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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Air Purifier in California? (2026)

Air purifiers run continuously at 10 to 100 watts depending on fan speed and room size. On a low setting they cost little; on high around the clock they can match a fridge.

A typical air purifier (40 W) costs $0.014 per hour, or about $10.08 per month at 24 hours a day in California. Average running cost

Electricity price region Hours used per day

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low (10 W)	$0.003	$0.084	$2.52	$30.66
Typical (40 W)	$0.014	$0.34	$10.08	$122.64
High (100 W)	$0.035	$0.84	$25.20	$306.60

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 24 h/day ≈ 350 kWh per year.

In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical air purifier costs $0.014 per hour and about $122.64 per year at 24 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $5.18 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 71.4 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a air purifier

Run on high only to clear a room, then drop to low or auto.
Replace filters on schedule. A clogged filter makes the fan draw more for less air.
Size the unit to the room. An oversized purifier on low beats a small one on high.

In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh ($3.07) per year if it is never unplugged.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run an air purifier 24/7?

About 29 kWh a month at 40 watts. Pick your region above.

Do air purifiers use a lot of electricity?

Not per hour, but continuous use adds up. Auto mode helps.

Should I leave my air purifier on all the time?

Manufacturers say yes for consistent air quality. On low, the cost is small.

Cost by region

Related appliances

Use the generic electricity cost calculator →