How much does it cost to run a string of Christmas lights?
Short answer: A string of Christmas lights drawing 40 watts costs about $0.01 per hour at the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Used 6 hours a day, 30 days a month, that is about $1.32 per month and $15.82 per year. In Louisiana, the cheapest state, the same use costs $0.92 a month; in Hawaii, the most expensive, $3.46.
String of Christmas lights cost calculator
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Hours per day the lights are on. For a whole display, multiply the wattage by the number of strings.
Uses 7.2 kWh per month. The starting price is the U.S. residential average; choose your state or type the price from your own bill.
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| Appliance | Usage | Per month | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | |||
| Per year |
What Christmas lights cost depends almost entirely on the kind of bulb. A string of 100 incandescent mini lights uses about 40 watts; the LED version of the same string uses about 5.
Cost by size and setting
Costs below use the U.S. average price and 6 hours a day, 30 days a month.
| Type | Power | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED mini lights, 100-light string | 5 W | 0.1¢ | $0.16 |
| Incandescent mini lights, 100-light string | 40 W | $0.01 | $1.32 |
| Incandescent C9 bulbs, 25-bulb string | 175 W | $0.03 | $5.77 |
LED against incandescent
Old-style incandescent strings turn most of their electricity into heat. LED strings give the same light with roughly a tenth of the power, stay cool to the touch, and can be linked in much longer runs from a single outlet. The large C7 and C9 bulbs used along rooflines are the most demanding: a 25-bulb incandescent string draws about 175 watts.
Adding up a whole display
Count the strings and multiply. A tree with five incandescent mini strings is 200 watts; six hours a day for a month is 36 kWh. A house outlined with ten C9 strings is 1,750 watts, more than a space heater, and over a month of evenings that reaches 315 kWh. The same displays in LED would use about a tenth as much.
How to lower the cost
- Switch to LED strings; this is where nearly all the saving is.
- Put the lights on a timer so they are off overnight.
- Turn the tree lights off when nobody is in the room.
- Check the maximum number of strings that can be connected end to end, printed on the box.
How a string of Christmas lights compares with other appliances
Typical power and use for each appliance, at the U.S. average price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Follow a link for that appliance's own calculator, or compare two side by side.
| Appliance | Power | Typical use | Energy per month | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| String of Christmas lights | 40 W | 6 hours a day, 30 days a month | 7.2 kWh | $1.32 |
| LED light bulb | 10 W | 5 hours a day, 30 days a month | 1.5 kWh | $0.27 |
| TV | 100 W | 5 hours a day, 30 days a month | 15.0 kWh | $2.75 |
| Electric fireplace | 1,500 W | 4 hours a day, 30 days a month | 180.0 kWh | $32.96 |
| Space heater | 1,500 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 360.0 kWh | $65.92 |
The math behind the numbers
40 watts ÷ 1,000 = 0.04 kW. 0.04 kW × 6 hours = 0.24 kWh per day. 0.24 kWh × $0.1831 = $0.04 per day. Over 30 days that is 7.2 kWh and $1.32 a month.
Your own figure will differ if your appliance has a different wattage, if you use it more or less, or if your price per kWh is not the national average. Change any of those in the calculator at the top of this page. Our step-by-step guide explains where to find each number.
Cost to run a string of Christmas lights in every state
Based on 40 watts for 6 hours a day, 30 days a month, at each state's average residential electricity price for July 2026.
| State | Price per kWh | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $0.01 | $1.18 | $14.17 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.01 | $2.08 | $24.91 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.01 | $1.11 | $13.29 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.01 | $1.03 | $12.38 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $0.01 | $2.42 | $29.04 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.01 | $1.22 | $14.69 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.01 | $1.74 | $20.87 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.01 | $1.33 | $15.97 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.01 | $1.82 | $21.78 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.01 | $1.08 | $12.99 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.01 | $1.17 | $14.06 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $0.02 | $3.46 | $41.47 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.01 | $0.99 | $11.86 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.01 | $1.38 | $16.61 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.01 | $1.20 | $14.45 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.01 | $1.15 | $13.82 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.01 | $1.10 | $13.19 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.01 | $0.99 | $11.93 |
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.01 | $0.92 | $10.99 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $0.01 | $2.33 | $28.00 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.01 | $1.54 | $18.50 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $0.01 | $2.20 | $26.34 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.01 | $1.66 | $19.92 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.01 | $1.26 | $15.08 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.01 | $1.05 | $12.56 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.01 | $1.16 | $13.90 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.01 | $1.08 | $12.95 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.01 | $0.99 | $11.91 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.01 | $0.92 | $11.03 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.01 | $1.92 | $22.98 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.01 | $1.81 | $21.76 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.01 | $1.16 | $13.90 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $0.01 | $2.15 | $25.83 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.01 | $1.09 | $13.10 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.01 | $0.97 | $11.59 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.01 | $1.40 | $16.80 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.01 | $1.03 | $12.40 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.01 | $1.15 | $13.80 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.01 | $1.56 | $18.77 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.01 | $2.04 | $24.44 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.01 | $1.11 | $13.37 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.01 | $1.11 | $13.28 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.01 | $0.99 | $11.85 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.01 | $1.14 | $13.72 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.01 | $0.94 | $11.34 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.01 | $1.71 | $20.52 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.01 | $1.26 | $15.16 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.01 | $1.06 | $12.71 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.01 | $1.14 | $13.63 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.01 | $1.37 | $16.47 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.01 | $1.03 | $12.41 |
Frequently asked questions
How much do Christmas lights add to an electric bill?
One 40-watt incandescent mini string on for 6 hours a day costs about $1.32 a month at the U.S. average electricity price. Multiply by the number of strings.
Are LED Christmas lights cheaper to run?
Yes, by about 90 percent. A 100-light LED string uses around 5 watts against 40 for incandescent.
How much does it cost to leave Christmas lights on all night?
About $0.18 for 24 hours for one 40-watt string; an LED string costs about an eighth of that.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR: Light Bulbs
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly (state electricity prices)
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Appliances and Electronics
Electricity prices are the EIA figures for July 2026. Wattages are typical values; check the label on your own appliance.