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

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

The short answer

A typical 1,100W microwave costs about $0.36 per hour to run in Maine, or $2.71 a month at 15 minutes a day.

That’s based on Maine’s average residential rate of 32.4¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 77% above the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in Maine

Cost at 32.4¢/kWh, the Maine average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.04 $1.08 $13.01
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.09 $2.71 $32.53
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.18 $5.42 $65.06
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.36 $10.85 $130
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.71 $21.69 $260
3 hours/day 100.4 $1.07 $32.54 $390

Maine vs other states

At typical use, a microwave costs $32.53 a year in Maine — $15.65 less than in Hawaii and $19.76 more than in Louisiana.

Maine has the 3rd-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Maine electricity rates · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Maine

32.4¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +15.8% 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 Maine?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $8.56 at Maine’s average rate of 32.4¢/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 Maine that costs $2.71.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in Maine?

Maine has the 3rd-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 32.4¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a microwave here costs about $32.53 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Maine right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Maine was 32.4¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 15.8% 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