U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
Appliances Rates by state Compare Calculators Reports Methodology About

Kitchen · Tennessee

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

The short answer

A typical 1,100W microwave costs about $0.15 per hour to run in Tennessee, or $1.15 a month at 15 minutes a day.

Tennessee’s average residential rate was 13.7¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 25% below the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in Tennessee

Cost at 13.7¢/kWh, the Tennessee average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.02 $0.46 $5.50
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.04 $1.15 $13.76
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.08 $2.29 $27.52
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.15 $4.59 $55.05
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.30 $9.18 $110
3 hours/day 100.4 $0.45 $13.76 $165

Tennessee vs other states

At typical use, a microwave costs $13.76 a year in Tennessee — $34.42 less than in Hawaii and $0.99 more than in Louisiana.

Tennessee has the 5th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Tennessee · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Tennessee

13.7¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +3.8% 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 Tennessee?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $3.62 at Tennessee’s average rate of 13.7¢/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 Tennessee that costs $1.15.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in Tennessee?

Tennessee has the 5th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 13.7¢/kWh — one of the cheapest. Running a microwave here costs about $13.76 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Tennessee right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Tennessee was 13.7¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 3.8% 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