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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Space Heater in Utah? (2026)

Portable electric space heaters are one of the most expensive appliances to run per hour. Almost all plug-in models top out at 1,500 watts because that is the limit of a standard household outlet, so the main cost driver is how many hours you leave it on.

A typical space heater (1,500 W) costs $0.20 per hour, or about $35.10 per month at 6 hours a day in Utah. Expensive to run

Electricity price region Hours used per day

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low (750 W)	$0.098	$0.58	$17.55	$213.53
Typical (1,500 W)	$0.20	$1.17	$35.10	$427.05
High (1,500 W)	$0.20	$1.17	$35.10	$427.05

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 6 h/day ≈ 3,285 kWh per year.

One hour of a space heater (1.5 kWh) is the same electricity as

8.3km in an electric car
15hours of TV
33hours of a laptop
167hours of an LED bulb

Annual electricity at typical use, log scale. #88 of 95 appliances, from cheapest to most expensive.

In Utah, with electricity at $0.13 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical space heater costs $0.20 per hour and about $427.05 per year at 6 hours a day. That is about 28% less than the national average for the US ($48.60 per month), because electricity in Utah costs $0.13 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 5.1 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a space heater

Heat only the room you are in and close the door. A space heater warming a whole house costs more than central heating.
Use the low setting (usually 750 W) once the room is warm. It halves the running cost.
Pair it with a plug-in timer or a smart plug so it never runs overnight by accident.
A heater with a thermostat cycles on and off, so real consumption is often 30 to 50 percent below the rated wattage.

Would switching to a mini-split heat pump pay for itself?

At your hours and region above, this space heater uses about 3,285 kWh a year and Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split) about 4,380 kWh.

Purchase price of the new one Years you will keep it

Saves – per year. Pays for itself in –, and over 10 years you come out –.

A heat pump delivers two to four units of heat per unit of electricity; the calculation uses the heat pump page's typical wattage for the same hours, which understates its advantage in mild weather. Prices are typical and editable; the saving updates with the region and hours you set in the table above.

Frequently asked questions

Does a space heater use a lot of electricity?

Yes. At 1,500 watts it draws as much as a microwave, and it usually runs for hours rather than minutes.

Is it cheaper to run a space heater or central heating?

For a single small room, the space heater is usually cheaper. For more than one or two rooms, central heating wins.

Are oil-filled heaters cheaper to run?

Not per hour. All resistive heaters convert electricity to heat at the same efficiency. Oil-filled models just hold heat longer after switching off.

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Cost by region

US states

Canadian provinces

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