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

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Microwave in South Dakota?

The short answer

In South Dakota, a microwave drawing 1,100W costs about $0.17 per hour — roughly $1.29 a month if it runs 15 minutes a day.

South Dakota’s average residential rate was 15.4¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 16% below the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in South Dakota

Cost at 15.4¢/kWh, the South Dakota average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.02 $0.51 $6.17
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.04 $1.29 $15.43
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.08 $2.57 $30.86
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.17 $5.14 $61.71
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.34 $10.29 $123
3 hours/day 100.4 $0.51 $15.43 $185

South Dakota vs other states

At typical use, a microwave costs $15.43 a year in South Dakota — $32.75 less than in Hawaii and $2.66 more than in Louisiana.

South Dakota has the 18th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. South Dakota electricity rates · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in South Dakota

15.4¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +5.9% 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 South Dakota?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $4.06 at South Dakota’s average rate of 15.4¢/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 South Dakota that costs $1.29.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in South Dakota?

South Dakota has the 18th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.4¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a microwave here costs about $15.43 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in South Dakota right now?

The average residential electricity rate in South Dakota was 15.4¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 5.9% 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