U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
Appliances Rates by state Compare Calculators Reports Methodology About

Side-by-side running cost

Window Air Conditioner vs Central Air Conditioner: Which Costs Less to Run?

The short answer

Per hour of use, a window air conditioner ($0.16/hr) costs about 74% less to run than a central air conditioner ($0.64/hr) at the US average rate of 18.3¢/kWh. At typical use (8 hours a day vs 8 hours a day), that’s $40.10 vs $156 a month.

Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated

Cheaper to run

Window Air Conditioner

Typical power
900W
Per hour
$0.16
Per month
$40.10
Per year
$481
Typical use
8 hours a day
Full window air conditioner breakdown

Central Air Conditioner

Typical power
3,500W
Per hour
$0.64
Per month
$156
Per year
$1,871
Typical use
8 hours a day
Full central air conditioner breakdown

Window Air Conditioner vs Central Air Conditioner in the 10 largest states

Monthly cost at typical use and each state’s average residential rate.

StateWindow Air ConditionerCentral Air ConditionerDifference
California $73.61 $286 $213
Texas $34.78 $135 $100
Florida $32.92 $128 $95.10
New York $65.49 $255 $189
Pennsylvania $47.57 $185 $137
Illinois $42.10 $164 $122
Ohio $42.60 $166 $123
Georgia $35.64 $139 $103
North Carolina $33.20 $129 $95.92
Michigan $50.49 $196 $146

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is a window air conditioner cheaper to run than a central air conditioner?

Per hour of use, a window air conditioner ($0.16/hr) costs about 74% less to run than a central air conditioner ($0.64/hr) at the US average rate of 18.3¢/kWh. At typical use (8 hours a day vs 8 hours a day), that’s $40.10 vs $156 a month.

How much power does a window air conditioner use compared with a central air conditioner?

A window air conditioner typically draws 900W, while a central air conditioner draws about 3,500W.

More comparisons

Sources & method