How much does a gaming pc cost to run?
Updated August 2026 · average residential rates
Quick answer: a gaming pc (300–700 W under load) costs about 7.6¢ per hour to run at the US average rate. With 4 hours of gaming/day, that's 30.4¢/day, $9.25/month and $111/year — using ~1.8 kWh a day. Your state's rate can move this from $6.13 to $23.04 monthly.
Run your own numbers
300–700 W under load · default assumes 4 hours of gaming/day
Uses about 1.8 kWh/day at 15.6¢/kWh (Texas). National average would be $9.25/month.
Gaming PC cost by state
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 15.6¢/kWh | 7.0¢ | $8.54 |
| Alaska | 24.9¢/kWh | 11.2¢ | $13.63 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢/kWh | 6.8¢ | $8.32 |
| Arkansas | 12.7¢/kWh | 5.7¢ | $6.95 |
| California | 31.8¢/kWh | 14.3¢ | $17.40 |
| Colorado | 15.3¢/kWh | 6.9¢ | $8.37 |
| Connecticut | 32.3¢/kWh | 14.5¢ | $17.67 |
| Delaware | 16.8¢/kWh | 7.6¢ | $9.19 |
| District of Columbia | 17.6¢/kWh | 7.9¢ | $9.63 |
| Florida | 15.1¢/kWh | 6.8¢ | $8.26 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢/kWh | 6.4¢ | $7.77 |
| Hawaii | 42.1¢/kWh | 18.9¢ | $23.04 |
| Idaho | 11.6¢/kWh | 5.2¢ | $6.35 |
| Illinois | 16.4¢/kWh | 7.4¢ | $8.97 |
| Indiana | 15.7¢/kWh | 7.1¢ | $8.59 |
| Iowa | 13.7¢/kWh | 6.2¢ | $7.50 |
| Kansas | 14.3¢/kWh | 6.4¢ | $7.82 |
| Kentucky | 13.1¢/kWh | 5.9¢ | $7.17 |
| Louisiana | 12.1¢/kWh | 5.4¢ | $6.62 |
| Maine | 25.6¢/kWh | 11.5¢ | $14.01 |
| Maryland | 18.1¢/kWh | 8.1¢ | $9.90 |
| Massachusetts | 31.2¢/kWh | 14.0¢ | $17.07 |
| Michigan | 19.4¢/kWh | 8.7¢ | $10.62 |
| Minnesota | 15.1¢/kWh | 6.8¢ | $8.26 |
| Mississippi | 13.6¢/kWh | 6.1¢ | $7.44 |
| Missouri | 12.6¢/kWh | 5.7¢ | $6.89 |
| Montana | 12.8¢/kWh | 5.8¢ | $7.00 |
| Nebraska | 12.1¢/kWh | 5.4¢ | $6.62 |
| Nevada | 15.4¢/kWh | 6.9¢ | $8.43 |
| New Hampshire | 25.2¢/kWh | 11.3¢ | $13.79 |
| New Jersey | 19.6¢/kWh | 8.8¢ | $10.73 |
| New Mexico | 14.6¢/kWh | 6.6¢ | $7.99 |
| New York | 24.6¢/kWh | 11.1¢ | $13.46 |
| North Carolina | 14.1¢/kWh | 6.3¢ | $7.72 |
| North Dakota | 11.2¢/kWh | 5.0¢ | $6.13 |
| Ohio | 16.3¢/kWh | 7.3¢ | $8.92 |
| Oklahoma | 12.2¢/kWh | 5.5¢ | $6.68 |
| Oregon | 14.8¢/kWh | 6.7¢ | $8.10 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.4¢/kWh | 8.3¢ | $10.07 |
| Rhode Island | 30.4¢/kWh | 13.7¢ | $16.63 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢/kWh | 6.6¢ | $8.04 |
| South Dakota | 12.6¢/kWh | 5.7¢ | $6.89 |
| Tennessee | 13.2¢/kWh | 5.9¢ | $7.22 |
| Texas | 15.6¢/kWh | 7.0¢ | $8.54 |
| Utah | 11.7¢/kWh | 5.3¢ | $6.40 |
| Vermont | 21.6¢/kWh | 9.7¢ | $11.82 |
| Virginia | 14.6¢/kWh | 6.6¢ | $7.99 |
| Washington | 12.3¢/kWh | 5.5¢ | $6.73 |
| West Virginia | 14.8¢/kWh | 6.7¢ | $8.10 |
| Wisconsin | 17.2¢/kWh | 7.7¢ | $9.41 |
| Wyoming | 11.8¢/kWh | 5.3¢ | $6.46 |
FAQ
How much electricity does a gaming pc use?+
A typical gaming pc draws 300–700 W under load. At 4 hours of gaming/day, that's about 1.8 kWh per day.
How much does a gaming pc cost to run per month?+
About $9.25 per month at the US average residential rate of 16.9¢/kWh — ranging from roughly $6.13 in North Dakota to $23.04 in Hawaii.
Is it expensive to leave a gaming pc on?+
Running it costs about 7.6¢ per hour at average rates. Multiply by your actual hours — and check your state's rate above, since electricity prices vary almost 4× across the US.