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

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

The short answer

In Louisiana, a microwave drawing 1,100W costs about $0.14 per hour — roughly $1.06 a month if it runs 15 minutes a day.

Louisiana’s average residential rate was 12.7¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 31% below the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in Louisiana

Cost at 12.7¢/kWh, the Louisiana average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.01 $0.43 $5.11
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.03 $1.06 $12.77
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.07 $2.13 $25.54
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.14 $4.26 $51.07
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.28 $8.51 $102
3 hours/day 100.4 $0.42 $12.77 $153

Louisiana vs other states

Louisiana has the cheapest electricity in the country — the same microwave would cost $35.41 more a year in Hawaii.

Louisiana has the cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Louisiana · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Louisiana

12.7¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▼ −3.0% 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 Louisiana?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $3.36 at Louisiana’s average rate of 12.7¢/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 Louisiana that costs $1.06.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in Louisiana?

Louisiana has the cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 12.7¢/kWh — one of the cheapest. Running a microwave here costs about $12.77 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Louisiana right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Louisiana was 12.7¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — down 3.0% 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