Cooling · Minnesota
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Window Air Conditioner in Minnesota?
The short answer
In Minnesota, a window air conditioner drawing 900W costs about $0.16 per hour — roughly $38.22 a month if it runs 8 hours a day.
Minnesota’s average residential rate was 17.5¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 5% below the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Window Air Conditioner cost by daily use in Minnesota
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour/day | 27.4 | $0.16 | $4.78 | $57.32 |
| 2 hours/day | 54.8 | $0.31 | $9.55 | $115 |
| 4 hours/day | 109.5 | $0.63 | $19.11 | $229 |
| 8 hours/day | 219.0 | $1.26 | $38.22 | $459 |
| 12 hours/day | 328.5 | $1.88 | $57.33 | $688 |
| 24 hours/day | 657.1 | $3.77 | $115 | $1,376 |
Minnesota vs other states
At typical use, a window air conditioner costs $459 a year in Minnesota — $803 less than in Hawaii and $124 more than in Louisiana.
Minnesota has the 21st-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Minnesota electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Minnesota
17.5¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +3.1% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a window air conditioner
Window air conditioners cool a single room and are far cheaper to run than central AC when you only need one or two rooms cool. Wattage scales with capacity: small 5,000 BTU units draw around 450–500W, a 10,000 BTU unit around 900W, and large 15,000+ BTU units 1,300–1,500W. ENERGY STAR models with inverter compressors can use 20–35% less. The compressor cycles with the thermostat, so enter the hours it actually runs.
- Pick the right size — an oversized unit cycles constantly and dehumidifies poorly.
- Seal the gaps around the unit with foam strips to keep hot air out.
- Clean the washable filter every two weeks in peak season.
- Summers in Minnesota are relatively mild, so cooling costs are concentrated in a few hot weeks each year.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a window air conditioner for 24 hours in Minnesota?
Running a 900W window air conditioner for 24 hours uses about 21.6 kWh, which costs about $3.77 at Minnesota’s average rate of 17.5¢/kWh.
How many kWh does a window air conditioner use per month?
At 8 hours a day, a typical window air conditioner uses about 219 kWh a month. In Minnesota that costs $38.22.
Is it expensive to run a window air conditioner in Minnesota?
Minnesota has the 21st-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 17.5¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a window air conditioner here costs about $459 a year at typical use, compared with $481 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Minnesota right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Minnesota was 17.5¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 3.1% from a year earlier.
Is a window AC cheaper to run than central air?
For cooling one or two rooms, yes. A 900W window unit uses about a quarter of the power of a typical 3,500W central system.
Window Air Conditioner costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Minnesota
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 window air conditioner: 8 hours a day. Typical power 900W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).