How much does it cost to run a TV?
Short answer: A TV drawing 100 watts costs about $0.02 per hour at the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Used 5 hours a day, 30 days a month, that is about $2.75 per month and $32.96 per year. In Louisiana, the cheapest state, the same use costs $1.91 a month; in Hawaii, the most expensive, $7.20.
TV cost calculator
Hours per day the screen is on. Standby power is under 1 watt on most modern TVs.
Energy used: 15.0 kWh per month. Default price is the U.S. residential average; pick your state or type the price from your own bill.
Televisions are among the cheapest things in a home to run. A modern 65-inch LED TV uses about 100 watts, which means ten hours of viewing uses a single kilowatt-hour.
Cost by size and setting
Costs below use the U.S. average price and 5 hours a day, 30 days a month.
| Type | Power | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43-inch LED TV | 60 W | $0.01 | $1.65 |
| 65-inch LED TV | 100 W | $0.02 | $2.75 |
| 77-inch OLED TV, HDR content | 200 W | $0.04 | $5.49 |
What changes a TV's power use
Screen size and brightness matter far more than brand. Power use rises roughly with screen area, so a 75-inch TV uses close to double what a 55-inch model does. The picture mode matters too: the "vivid" or "dynamic" mode used in store displays can draw 30 to 50 percent more than the standard or cinema mode.
HDR content pushes the backlight to its peak and raises consumption while it plays. OLED sets vary with the picture: dark scenes use very little, bright sports or snow scenes use a lot.
Standby and connected devices
A modern TV in standby uses less than one watt, pennies per year. The devices plugged into it are a different story. A game console left in "instant-on" mode or an older cable box can each draw 10 to 20 watts around the clock, which can cost more per year than the TV itself.
How to lower the cost
- Switch from vivid mode to standard, movie or filmmaker mode.
- Turn on the ambient light sensor so the screen dims in a dark room.
- Set game consoles to their energy-saving power mode.
- Use the sleep timer if you tend to fall asleep with the TV on.
Cost to run a TV in every state
Based on 100 watts for 5 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¢ | $0.02 | $2.46 | $29.52 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.03 | $4.32 | $51.89 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.02 | $2.31 | $27.68 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.01 | $2.15 | $25.79 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $0.03 | $5.04 | $60.50 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.02 | $2.55 | $30.60 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.02 | $3.62 | $43.49 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.02 | $2.77 | $33.26 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.03 | $3.78 | $45.38 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.02 | $2.25 | $27.05 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.02 | $2.44 | $29.29 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $0.05 | $7.20 | $86.40 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.01 | $2.06 | $24.71 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.02 | $2.88 | $34.60 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.02 | $2.51 | $30.11 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.02 | $2.40 | $28.78 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.02 | $2.29 | $27.49 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.01 | $2.07 | $24.86 |
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.01 | $1.91 | $22.90 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $0.03 | $4.86 | $58.34 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.02 | $3.21 | $38.54 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $0.03 | $4.57 | $54.88 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.02 | $3.46 | $41.49 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.02 | $2.62 | $31.41 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.01 | $2.18 | $26.17 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.02 | $2.41 | $28.96 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.01 | $2.25 | $26.98 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.01 | $2.07 | $24.80 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.01 | $1.92 | $22.99 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.03 | $3.99 | $47.88 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.03 | $3.78 | $45.34 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.02 | $2.41 | $28.96 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $0.03 | $4.49 | $53.82 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.02 | $2.27 | $27.29 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.01 | $2.01 | $24.14 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.02 | $2.92 | $35.01 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.01 | $2.15 | $25.83 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.02 | $2.40 | $28.75 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.02 | $3.26 | $39.10 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.03 | $4.24 | $50.92 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.02 | $2.32 | $27.85 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.02 | $2.31 | $27.67 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.01 | $2.06 | $24.68 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.02 | $2.38 | $28.58 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.01 | $1.97 | $23.62 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.02 | $3.56 | $42.75 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.02 | $2.63 | $31.59 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.01 | $2.21 | $26.48 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.02 | $2.37 | $28.40 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.02 | $2.86 | $34.31 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.01 | $2.15 | $25.85 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to leave a TV on all day?
A 100-watt TV left on for 24 hours uses 2.4 kWh, about $0.44 at the U.S. average price.
Do bigger TVs use much more electricity?
Yes, roughly in proportion to screen area. An 85-inch TV can use three times what a 50-inch TV does.
Does a TV use electricity when it is off?
A little, typically 0.5 watts in standby. That is well under a dollar a year in any state.