Entertainment · North Carolina
How Much Does It Cost to Run an Xbox Series X in North Carolina?
The short answer
In North Carolina, an Xbox Series X drawing 160W costs about $0.02 per hour — roughly $2.21 a month if it runs 3 hours 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
Xbox Series X cost by daily use in North Carolina
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour/day | 4.9 | $0.02 | $0.74 | $8.85 |
| 2 hours/day | 9.7 | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.71 |
| 4 hours/day | 19.5 | $0.10 | $2.95 | $35.41 |
| 8 hours/day | 38.9 | $0.19 | $5.90 | $70.83 |
| 12 hours/day | 58.4 | $0.29 | $8.85 | $106 |
| 24 hours/day | 116.8 | $0.58 | $17.71 | $212 |
North Carolina vs other states
At typical use, an Xbox Series X costs $26.56 a year in North Carolina — $57.54 less than in Hawaii and $4.27 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 an Xbox Series X
The Xbox Series X typically draws 150–210W during games, depending on how demanding the title is, and much less on menus or video streaming. Its energy-saving shutdown mode uses well under a watt, while the 'sleep' standby mode draws more so it can wake and update quickly. Add your TV's consumption for the full cost of a gaming session.
- Use the energy-saving shutdown option instead of sleep mode.
- Turn on auto power-off after inactivity.
- Stream video on a low-power device instead of the console.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run an Xbox Series X for 24 hours in North Carolina?
Running a 160W Xbox Series X for 24 hours uses about 3.84 kWh, which costs about $0.58 at North Carolina’s average rate of 15.2¢/kWh.
How many kWh does an Xbox Series X use per month?
At 3 hours a day, a typical Xbox Series X uses about 14.6 kWh a month. In North Carolina that costs $2.21.
Is it expensive to run an Xbox Series X 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 an Xbox Series X here costs about $26.56 a year at typical use, compared with $32.08 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.
Xbox Series X costs in nearby states
Other appliances in North Carolina
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 Xbox Series X: 3 hours a day. Typical power 160W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).