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

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Portable Air Conditioner in Georgia?

The short answer

A typical 1,200W portable air conditioner costs about $0.20 per hour to run in Georgia, or $47.51 a month at 8 hours a day.

The estimate uses Georgia’s average residential electricity price of 16.3¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 11% below the national average.

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

Portable Air Conditioner cost by daily use in Georgia

Cost at 16.3¢/kWh, the Georgia average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 36.5 $0.20 $5.94 $71.26
2 hours/day 73.0 $0.39 $11.88 $143
4 hours/day 146.0 $0.78 $23.76 $285
8 hours/day 292.0 $1.56 $47.51 $570
12 hours/day 438.0 $2.34 $71.27 $855
24 hours/day 876.1 $4.69 $143 $1,710

Georgia vs other states

At typical use, a portable air conditioner costs $570 a year in Georgia — $1,112 less than in Hawaii and $124 more than in Louisiana.

Georgia has the 25th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Georgia price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Georgia

16.3¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +4.6% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a portable air conditioner

A portable AC sits inside the room and vents hot air through a hose, which makes it convenient but less efficient than a window unit: some of the heat it removes leaks back in, and single-hose models pull warm outside air into the room. A common 10,000–12,000 BTU portable unit draws around 1,000–1,300W. Dual-hose models are more efficient in hot climates.

  • Keep the exhaust hose as short and straight as possible, and insulate it if it gets hot.
  • Choose a dual-hose model for rooms you cool every day.
  • Close blinds on sun-facing windows during the hottest hours.
  • Long, hot summers in Georgia mean cooling equipment can run most of the day from May through September — try 10–12 hours above to see a peak-month cost.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a portable air conditioner for 24 hours in Georgia?

Running a 1,200W portable air conditioner for 24 hours uses about 28.8 kWh, which costs about $4.69 at Georgia’s average rate of 16.3¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a portable air conditioner use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical portable air conditioner uses about 292 kWh a month. In Georgia that costs $47.51.

Is it expensive to run a portable air conditioner in Georgia?

Georgia has the 25th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 16.3¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a portable air conditioner here costs about $570 a year at typical use, compared with $642 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Georgia right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Georgia was 16.3¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 4.6% from a year earlier.

Do portable air conditioners use a lot of electricity?

They use about as much as a space heater — typically 800–1,500W — and more than a window AC of the same capacity because they are less efficient.

Portable Air Conditioner costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method