| Idaho | 13.37c | 11 cents | 90 cents | $27.35 | $328.16 |
| Tennessee | 13.42c | 11 cents | 90 cents | $27.45 | $329.39 |
| Nebraska | 13.54c | 11 cents | 91 cents | $27.69 | $332.34 |
| Kentucky | 13.8c | 12 cents | 93 cents | $28.23 | $338.72 |
| Arkansas | 14.37c | 12 cents | 97 cents | $29.39 | $352.71 |
| Mississippi | 14.43c | 12 cents | 97 cents | $29.52 | $354.18 |
| Wyoming | 14.43c | 12 cents | 97 cents | $29.52 | $354.18 |
| Washington | 14.63c | 12 cents | 98 cents | $29.92 | $359.09 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82c | 12 cents | 100 cents | $30.31 | $363.75 |
| North Carolina | 14.95c | 13 cents | $1.00 | $30.58 | $366.94 |
| Florida | 14.99c | 13 cents | $1.01 | $30.66 | $367.93 |
| Arizona | 15.05c | 13 cents | $1.01 | $30.78 | $369.40 |
| South Dakota | 15.15c | 13 cents | $1.02 | $30.99 | $371.85 |
| Kansas | 15.47c | 13 cents | $1.04 | $31.64 | $379.71 |
| Montana | 15.57c | 13 cents | $1.05 | $31.85 | $382.16 |
| South Carolina | 15.76c | 13 cents | $1.06 | $32.24 | $386.83 |
| Georgia | 15.9c | 13 cents | $1.07 | $32.52 | $390.26 |
| Texas | 15.91c | 13 cents | $1.07 | $32.54 | $390.51 |
| Oregon | 15.92c | 13 cents | $1.07 | $32.56 | $390.75 |
| Missouri | 16.02c | 13 cents | $1.08 | $32.77 | $393.21 |
| West Virginia | 16.31c | 14 cents | $1.10 | $33.36 | $400.33 |
| Alabama | 16.33c | 14 cents | $1.10 | $33.40 | $400.82 |
| New Mexico | 16.51c | 14 cents | $1.11 | $33.77 | $405.23 |
| Indiana | 17.02c | 14 cents | $1.14 | $34.81 | $417.75 |
| Iowa | 17.06c | 14 cents | $1.15 | $34.89 | $418.73 |
| Colorado | 17.17c | 14 cents | $1.15 | $35.12 | $421.43 |
| Minnesota | 17.2c | 14 cents | $1.16 | $35.18 | $422.17 |
| Virginia | 17.64c | 15 cents | $1.19 | $36.08 | $432.97 |
| Delaware | 18.7c | 16 cents | $1.26 | $38.25 | $458.99 |
| Illinois | 19.32c | 16 cents | $1.30 | $39.52 | $474.21 |
| Ohio | 19.38c | 16 cents | $1.30 | $39.64 | $475.68 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41c | 16 cents | $1.30 | $39.70 | $476.41 |
| Maryland | 21.4c | 18 cents | $1.44 | $43.77 | $525.26 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77c | 18 cents | $1.46 | $44.53 | $534.34 |
| Michigan | 22.99c | 19 cents | $1.54 | $47.02 | $564.28 |
| Vermont | 23.84c | 20 cents | $1.60 | $48.76 | $585.15 |
| Connecticut | 24.51c | 21 cents | $1.65 | $50.13 | $601.59 |
| New Jersey | 24.61c | 21 cents | $1.65 | $50.34 | $604.05 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98c | 22 cents | $1.75 | $53.14 | $637.67 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64c | 23 cents | $1.86 | $56.53 | $678.42 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18c | 24 cents | $1.89 | $57.64 | $691.67 |
| New York | 28.65c | 24 cents | $1.93 | $58.60 | $703.21 |
| Alaska | 29.41c | 25 cents | $1.98 | $60.16 | $721.86 |
| California | 29.75c | 25 cents | $2.00 | $60.85 | $730.21 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48c | 26 cents | $2.05 | $62.34 | $748.13 |
| Maine | 32.11c | 27 cents | $2.16 | $65.68 | $788.13 |
| Hawaii | 47.18c | 40 cents | $3.17 | $96.50 | $1,158 |
Rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, residential sector, August 2026, preliminary. All rates with the year-on-year change.
How a heat pump or mini split uses electricity
A single-zone mini split draws roughly 600 to 1,500 watts while running, and modulates its compressor rather than switching fully on and off, so the duty cycle is smoother than a plug-in heater. A whole-house ducted heat pump draws 2,000 to 5,000 watts.
Output falls as the outdoor temperature drops, so running cost per hour rises in a cold snap even though the rated input stays the same. Modern cold-climate units keep a coefficient of performance above 2 well below freezing.
For the UK, a 3 to 4 kW whole-house air source heat pump is sized to the house, runs for long hours at low output and is usually compared with a gas boiler at the Ofgem gas rate rather than with plug-in heaters.
Ways to cut the cost
- Set it and leave it. Heat pumps are most efficient at a steady temperature, not on timers.
- Clean the filters monthly in season.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves and snow.
Questions people ask
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a space heater?
Yes, by roughly the coefficient of performance. A heat pump delivering 3 kWh of heat per kWh of electricity costs about a third as much as resistance heat for the same warmth.
How much does a mini split cost to run per month?
At 1,200 watts, 70% duty and 8 hours a day, about 200 kWh a month. At 18 cents that is about 36 dollars. Change the hours and rate above for your case.
Other heating 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.