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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dehumidifier in California? (2026)
A dehumidifier runs like a small air conditioner, and people often leave it on for most of the day in damp basements. That combination of moderate wattage and long hours makes it a surprising line item on the bill.
A typical dehumidifier (400 W) costs $0.14 per hour, or about $42.00 per month at 10 hours a day in California. Expensive to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (250 W) | $0.087 | $0.88 | $26.25 | $319.38 |
| Typical (400 W) | $0.14 | $1.40 | $42.00 | $511.00 |
| High (700 W) | $0.24 | $2.45 | $73.50 | $894.25 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 10 h/day ≈ 1,460 kWh per year.
In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical dehumidifier costs $0.14 per hour and about $511.00 per year at 10 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $21.60 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 7.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a dehumidifier
- Set the humidistat to 50 percent. Lower settings make the unit run far longer for little benefit.
- Close windows and doors in the room being dried.
- Empty the tank promptly or use continuous drain so the unit does not sit idle.
- Look for the Energy Star rating, which measures litres removed per kWh.
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 a dehumidifier 24/7?
A 400 watt unit uses 9.6 kWh a day if it never cycles off. With a humidistat, real use is usually half that.
Does a dehumidifier heat the room?
Yes, slightly. All the electricity it uses ends up as heat, which can help in a cold basement.
Are desiccant dehumidifiers cheaper to run?
No, they typically use more electricity, but they work better in cold rooms.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India