Kitchen · Montana
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Refrigerator in Montana?
The short answer
A typical 150W refrigerator uses about 1.26 kWh a day, which costs $0.19 a day in Montana — about $5.75 a month or $68.94 a year.
That’s based on Montana’s average residential rate of 15.0¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 18% below the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Refrigerator cost by size and efficiency in Montana
| Model | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient (100W) | 25.6 | $0.13 | $3.83 | $45.96 |
| Typical (150W) | 38.3 | $0.19 | $5.75 | $68.94 |
| Older / large (250W) | 63.9 | $0.31 | $9.58 | $115 |
Montana vs other states
At typical use, a refrigerator costs $68.94 a year in Montana — $152 less than in Hawaii and $10.44 more than in Louisiana.
Montana has the 14th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Montana price per kWh · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Montana
15.0¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +5.0% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a refrigerator
Your refrigerator is one of the few appliances that never turns off, but it doesn't draw its rated wattage all day. The compressor cycles on and off to hold temperature, running roughly 30–40% of the time in a typical kitchen. That is why we apply a duty cycle: a 150W fridge at 35% uses about 1.26 kWh a day. Older refrigerators (pre-2001) and second fridges in hot garages can use two to three times more.
- Set the fridge to 37–40°F and the freezer to 0°F — colder settings waste energy.
- Vacuum the condenser coils once or twice a year.
- Retire an old second fridge in the garage — it can cost more per year than a new one.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a refrigerator cost to run per year in Montana?
A typical 150W refrigerator uses about 460 kWh a year, which costs about $68.94 at Montana’s average rate of 15.0¢/kWh.
How many kWh does a refrigerator use per month?
At running 24/7, a typical refrigerator uses about 38.3 kWh a month. In Montana that costs $5.75.
Is it expensive to run a refrigerator in Montana?
Montana has the 14th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.0¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a refrigerator here costs about $68.94 a year at typical use, compared with $84.21 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Montana right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Montana was 15.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 5.0% from a year earlier.
How many kWh does a refrigerator use per day?
A modern full-size refrigerator typically uses 1–1.7 kWh per day (about 400–600 kWh per year). Older models can use 3 kWh or more per day.
Refrigerator costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Montana
Cheapest and priciest states
Comparisons
Sources & method
- Electricity rates: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly — average residential retail price, July 2026 (latest available). Retrieved .
- CO₂: EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 emissions rate of in-state power generation.
- Default usage for refrigerator: running 24/7, 35% duty cycle. Typical power 150W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).