Running 5,000 watts for one hour uses 5 kWh and costs $0.91 at the U.S. average of 18.19¢/kWh.
At 18.19¢/kWh — U.S. average, Jan–Aug 2026 (EIA).
| Period | kWh | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour of use | 5 | $0.91 |
| Per day | 5 | $0.91 |
| Per month | 152.1 | $27.67 |
| Per year | 1,825 | $332 |
| Where | ¢/kWh | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | 18.19 | $27.67 | $332 |
| North Dakota (cheapest) | 12.46 | $18.95 | $227 |
| Hawaii (most expensive) | 46.41 | $70.59 | $847 |
| Hours a day | kWh a day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 5 | $0.91 | $27.67 | $332 |
| 4 h | 20 | $3.64 | $110.67 | $1,328 |
| 8 h | 40 | $7.28 | $221.34 | $2,656 |
| 12 h | 60 | $10.91 | $332.00 | $3,984 |
| 24 h | 120 | $21.83 | $664.01 | $7,967 |
kWh is what you pay for: power (kW) times hours. 5,000 W is 5 kW, so every hour at full power is 5 kWh. The U.S. average residential price for Jan–Aug 2026 is 18.19¢ per kWh (EIA), which already spreads delivery and fixed charges over every kWh.
Appliances with a thermostat or compressor only draw full power part of the time; use the duty-cycle field in the calculator for those.
The full method, material data and tips are on the main electricity cost calculator page.