How Much Does It Cost to Run a CPAP Machine in California? (2026)
A CPAP without a humidifier draws 10 to 30 watts. With a heated humidifier and heated hose it can reach 60 to 90 watts. Either way, a full night costs a few cents.
A typical CPAP machine (30 W) costs $0.010 per hour, or about $2.50 per month at 8 hours a day in California. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 10 W | $0.003 | $0.028 | $0.83 | $10.14 |
| Typical 30 W | $0.010 | $0.083 | $2.50 | $30.43 |
| High 90 W | $0.031 | $0.25 | $7.50 | $91.30 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 88 kWh per year.
One day of a CPAP machine (0.72 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 4.0km in an electric car
- 7.2hours of TV
- 16hours of a laptop
- 80hours of an LED bulb
In California, with electricity at 34.7¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical cpap machine costs $0.010 per hour and about $30.43 per year at 8 hours a day. That is about 89% more than the national average for the US ($1.32 per month), because electricity in California costs 34.7¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 96.0 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a CPAP machine
- Lower the humidifier temperature if you do not need it high. The heater is most of the draw.
- Turn off the heated tube in summer.
- Use a smart plug to cut standby draw during the day.
In standby it draws about 2 W, which adds roughly 18 kWh ($6.09) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a CPAP every night?
About 0.25 kWh a night at 30 watts, 7 to 8 kWh a month.
Does a CPAP use a lot of electricity?
No. Even with heated humidification it is under 25 kWh a month.
How long will a CPAP run on a battery?
A 100 Wh battery runs a basic CPAP without humidifier for one to two nights.
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Hair Dryer1,800 W typical
- Hair Straightener60 W typical
- Electric Toothbrush Charger1 W typical
- Heated Towel Rail150 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz