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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Wi-Fi Router in North Carolina?
The short answer
Running a Wi-Fi router around the clock in North Carolina costs about $1.11 a month ($0.04 a day), based on a typical 10W unit using 0.24 kWh a day.
The estimate uses North Carolina’s average residential electricity price of 15.2¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 17% below the national average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Wi-Fi Router cost by size and efficiency in North Carolina
| Model | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient (6W) | 4.4 | $0.02 | $0.66 | $7.97 |
| Typical (10W) | 7.3 | $0.04 | $1.11 | $13.28 |
| Older / large (20W) | 14.6 | $0.07 | $2.21 | $26.56 |
North Carolina vs other states
At typical use, a Wi-Fi router costs $13.28 a year in North Carolina — $28.77 less than in Hawaii and $2.14 more than in Louisiana.
North Carolina has the 16th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. North Carolina electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in North Carolina
15.2¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +13.4% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a Wi-Fi router
Routers, modems and mesh nodes run 24/7, so even a 10W device uses about 7 kWh a month. A modem plus router plus two mesh nodes can add up to 30–40W of constant load. It's a good example of how always-on devices quietly add to a bill.
- Combine modem and router into one device if your provider allows it.
- Use only as many mesh nodes as you need for coverage.
- Schedule Wi-Fi off overnight if no one needs it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Wi-Fi router cost to run per year in North Carolina?
A typical 10W Wi-Fi router uses about 87.6 kWh a year, which costs about $13.28 at North Carolina’s average rate of 15.2¢/kWh.
How many kWh does a Wi-Fi router use per month?
At running 24/7, a typical Wi-Fi router uses about 7.30 kWh a month. In North Carolina that costs $1.11.
Is it expensive to run a Wi-Fi router in North Carolina?
North Carolina has the 16th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.2¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a Wi-Fi router here costs about $13.28 a year at typical use, compared with $16.04 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in North Carolina right now?
The average residential electricity rate in North Carolina was 15.2¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 13.4% from a year earlier.
Wi-Fi Router costs in nearby states
Other appliances in North Carolina
Cheapest and priciest states
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 Wi-Fi router: running 24/7. Typical power 10W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).