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

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

The short answer

Running a 1,100W microwave in Pennsylvania costs about $0.24 an hour. At 15 minutes a day, that’s roughly $1.82 a month and $21.80 a year.

That’s based on Pennsylvania’s average residential rate of 21.7¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 19% above the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in Pennsylvania

Cost at 21.7¢/kWh, the Pennsylvania average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.02 $0.73 $8.72
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.06 $1.82 $21.80
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.12 $3.63 $43.60
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.24 $7.27 $87.21
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.48 $14.54 $174
3 hours/day 100.4 $0.72 $21.80 $262

Pennsylvania vs other states

At typical use, a microwave costs $21.80 a year in Pennsylvania — $26.38 less than in Hawaii and $9.03 more than in Louisiana.

Pennsylvania has the 14th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Pennsylvania electricity rates · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Pennsylvania

21.7¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +11.3% 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 Pennsylvania?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $5.73 at Pennsylvania’s average rate of 21.7¢/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 Pennsylvania that costs $1.82.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has the 14th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 21.7¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a microwave here costs about $21.80 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Pennsylvania right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Pennsylvania was 21.7¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 11.3% 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