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

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Space Heater in Florida?

The short answer

A typical 1,500W space heater costs about $0.23 per hour to run in Florida, or $54.87 a month at 8 hours a day.

That’s based on Florida’s average residential rate of 15.0¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 18% below the US average.

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

Space Heater cost by daily use in Florida

Cost at 15.0¢/kWh, the Florida average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 45.6 $0.23 $6.86 $82.29
2 hours/day 91.3 $0.45 $13.72 $165
4 hours/day 182.5 $0.90 $27.43 $329
8 hours/day 365.0 $1.80 $54.87 $658
12 hours/day 547.6 $2.71 $82.30 $987
24 hours/day 1,095.1 $5.41 $165 $1,975

Florida vs other states

At typical use, a space heater costs $658 a year in Florida — $1,444 less than in Hawaii and $101 more than in Louisiana.

Florida has the 15th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Florida · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Florida

15.0¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▼ −0.5% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a space heater

A space heater is a resistance heater: virtually every watt it draws becomes heat, so a 1,500W model uses 1.5 kWh for every hour it runs on high. The low setting on most models is around 750W. Ceramic, oil-free fan heaters and infrared models all have the same electricity cost for the same wattage — the difference is how the heat is delivered, not efficiency. A built-in thermostat lowers the real-world cost because the heater cycles off once the room reaches temperature; our estimate assumes it runs at full power for the hours you enter, which gives you a safe upper bound.

  • Heat the room you are in, not the whole house — lower your central thermostat a few degrees while the space heater runs.
  • Use a model with a thermostat and an eco mode so it cycles off when the room is warm.
  • Close doors and block drafts so the heat stays where you need it.
  • Heating seasons in Florida are short, so most households only run a space heater for a few weeks a year.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a space heater for 24 hours in Florida?

Running a 1,500W space heater for 24 hours uses about 36.0 kWh, which costs about $5.41 at Florida’s average rate of 15.0¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a space heater use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical space heater uses about 365 kWh a month. In Florida that costs $54.87.

Is it expensive to run a space heater in Florida?

Florida has the 15th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.0¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a space heater here costs about $658 a year at typical use, compared with $802 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Florida right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Florida was 15.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — down 0.5% from a year earlier.

Is it cheaper to run a space heater or central heat?

Heating one small room with a 1,500W space heater is usually cheaper than heating the whole house with an electric furnace. A modern heat pump, however, delivers 2–4 units of heat per unit of electricity, so it can heat a room far more cheaply than any space heater.

Do ceramic or infrared space heaters use less electricity?

No. All electric resistance heaters turn about 100% of their electricity into heat. A 1,500W ceramic heater and a 1,500W infrared heater cost the same per hour.

Space Heater costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method