Laundry · Hawaii
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Clothes Dryer in Hawaii?
The short answer
A typical clothes dryer uses about 3.00 kWh per load, which costs $1.44 per load in Hawaii — about $31.29 a month at 5 loads a week.
Hawaii’s average residential rate was 48.0¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 162% above the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Clothes Dryer cost by number of loads in Hawaii
| Usage | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 load/week | 13.0 | $0.21 | $6.26 | $75.09 |
| 3 loads/week | 39.1 | $0.62 | $18.77 | $225 |
| 5 loads/week | 65.2 | $1.03 | $31.29 | $375 |
| 7 loads/week | 91.3 | $1.44 | $43.80 | $526 |
| 10 loads/week | 130.4 | $2.06 | $62.58 | $751 |
| 14 loads/week | 182.5 | $2.88 | $87.61 | $1,051 |
Hawaii vs other states
Hawaii has the most expensive electricity in the country, so running a clothes dryer here costs $276 more a year than in Louisiana at the same usage.
Hawaii has the most expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Hawaii electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Hawaii
48.0¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +22.0% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a clothes dryer
Electric dryers have heating elements of around 5,000W, and a typical load takes 45–60 minutes with the element cycling, for roughly 2.5–3.5 kWh per load. Heat pump dryers use about half as much, and line drying uses none. Moisture sensors that stop the cycle when clothes are dry save more than timed cycles.
- Use the moisture-sensing (auto-dry) setting instead of a fixed timer.
- Clean the lint filter every load and check the vent duct yearly.
- Dry loads back-to-back to use leftover heat, and air-dry when you can.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost per load to run a clothes dryer in Hawaii?
A typical load uses about 3.00 kWh, which costs $1.44 at Hawaii’s average rate of 48.0¢/kWh. An efficient model can cost as little as $0.72 per load.
How many kWh does a clothes dryer use per month?
At 5 loads a week, a typical clothes dryer uses about 65.2 kWh a month. In Hawaii that costs $31.29.
Is it expensive to run a clothes dryer in Hawaii?
Hawaii has the most expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 48.0¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a clothes dryer here costs about $375 a year at typical use, compared with $143 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Hawaii right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Hawaii was 48.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 22.0% from a year earlier.
How many kWh does a dryer use per load?
Typically 2.5–3.5 kWh for a standard electric dryer, and about half that for a heat pump dryer.
Clothes Dryer costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Hawaii
Cheapest and priciest states
Comparisons
Sources & method
- Electricity rates: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly — average residential retail price, July 2026 (latest available). Retrieved .
- CO₂: EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 emissions rate of in-state power generation.
- Default usage for clothes dryer: 5 loads a week. Typical power 5,000W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).