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

Kitchen · Washington

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

The short answer

A typical 1,100W microwave costs about $0.16 per hour to run in Washington, or $1.23 a month at 15 minutes a day.

That’s based on Washington’s average residential rate of 14.7¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 20% below the US average.

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

Microwave cost by daily use in Washington

Cost at 14.7¢/kWh, the Washington average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
6 minutes/day 3.3 $0.02 $0.49 $5.91
15 minutes/day 8.4 $0.04 $1.23 $14.77
30 minutes/day 16.7 $0.08 $2.46 $29.53
1 hour/day 33.5 $0.16 $4.92 $59.06
2 hours/day 66.9 $0.32 $9.84 $118
3 hours/day 100.4 $0.49 $14.77 $177

Washington vs other states

At typical use, a microwave costs $14.77 a year in Washington — $33.41 less than in Hawaii and $2.00 more than in Louisiana.

Washington has the 13th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Washington price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Washington

14.7¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +9.4% 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 Washington?

Running a 1,100W microwave for 24 hours uses about 26.4 kWh, which costs about $3.88 at Washington’s average rate of 14.7¢/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 Washington that costs $1.23.

Is it expensive to run a microwave in Washington?

Washington has the 13th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 14.7¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a microwave here costs about $14.77 a year at typical use, compared with $18.38 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Washington right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Washington was 14.7¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 9.4% 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

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method