Home Office · Rhode Island
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Desktop Computer in Rhode Island?
The short answer
In Rhode Island, a desktop computer drawing 150W costs about $0.04 per hour — roughly $10.33 a month if it runs 8 hours a day.
Rhode Island’s average residential rate was 28.3¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 55% above the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Desktop Computer cost by daily use in Rhode Island
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour/day | 4.6 | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.49 |
| 2 hours/day | 9.1 | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.98 |
| 4 hours/day | 18.3 | $0.17 | $5.16 | $61.96 |
| 8 hours/day | 36.5 | $0.34 | $10.33 | $124 |
| 12 hours/day | 54.8 | $0.51 | $15.49 | $186 |
| 24 hours/day | 109.5 | $1.02 | $30.98 | $372 |
Rhode Island vs other states
At typical use, a desktop computer costs $124 a year in Rhode Island — $86.33 less than in Hawaii and $68.20 more than in Louisiana.
Rhode Island has the 7th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Rhode Island electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Rhode Island
28.3¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +8.1% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a desktop computer
Everyday desktop use — browsing, documents, video calls — is light work for a modern PC, so most office desktops plus a monitor draw around 100–200W. Workstations rendering video or running heavy software use more. Sleep mode drops consumption to just a few watts, so letting the computer sleep when you step away makes a real difference over a year.
- Set the computer to sleep after 15–30 minutes and the display after 5–10 minutes.
- Turn off the whole setup with a power strip at the end of the day.
- Lower monitor brightness — it often accounts for a big share of the total.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a desktop computer for 24 hours in Rhode Island?
Running a 150W desktop computer for 24 hours uses about 3.60 kWh, which costs about $1.02 at Rhode Island’s average rate of 28.3¢/kWh.
How many kWh does a desktop computer use per month?
At 8 hours a day, a typical desktop computer uses about 36.5 kWh a month. In Rhode Island that costs $10.33.
Is it expensive to run a desktop computer in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has the 7th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 28.3¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a desktop computer here costs about $124 a year at typical use, compared with $80.20 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Rhode Island right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Rhode Island was 28.3¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 8.1% from a year earlier.
Desktop Computer costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Rhode Island
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 desktop computer: 8 hours a day. Typical power 150W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).