How much does it cost to run a 750-watt space heater?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

A 750-watt space heater costs $0.14 an hour on full power and about $33.20 a month at 8 hours a day, at the U.S. average of 18.19¢/kWh.

750 W = 0.75 kW, so each hour at full power uses 0.75 kWh.
8 hours a day for a 30-day month is 183 kWh — 21% of the 878 kWh an average U.S. home uses in a month.
With a thermostat that cycles the element 40–70% of the time, expect $13.28–$23.24 a month instead.
It puts out 2,559 Btu per hour and draws 6.3 A at 120 V.
Prices run from 12.46¢ to 46.41¢ per kWh across the states, so the same heater costs 3.7 times as much in Hawaii as in North Dakota.

Adjust it to your exact job

Your heater

Wattage setting

It's on the label. Most plug-in heaters max out at 1,500 W, which draws 12.5 A at 120 V.

Exact watts

Heaters

How you use it

Hours a day

Days a month

How often the element is on

A heater with a thermostat switches off once the room is warm. Nonstop is the most it can cost; 40–70% is typical with thermostat cycling.

Electricity rate

Where you live

Price per kWh

EIA's state average: total residential revenue ÷ kWh sold, so delivery and fixed monthly charges are spread over every kWh.

750 W space heater costs

$33.20a month

183 kWh · $0.14 per hour on full · $232 for a 7-month season

At 18.19¢/kWh — U.S. average, Jan–Aug 2026 (EIA).

Per hour on full power: $0.140.75 kWh
Per day: $1.098 h at 100%
Heat output: 2,559Btu/h1 W = 3.412 Btu/h
Current draw: 6.3Aper heater at 120 V

With a thermostat

If it cycles 40–70% of the time, expect $13.28–$23.24 a month instead.

Cost by period
Period	kWh	Cost
Per hour of use	0.75	$0.14
Per day	6	$1.09
Per month	182.5	$33.20
Per season (7 mo)	1,278	$232

Heating season in the U.S.

Jan
36°
Feb
39°
Mar
46°
Apr
55°
May
63°
Jun
71°
Jul
75°
Aug
74°
Sep
68°
Oct
58°
Nov
48°
Dec
39°

Normal mean temperature (NOAA, population-weighted). Highlighted months average below 60°F.

Cheapest way to make the same heat

Cost per million Btu of delivered heat
Heat source	$ per million Btu	This much heat
Gas furnace, 95% AFUE	$15.59	$9.71
Gas furnace, 80% AFUE	$18.51	$11.53
Heat pump (ENERGY STAR avg)	$21.55	$13.42
Propane furnace, 95% AFUE	$30.95	$19.27
Space heater / baseboard	$53.31	$33.20
Oil furnace, 80% AFUE	$55.87	$34.79

In the U.S. resistance heat costs 3.4× as much as gas heat from a 95% furnace. A space heater only saves money when it lets you turn the whole-house thermostat down several degrees and heat just the room you're in. A heat pump delivers the same heat for about $13.42 a month.

How to cut it

Keep 3 ft of clearance, plug straight into a wall outlet and pick a model with tip-over and overheat shut-off.
Close the door of the room you're heating: a 1,500 W heater puts out 5,118 Btu/h, a small fraction of what a central furnace delivers.
Don't switch the central heat off entirely in a freezing spell: pipes in outside walls can freeze.
Use the thermostat or timer: every hour the element is off saves $0.14.

Energy budget

182.5 kWh 750 W space heater — electricity per month8 h/day at 100% · 18.19¢/kWh$33.20
1,278 kWh 750 W space heater — whole heating season (7 mo)$232

Estimated total$266

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Compare

Space heater cost at the U.S. average price (18.19¢/kWh)

Heater	Per hour	8 h/day, month	24 h/day, month	Season (7 mo, 8 h)
750 W	$0.14	$33.20	$99.60	$232
900 W	$0.16	$39.84	$119.52	$279
1,500 W	$0.27	$66.40	$199.20	$465

How this was worked out

0.75 kW × 8 h = 6 kWh a day; × 30.42 days = 183 kWh; × 18.19¢ (U.S. average, Jan–Aug 2026, EIA) = $33.20.

Full power is the most a heater can cost. A thermostat model in a reasonably insulated room switches off part of every hour — that is the only thing that lowers its draw. The low setting uses less power per hour but also makes less heat.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main space heater cost calculator page.

