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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Electric Fireplace in California? (2026)
An electric fireplace is a 1,500 watt space heater with a flame effect. The flame display alone uses 10 to 20 watts, so running it for ambience without heat costs almost nothing.
A typical electric fireplace (1,500 W) costs $0.52 per hour, or about $63.00 per month at 4 hours a day in California. Expensive to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (750 W) | $0.26 | $1.05 | $31.50 | $383.25 |
| Typical (1,500 W) | $0.52 | $2.10 | $63.00 | $766.50 |
| High (1,500 W) | $0.52 | $2.10 | $63.00 | $766.50 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 4 h/day ≈ 2,190 kWh per year.
In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical electric fireplace costs $0.52 per hour and about $766.50 per year at 4 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $32.40 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 1.9 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a electric fireplace
- Use the flame effect without the heater when you only want the look.
- Set the built-in thermostat so the heater cycles.
- Close doors to keep heat in the room it is warming.
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 an electric fireplace cost to run per hour?
At 1,500 watts with heat, the same as a space heater. Flame only, about 0.015 kWh.
Is an electric fireplace cheaper than gas?
It is more efficient but electricity is usually pricier per unit of heat, so gas often costs less per hour.
Can an electric fireplace heat a whole room?
Yes, up to about 40 square metres, like any 1,500 watt heater.
Compare with
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India