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

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Microwave in Alaska?

The short answer

A typical 1,100W microwave costs about $0.32 per hour to run in Alaska, or $2.41 a month at 15 minutes a day.

That’s based on Alaska’s average residential rate of 28.8¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 57% above the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in Alaska

Cost at 28.8¢/kWh, the Alaska average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.03 $0.96 $11.58
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.08 $2.41 $28.94
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.16 $4.82 $57.88
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.32 $9.65 $116
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.63 $19.29 $232
3 hours/day 100.4 $0.95 $28.94 $347

Alaska vs other states

At typical use, a microwave costs $28.94 a year in Alaska — $19.24 less than in Hawaii and $16.17 more than in Louisiana.

Alaska has the 6th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Alaska price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Alaska

28.8¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +5.6% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a microwave

The power rating on the front of a microwave (e.g. 900W or 1,000W) is its cooking output; the draw from the wall is higher, usually 1,000–1,500W. Because it heats food directly and runs for minutes at a time, a microwave is one of the cheapest ways to cook or reheat. Our default assumes 15 minutes a day — adjust the hours to match how you cook.

  • Reheat in the microwave instead of the oven — it can use up to 80% less energy for small portions.
  • Unplug models with clocks you don't use to avoid a few watts of standby power.
  • Cover food so it heats faster and more evenly.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a microwave for 24 hours in Alaska?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $7.61 at Alaska’s average rate of 28.8¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a microwave use per month?

At 15 minutes a day, a typical microwave uses about 8.37 kWh a month. In Alaska that costs $2.41.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in Alaska?

Alaska has the 6th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 28.8¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a microwave here costs about $28.94 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Alaska right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Alaska was 28.8¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 5.6% from a year earlier.

Does a microwave use a lot of electricity?

Its wattage is high, but it runs for so little time that a typical microwave adds only a dollar or two to a monthly bill.

Microwave costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method