How much does it cost to run an electric fireplace?
Short answer: An electric fireplace drawing 1,500 watts costs about $0.27 per hour at the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Used 4 hours a day, 30 days a month, that is about $32.96 per month and $395.50 per year. In Louisiana, the cheapest state, the same use costs $22.90 a month; in Hawaii, the most expensive, $86.40.
Electric fireplace cost calculator
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Hours per day with the heater on. With only the flame effect running, change the wattage to about 15.
Uses 180.0 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 |
An electric fireplace is two things in one box: a flame effect that uses about as much power as an LED bulb, and a fan heater that draws up to 1,500 watts. What it costs depends almost entirely on whether the heat is switched on.
Cost by size and setting
Costs below use the U.S. average price and 4 hours a day, 30 days a month.
| Type | Power | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flame effect only, no heat | 15 W | 0.3¢ | $0.33 |
| Low heat | 750 W | $0.14 | $16.48 |
| High heat | 1,500 W | $0.27 | $32.96 |
Flames are nearly free; heat is not
The flame effect is produced by LEDs and a small motor, typically 10 to 20 watts. You can run it all evening for a fraction of a cent. The heater is an ordinary 1,500-watt fan heater, identical in running cost to a portable space heater of the same wattage.
How much room it heats
1,500 watts is the most a standard household outlet can supply, and it is enough to take the chill off one average room. It will not heat a whole floor. Used to warm the room you are sitting in while the main thermostat is turned down, it can save money; used on top of full central heating, it only adds to the bill.
How to lower the cost
- Use the flame effect on its own when the room is already warm.
- Use the low heat setting or the built-in thermostat.
- Close the door to the room.
- Turn the central heating down while you use it.
How an electric fireplace 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Baseboard heater | 1,500 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 360.0 kWh | $65.92 |
| Electric blanket | 100 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 24.0 kWh | $4.39 |
| Heat pump | 3,000 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 720.0 kWh | $131.83 |
The math behind the numbers
1,500 watts ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 kW. 1.5 kW × 4 hours = 6 kWh per day. 6 kWh × $0.1831 = $1.10 per day. Over 30 days that is 180.0 kWh and $32.96 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 an electric fireplace in every state
Based on 1,500 watts for 4 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¢ | $0.25 | $29.52 | $354.24 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.43 | $51.89 | $622.73 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.23 | $27.68 | $332.21 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.21 | $25.79 | $309.53 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $0.50 | $60.50 | $725.98 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.26 | $30.60 | $367.20 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.36 | $43.49 | $521.86 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.28 | $33.26 | $399.17 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.38 | $45.38 | $544.54 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.23 | $27.05 | $324.65 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.24 | $29.29 | $351.43 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $0.72 | $86.40 | $1,037 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.21 | $24.71 | $296.57 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.29 | $34.60 | $415.15 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.25 | $30.11 | $361.37 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.24 | $28.78 | $345.38 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.23 | $27.49 | $329.83 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.21 | $24.86 | $298.30 |
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.19 | $22.90 | $274.75 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $0.49 | $58.34 | $700.06 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.32 | $38.54 | $462.46 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $0.46 | $54.88 | $658.58 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.35 | $41.49 | $497.88 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.26 | $31.41 | $376.92 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.22 | $26.17 | $314.06 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.24 | $28.96 | $347.54 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.22 | $26.98 | $323.78 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.21 | $24.80 | $297.65 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.19 | $22.99 | $275.83 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.40 | $47.88 | $574.56 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.38 | $45.34 | $544.10 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.24 | $28.96 | $347.54 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $0.45 | $53.82 | $645.84 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.23 | $27.29 | $327.46 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.20 | $24.14 | $289.66 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.29 | $35.01 | $420.12 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.22 | $25.83 | $309.96 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.24 | $28.75 | $344.95 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.33 | $39.10 | $469.15 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.42 | $50.92 | $611.06 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.23 | $27.85 | $334.15 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.23 | $27.67 | $331.99 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.21 | $24.68 | $296.14 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.24 | $28.58 | $343.01 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.20 | $23.62 | $283.39 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.36 | $42.75 | $513.00 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.26 | $31.59 | $379.08 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.22 | $26.48 | $317.74 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.24 | $28.40 | $340.85 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.29 | $34.31 | $411.70 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.22 | $25.85 | $310.18 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an electric fireplace cost to run per hour?
About $0.27 an hour with the heater on high at the U.S. average electricity price, and a fraction of a cent with the flame effect only.
Are electric fireplaces expensive to run?
With the heat on, they cost the same as a 1,500-watt space heater: about $32.96 a month at 4 hours a day.
Is an electric fireplace cheaper than a gas fireplace?
It depends on local gas and electricity prices. Electric models lose no heat up a chimney, but electricity usually costs more per unit of heat than natural gas.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Small Space Heaters
- 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.