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How Much Does It Cost to Run a LED Light Bulb in New York? (2026)
An LED bulb producing the same light as an old 60 watt incandescent uses about 9 watts. Lighting has gone from a major electricity cost to a minor one in homes that have switched fully to LED.
A typical led light bulb (9 W) costs $0.003 per hour, or about $0.39 per month at 5 hours a day in New York. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (5 W) | $0.001 | $0.007 | $0.22 | $2.65 |
| Typical (9 W) | $0.003 | $0.013 | $0.39 | $4.76 |
| High (15 W) | $0.004 | $0.022 | $0.65 | $7.94 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 5 h/day ≈ 16 kWh per year.
In New York, with electricity at $0.29 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical led light bulb costs $0.003 per hour and about $4.76 per year at 5 hours a day. That is about 61% more than the US national average of $0.24 per month, because electricity in New York costs $0.29 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 383.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a led light bulb
- Replace any remaining incandescent or halogen bulbs. The payback is usually under a year.
- Choose lumens for brightness, not watts.
- Smart bulbs draw about half a watt in standby waiting for commands.
- Use task lighting instead of lighting a whole room.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to leave a light on all day?
A 9 watt LED left on for 24 hours uses about 0.2 kWh, only a few cents in most regions.
How much do LED bulbs save compared to incandescent?
Around 85 percent for the same light output.
Do LED bulbs use power when switched off?
Ordinary LEDs do not. Smart bulbs and those with built-in sensors draw a small standby current.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India