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How Much Does It Cost to Run a LED Grow Light in California? (2026)

Grow lights run 12 to 18 hours a day, so wattage matters more than for any other light in the house. A small 50 watt panel for herbs is cheap; a 600 watt light for a grow tent costs as much as a fridge to run.

A typical led grow light (150 W) costs $0.052 per hour, or about $22.05 per month at 14 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 (50 W)	$0.017	$0.24	$7.35	$89.43
Typical (150 W)	$0.052	$0.73	$22.05	$268.27
High (600 W)	$0.21	$2.94	$88.20	$1,073

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 14 h/day ≈ 766 kWh per year.

In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical led grow light costs $0.052 per hour and about $268.27 per year at 14 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $11.34 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 19.0 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a led grow light

Match the light to the canopy size. Excess light is wasted electricity.
Use a timer so lights never run longer than the plants need.
Choose full-spectrum LEDs over HPS or fluorescent. They produce more light per watt.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a grow light per month?

A 150 watt light for 14 hours uses 63 kWh a month. Pick your region for the cost.

Are LED grow lights cheaper than HPS?

Yes, roughly 40 percent less electricity for the same light output, plus less heat to remove.

Do grow lights use a lot of electricity?

Because of long daily run times, yes. A 600 watt light is one of the biggest loads in a home.

Cost by region

Related appliances

Use the generic electricity cost calculator →