Size and panel tech
Power scales with screen area: a 75" draws roughly 4× a 32". OLED is a bit more efficient at dark scenes; older plasma sets (still in some homes) are the outliers at 300–500 W.
TV Cost per Hour
Updated July 2026 rate dataLiving & Major LoadsSourced from ENERGY STAR — Televisions
Draw scales with screen area, and factory vivid modes run the backlight harder than the picture needs, so picture settings move the bill as much as the set does. Enter your TV's wattage and daily hours below.
Quick pick
EIA residential average, July 2026. Your utility's exact rate is on your bill.
100 W
20 W500 W
5 h
0.5 h24 h
Common setups
Live cost meter · running at your current settings
$0.00000
since you opened this page · 0:00 elapsed
0.10 kW · 0.0000 kWh burned
burn rate
$0.018/hr
24/7 ≈ $13/mo
Real-time math: 100 W × your state's rate, accumulating live.
Per hour
$0.018
Per day
$0.092
0.5 kWh
Per month
$2.78
15 kWh
Per year
$33
183 kWh
Run like this for a year and it adds about $33 to your electricity bill.
Draw varies with content brightness (an all-white hockey game costs more than a dark movie scene). Modern sets' EnergyGuide labels list yearly kWh at 5 h/day.
Energy: 0.5 kWh per day · 183 kWh per year, at 18.31¢/kWh (U.S. average).
How many watts does a TV use, and what does it cost to run?
Wattage is the number that decides everything else. The table below runs the actual figures through this page's calculator at the U.S. average rate of 18.31¢ /kWh, so you can see the running cost jump as the load climbs. Change any value above and the whole page recalculates.
| Watts | Power draw | Per hour | Per month (5 h/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 W | 20 W draws 0.02 kW | $0.004 | $0.56 |
| 180 W | 180 W draws 0.18 kW | $0.033 | $5.01 |
| 340 W | 340 W draws 0.34 kW | $0.062 | $9.47 |
| 500 W | 500 W draws 0.50 kW | $0.092 | $13.92 |
Basis: July 2026 U.S. average residential rate of 18.31¢ /kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A). Your state's rate is applied as soon as you pick it above.
What changes the number
Brightness settings
Factory 'Vivid' modes run the backlight at max. Dropping to 'Movie' or a moderate backlight level typically cuts draw 20–40% — and looks better in a living room.
Streaming devices and standby
A streaming stick adds a few watts; console gaming through the same screen can add 100–200 W (see the gaming PC page). Standby for the set itself is a few dollars a year at most.
Cut the cost
Biggest savings first.
- Set the backlight/brightness to match the room — you save energy and reduce eye strain.
- Enable auto-power-off or a sleep timer for late-night viewing.
- If the set is 10+ years old, compare its measured or EnergyGuide use with a replacement's estimate; whether the energy savings justify the purchase depends on price and actual viewing hours.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to leave the TV on all day?
A 55" LED at 24 hours is about $0.44/day at the U.S. average rate (18.31¢/kWh) — roughly $13/month. As background noise, a radio is far cheaper.
How much does a TV cost per month?
Typical 5 h/day viewing of a 55" LED: about $2.70/month at the U.S. average rate. Heavy households (8 h/day, bigger set) reach $6–8/month.
Does a bigger TV use more electricity?
Yes, roughly with screen area: double the diagonal ≈ 4× the area and draw. A 75" typically draws 2–3× a 55".
Sources
- ENERGY STAR — Televisions
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A — Average Price of Electricity by State
Rate basis: EIA residential average, July 2026 (retrieved from Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A). Estimates are for planning, not billing.
