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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Electric Patio Heater in North Dakota? (2026)
Infrared patio heaters warm people directly rather than the air, but at 1,500 to 3,000 watts they still cost as much as two space heaters. Outdoors there is nothing to retain heat, so cost is purely hours multiplied by wattage.
A typical electric patio heater (2,000 W) costs $0.28 per hour, or about $25.20 per month at 3 hours a day in North Dakota. Expensive to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (1,500 W) | $0.21 | $0.63 | $18.90 | $229.95 |
| Typical (2,000 W) | $0.28 | $0.84 | $25.20 | $306.60 |
| High (3,000 W) | $0.42 | $1.26 | $37.80 | $459.90 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 3 h/day ≈ 2,190 kWh per year.
One hour of an electric patio heater (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
In North Dakota, with electricity at $0.14 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical electric patio heater costs $0.28 per hour and about $306.60 per year at 3 hours a day. That is about 22% less than the national average for the US ($32.40 per month), because electricity in North Dakota costs $0.14 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 3.6 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a electric patio heater
- Mount heaters close to seating. Distance wastes most of the output.
- Use a heater with multiple power settings and step down once seated.
- Blankets and a windbreak cut the hours needed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a patio heater for an evening?
A 2 kW heater for 3 hours uses 6 kWh. Pick your region for the price.
Electric or gas patio heater: which is cheaper?
Electric infrared is usually cheaper per hour and far more efficient than gas mushroom heaters.
Do patio heaters use a lot of electricity?
Yes. They are among the highest-draw appliances you can plug into a normal socket.
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