How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split) in Hawaii? (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 $1.05 per hour, or about $253.06 per month at 8 hours a day in Hawaii. 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	$0.42	$3.37	$101.22	$708.56
Typical 2,000 W	$1.05	$8.44	$253.06	$1,771
High 4,000 W	$2.11	$16.87	$506.11	$3,543

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 Hawaii, with electricity at 52.7¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical heat pump (ducted or mini-split) costs $1.05 per hour and about $1,771 per year at 8 hours a day. That is about 187% more than the national average for the US ($88.03 per month), because electricity in Hawaii costs 52.7¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 0.9 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 ($23.09) per year if it is never unplugged.

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