How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dehumidifier? $0.09/Hr, $30.60/Mo

500 W (300–800 W)Typical power draw

12 h/day, 30 days/monthAssumed use

6.00 kWhEnergy per day

Updated September 2026 · Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · next EIA update ~Oct 23

On this page: Calculator Table How we calculated Sources

Power draw (watts) — typical for dehumidifier: 300–800 W; check your label Hours per day for a dehumidifier — effective run-hours Days per month — 30 = every day Months used per year — 4 for dehumidifier; seasonal loads do not run all year Quick-fill your state's EIA average rate Your rate (¢/kWh) — 17¢ = EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢)

Energy used: — per day

Cost per hour: —

Cost per day: —

Cost per month in use: —

Cost per year: —

a dehumidifier: energy cost only (500 W ÷ 1,000 × hours × rate); fixed fees and taxes extra.

What changes if… Electricity rates move Compare it with charging an EV at home

Slider nudges the rate for a dehumidifier; the URL keeps it.

## How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier?

The same a dehumidifier at 12 hours a day costs $21.60 a month at 12¢ and $81.00 at 45¢ — usage held constant, only the rate moving:

Table 1: How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dehumidifier? $0.09/Hr, $30.60/Mo
Electricity rate	Per hour	Per day	Per month in season	Per year
12¢/kWh	$0.060	$0.72	$21.60	$86
15¢/kWh	$0.075	$0.90	$27.00	$108
17¢/kWh (US avg)	$0.085	$1.02	$30.60	$122
20¢/kWh	$0.100	$1.20	$36.00	$144
25¢/kWh	$0.125	$1.50	$45.00	$180
30¢/kWh	$0.150	$1.80	$54.00	$216
35¢/kWh	$0.175	$2.10	$63.00	$252
45¢/kWh	$0.225	$2.70	$81.00	$324

Typical power draw: 500 W (300–800 W)
Assumed use: 12 h/day, 30 days/month
Energy per day: 6.00 kWh
Cost per day: $1.02
Cost per month: $30.60
Cost per year: $122

Why this number

Running a dehumidifier at 500 watts for 12 hours a day costs about $1.02 a day and $30.60 a month at 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢) — roughly $122 a year. The formula for a dehumidifier: 500 W ÷ 1,000 × hours × your rate per kWh. For a dehumidifier your own rate changes the answer: at 12¢/kWh that month costs $21.60, at 45¢/kWh it costs $81.00.

A dehumidifier rated at 500 watts, run 12 hours a day, costs about $1.02 a day — about $30.60 a month, or $122 a year — at the US average electricity rate of 17¢/kWh. That places it 17th of the 40 appliances tracked here — mid-table, but high enough that it is worth being deliberate about how much you use it.

What actually drives this number

Dehumidifiers run long hours in humid months and barely at all otherwise, so this is costed over a four-month season rather than a full year. Sizing matters: an undersized unit runs constantly and costs more than a correctly sized one that cycles.

For a dehumidifier the unit that matters is the kilowatt-hour, not the kilowatt : 500 W is only the rate of use, and 12 hours a day is what turns it into the 720 kWh a year you are actually billed for. On that yearly measure its nearest always-on neighbor is the refrigerator at about 394 kWh.

Where this number comes from

Benchmark: 720 kWh/year — EIA RECS 2020, Table CE5.3a puts households running one at 999 kWh/yr; a four-month season lands lower
Assumed use for a dehumidifier: 12 h/day, 30 days/month, 4 months/year — every one of these is editable in the calculator above
Rate for a dehumidifier: 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢), from EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A ; the state selector above fills in yours

Putting Dehumidifier in proportion

At 17¢/kWh, a dehumidifier next to the rest of the bill:

Dehumidifier at $30.60 a month is about 2x what Golf cart (48V charging) costs ($18.60), and just under Space heater at $38.25
One hour of a dehumidifier uses as much as roughly an hour of a typical always-on device
Over a year a dehumidifier comes to $122 — about 0.8 months of a $150 monthly electricity bill

For a dehumidifier: this is an always-on load, and that is the whole story. Dehumidifier’s wattage is unremarkable; the 24-hour duty cycle is what puts a dehumidifier where it is. Reducing run-hours is usually impossible for a dehumidifier, which makes efficiency at purchase time the only real decision. On this site’s own numbers, a dehumidifier lands at #17 of 40 on the monthly-cost ranking, at about $30.60 for a typical month.

