How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split) in Arkansas? (2026)

A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, delivering 2 to 4 units of heat for every unit of electricity. A single-zone mini-split draws under 1 kW; a whole-house ducted unit can pull 4 kW in cold weather.

A typical heat pump (ducted or mini-split) (2,000 W) costs $0.28 per hour, or about $67.78 per month at 8 hours a day in Arkansas. Expensive to run

Electricity price region

Hours used per day

Days used per year

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low 800 W	$0.11	$0.90	$27.11	$189.77
Typical 2,000 W	$0.28	$2.26	$67.78	$474.43
High 4,000 W	$0.56	$4.52	$135.55	$948.86

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day for about 210 days a year (the heating and cooling seasons) ≈ 3,360 kWh per year.

One hour of a heat pump (ducted or mini-split) (2.0 kWh) is the same electricity as

11km in an electric car
20hours of TV
44hours of a laptop
222hours of an LED bulb

Electricity per year at typical use, on a log scale: #90 of 95 appliances, from least to most.

In Arkansas, with electricity at 14.1¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical heat pump (ducted or mini-split) costs $0.28 per hour and about $474.43 per year at 8 hours a day. That is about 23% less than the national average for the US ($88.03 per month), because electricity in Arkansas costs 14.1¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 3.5 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a heat pump (ducted or mini-split)

Set it and leave it. Heat pumps are most efficient holding a steady temperature rather than being cranked up and down.
Clean filters monthly during heavy use.
Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow, leaves, and shrubs.

In standby it draws about 5 W, which adds roughly 44 kWh ($6.18) per year if it is never unplugged.

Is switching from a space heater to a heat pump worth it? Savings and payback