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Other sizes people check

Sources

Data behind this answer

EIA Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.A & 5.6.B — residential price by state (August 2026) — latest month and Jan–Aug 2026 year-to-date average for every state; preliminary, refreshed monthly · checked October 2026
Lasko CC13700 ceramic console space heater — 1,500 W high / 900 W low, 7.5–12.5 A, $49.99 · checked October 2026
EIA Energy Explained — British thermal units — 1 kWh = 3,412 Btu; therm 100,000; propane 91,452 Btu/gal; heating oil 138,500 Btu/gal · checked October 2026
EIA residential natural gas prices by state — 2025 annual $/Mcf (2024 where 2025 is withheld), ÷ 10.36 therms per Mcf · checked October 2026
EIA Heating Oil and Propane Update — residential propane and heating oil by state, week of Oct 19, 2026, excluding taxes · checked October 2026
ENERGY STAR certified central AC & heat pumps (dataset) — 3-ton split average SEER2 17.06 / EER2 11.49 / HSPF2 8.44; 12k mini-split SEER2 22.81 · checked October 2026
NOAA Climate Prediction Center — population-weighted state degree days — monthly normal heating and cooling degree days by state (base 65°F) · checked October 2026
EIA-861M sales and revenue by state — 2025 average household use and bill per state (U.S. 878 kWh, $151.88 a month) · checked October 2026
EIA Electric Power Monthly technical notes — average price = revenue ÷ sales, including fixed customer charges, fuel adjustments and surcharges · checked October 2026

Short answer

A 750-watt space heater costs $0.14 an hour on full power and about $33.20 a month at 8 hours a day, at the U.S. average of 18.19¢/kWh.

750 W = 0.75 kW, so each hour at full power uses 0.75 kWh.

8 hours a day for a 30-day month is 183 kWh — 21% of the 878 kWh an average U.S. home uses in a month.

With a thermostat that cycles the element 40–70% of the time, expect $13.28–$23.24 a month instead.

It puts out 2,559 Btu per hour and draws 6.3 A at 120 V.

Prices run from 12.46¢ to 46.41¢ per kWh across the states, so the same heater costs 3.7 times as much in Hawaii as in North Dakota.

Adjust it to your exact job

Your heater

Wattage setting

It's on the label. Most plug-in heaters max out at 1,500 W, which draws 12.5 A at 120 V.

Exact watts

Heaters

How you use it

Hours a day

Days a month

How often the element is on

A heater with a thermostat switches off once the room is warm. Nonstop is the most it can cost; 40–70% is typical with thermostat cycling.

Electricity rate

Where you live

Price per kWh

EIA's state average: total residential revenue ÷ kWh sold, so delivery and fixed monthly charges are spread over every kWh.

750 W space heater costs

$33.20a month

183 kWh · $0.14 per hour on full · $232 for a 7-month season

At 18.19¢/kWh — U.S. average, Jan–Aug 2026 (EIA).

Per hour on full power: $0.140.75 kWh
Per day: $1.098 h at 100%
Heat output: 2,559Btu/h1 W = 3.412 Btu/h
Current draw: 6.3Aper heater at 120 V

With a thermostat

If it cycles 40–70% of the time, expect $13.28–$23.24 a month instead.

Cost by period
Period	kWh	Cost
Per hour of use	0.75	$0.14
Per day	6	$1.09
Per month	182.5	$33.20
Per season (7 mo)	1,278	$232

Heating season in the U.S.

Jan
36°
Feb
39°
Mar
46°
Apr
55°
May
63°
Jun
71°
Jul
75°
Aug
74°
Sep
68°
Oct
58°
Nov
48°
Dec
39°

Normal mean temperature (NOAA, population-weighted). Highlighted months average below 60°F.

Cheapest way to make the same heat

Cost per million Btu of delivered heat
Heat source	$ per million Btu	This much heat
Gas furnace, 95% AFUE	$15.59	$9.71
Gas furnace, 80% AFUE	$18.51	$11.53
Heat pump (ENERGY STAR avg)	$21.55	$13.42
Propane furnace, 95% AFUE	$30.95	$19.27
Space heater / baseboard	$53.31	$33.20
Oil furnace, 80% AFUE	$55.87	$34.79

How to cut it

Keep 3 ft of clearance, plug straight into a wall outlet and pick a model with tip-over and overheat shut-off.
Close the door of the room you're heating: a 1,500 W heater puts out 5,118 Btu/h, a small fraction of what a central furnace delivers.
Don't switch the central heat off entirely in a freezing spell: pipes in outside walls can freeze.
Use the thermostat or timer: every hour the element is off saves $0.14.

Energy budget

182.5 kWh 750 W space heater — electricity per month8 h/day at 100% · 18.19¢/kWh$33.20
1,278 kWh 750 W space heater — whole heating season (7 mo)$232

Estimated total$266

Heater

Per hour

8 h/day, month

24 h/day, month

Season (7 mo, 8 h)

750 W

$0.14

$33.20

$99.60

$232

900 W

$0.16

$39.84

$119.52

$279

1,500 W

$0.27

$66.40

$199.20

$465

How this was worked out

0.75 kW × 8 h = 6 kWh a day; × 30.42 days = 183 kWh; × 18.19¢ (U.S. average, Jan–Aug 2026, EIA) = $33.20.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main space heater cost calculator page.