The formula, in full

The 500 W arithmetic for a dehumidifier, step by step:

Watts to kilowatts. 500 W ÷ 1,000 = 0.50 kW.
Energy per day. 0.50 kW × 12 hours = 6.00 kWh.
Cost per day. 6.00 kWh × $0.17 = $1.02.
Cost per month. $1.02 × 30 days = $30.60.

For a dehumidifier the two levers are run-hours (12 h/day here) and your rate; at 12 hours a day, 500 W adds up — which is why always-on loads dominate the rankings.

Dehumidifier running cost by state

Hours and rate both change with geography: the state pages scale the 12 h/day baseline by each state’s degree-days and price it at the state’s own EIA rate and its largest utilities’ prices. Cold states so far: Alaska , Colorado , Connecticut , Idaho , Illinois , Iowa , Maine , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota , Montana , Nebraska , New Hampshire , New York , North Dakota , South Dakota , Utah , Vermont , Wisconsin , Wyoming .

Other always-on loads: Refrigerator ($67/yr), Air purifier ($67/yr), Well pump ($62/yr). Closest on annual cost: Window air conditioner ($101/yr), Clothes dryer ($79/yr). Across all other always-on loads here, the cheapest is Water softener at $0.37/mo and the priciest is Pool pump at $40.80/mo.

The a dehumidifier table above runs a fixed rate ladder (12–45¢); the state quick-fill uses July 2026 averages from EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A .

Put a dehumidifier ($30.60 a month) against everything else in the electricity cost calculator , check your state’s rate , or browse all 40 appliances ; year-round high bills: solar savings calculator .

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier per hour?

About $0.085 an hour for a dehumidifier at 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢), for a 500 W unit. The calculation is 500 ÷ 1,000 × 1 hour × $0.17 per kWh. At 30¢/kWh the same hour costs $0.150.

How much does a dehumidifier add to my monthly bill?

Roughly $30.60 a month for a dehumidifier at 12 hours a day, 30 days a month, 17¢/kWh. That is about $122 a year across a 4-month season. For a dehumidifier, change the 12-hour default to your own use — run-time moves the total as much as the 500 W does.

How many watts does a dehumidifier use?

Typically around 500 W, with real units ranging from about 300 to 800 W depending on size, model and setting. The nameplate on your own unit is the figure to trust — these are typical values for planning, not a measurement of your appliance.

Why is my actual bill higher than the a dehumidifier figure?

$30.60 a month is the energy cost of a dehumidifier alone; your bill adds fixed connection charges, delivery fees, taxes and every other load. Add the other appliances in the index to a dehumidifier for the controllable part of the bill.

How we calculated this

Worked for a dehumidifier: 500 W ÷ 1,000 × 12 h × $0.17 = $1.02 a day; × 30 days = $30.60 a month; × 4 months in use = $122 a year. 500 W and 12 h are the typical figures cited for a dehumidifier; 17¢ is EIA’s 2025 annual US average.

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity rates · DSIRE incentive records · public IRS/OBBBA guidance. Figures are modeled estimates, not quotes or tax advice. See our methodology.

Where to go next

Cost to run golf cart (48v charging) — The next cheaper item on the list: $18.60 a month against a dehumidifier’s $30.60.
Cost to run space heater — The next pricier item: $38.25 a month, which puts a dehumidifier in proportion.
All 40 appliances ranked by monthly cost — Dehumidifier is 17 of 40; the full ranking at 17¢/kWh.
Electricity cost calculator — Any wattage and hours, not just a dehumidifier — with the state quick-fill.
Find your electricity rate by ZIP — Your own utility’s average rate, sent straight into the a dehumidifier calculator.