Kitchen · Missouri
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Microwave in Missouri?
The short answer
A typical 1,100W microwave costs about $0.18 per hour to run in Missouri, or $1.35 a month at 15 minutes a day.
That’s based on Missouri’s average residential rate of 16.1¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 12% below the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Microwave cost by daily use in Missouri
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 minutes/day | 3.3 | $0.02 | $0.54 | $6.46 |
| 15 minutes/day | 8.4 | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.15 |
| 30 minutes/day | 16.7 | $0.09 | $2.69 | $32.30 |
| 1 hour/day | 33.5 | $0.18 | $5.38 | $64.60 |
| 2 hours/day | 66.9 | $0.35 | $10.77 | $129 |
| 3 hours/day | 100.4 | $0.53 | $16.15 | $194 |
Missouri vs other states
At typical use, a microwave costs $16.15 a year in Missouri — $32.03 less than in Hawaii and $3.38 more than in Louisiana.
Missouri has the 25th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Missouri price per kWh · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Missouri
16.1¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +3.4% 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 Missouri?
Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $4.25 at Missouri’s average rate of 16.1¢/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 Missouri that costs $1.35.
Is it expensive to run a microwave in Missouri?
Missouri has the 25th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 16.1¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a microwave here costs about $16.15 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Missouri right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Missouri was 16.1¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 3.4% 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
Other appliances in Missouri
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 microwave: 15 minutes a day. Typical power 1,100W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).