U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated

Cooling · Georgia

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Central Air Conditioner in Georgia?

The short answer

A typical 3,500W central air conditioner costs about $0.57 per hour to run in Georgia, or $139 a month at 8 hours a day.

The estimate uses Georgia’s average residential electricity price of 16.3¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 11% below the national average.

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

Central Air Conditioner cost by daily use in Georgia

Cost at 16.3¢/kWh, the Georgia average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 106.5 $0.57 $17.32 $208
2 hours/day 212.9 $1.14 $34.65 $416
4 hours/day 425.9 $2.28 $69.29 $831
8 hours/day 851.8 $4.56 $139 $1,663
12 hours/day 1,277.6 $6.83 $208 $2,494
24 hours/day 2,555.3 $13.67 $416 $4,988

Georgia vs other states

At typical use, a central air conditioner costs $1,663 a year in Georgia — $3,243 less than in Hawaii and $363 more than in Louisiana.

Georgia has the 25th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Georgia price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Georgia

16.3¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +4.6% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a central air conditioner

Central AC is usually the single largest electricity user in a home during summer. Power draw depends on capacity (tons) and efficiency (SEER2 rating): a 3-ton system typically draws 3–4 kW while running. The compressor cycles on and off to hold your thermostat setting, so enter the hours per day it actually runs — on a hot afternoon that can be most of the day, while on a mild day it may be only a few hours.

  • Each degree you raise the thermostat in summer saves roughly 3% on cooling.
  • Replace the air filter every 1–3 months and keep the outdoor condenser clear of debris.
  • Use ceiling fans so you can set the thermostat 3–4°F higher with the same comfort.
  • Long, hot summers in Georgia mean cooling equipment can run most of the day from May through September — try 10–12 hours above to see a peak-month cost.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a central air conditioner for 24 hours in Georgia?

Running a 3,500W central air conditioner for 24 hours uses about 84.0 kWh, which costs about $13.67 at Georgia’s average rate of 16.3¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a central air conditioner use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical central air conditioner uses about 852 kWh a month. In Georgia that costs $139.

Is it expensive to run a central air conditioner in Georgia?

Georgia has the 25th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 16.3¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a central air conditioner here costs about $1,663 a year at typical use, compared with $1,871 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Georgia right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Georgia was 16.3¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 4.6% from a year earlier.

How many watts does a central air conditioner use?

Most residential central AC systems draw 2,000–5,000W while running; a typical 3-ton system uses about 3,500W.

Sources & method