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

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

The short answer

A typical 150W refrigerator uses about 1.26 kWh a day, which costs $0.19 a day in Washington — about $5.64 a month or $67.65 a year.

The estimate uses Washington’s average residential electricity price of 14.7¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 20% below the national average.

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

Refrigerator cost by size and efficiency in Washington

Cost at 14.7¢/kWh, the Washington average (EIA, Jul 2026)
ModelkWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
Efficient (100W) 25.6 $0.12 $3.76 $45.10
Typical (150W) 38.3 $0.19 $5.64 $67.65
Older / large (250W) 63.9 $0.31 $9.40 $113

Washington vs other states

At typical use, a refrigerator costs $67.65 a year in Washington — $153 less than in Hawaii and $9.15 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 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 Washington?

A typical 150W refrigerator uses about 460 kWh a year, which costs about $67.65 at Washington’s average rate of 14.7¢/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 Washington that costs $5.64.

Is it expensive to run a refrigerator in Washington?

Washington has the 13th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 14.7¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a refrigerator here costs about $67.65 a year at typical use, compared with $84.21 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.

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

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method