Skip to content
ToolLantern

Dehumidifier Electricity Cost Calculator

Work out what your dehumidifier costs to run per day and per month, based on how long it runs.

Quick answer

A 500 W dehumidifier running 8 hours a day with the compressor on 70% of the time uses 2.8 kWh — about 48¢ a day or $14 a month at $0.17/kWh. In summer, compare with your AC running cost.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • Energy
  • Updated October 2026
W

On the label or manual. 1 kW = 1000 W.

%

Share of time it actually draws full power. AC and fridges cycle on and off; lights and TVs are 100%.

Find it on your bill (cents ÷ 100).

Cost per month (30 days)

$14.28

Cost per day
$0.48
Cost per year
$173.74
Cost per hour of use
$0.06
Energy per day
2.8 kWh
Energy per month
84 kWh
Show the working
  1. 500 W × 8 h × 70% × 1 ÷ 1000 = 2.8 kWh/day
  2. 2.8 kWh × $0.17 = $0.48 per day

About the Dehumidifier Electricity Cost calculator

Compressor dehumidifiers work like a small air conditioner, and their power draw depends on size: compact units use a few hundred watts, while large basement models can draw 500–800 W (the EPA lists 785 W as a typical figure). Like an AC, the compressor cycles off once the humidity setting is reached.

The defaults assume a 500 W unit running 8 hours a day with the compressor on about 70% of that time. Setting the humidistat around 50% rather than running continuously keeps run time down.

How to use it

  1. Enter the wattage from the label or manual.
  2. Enter hours per day it is switched on.
  3. Use 60–80% average load for a unit with a humidistat, 100% if it runs non-stop.
  4. Enter your price per kWh.

The formula

Monthly cost = Watts × Hours × Load ÷ 1000 × 30 × Price

  • ENERGY STAR models remove more water per kWh, so they run for less time for the same result.

Worked example

A 500 W dehumidifier, 8 hours a day

  1. 500 W × 8 h × 70% = 2.8 kWh per day.
  2. At $0.17/kWh: about 48¢ per day.
  3. About $14.28 per month.

Frequently asked questions

Is it expensive to run a dehumidifier all day?

A 500 W unit running non-stop uses 12 kWh a day — about $2 at $0.17/kWh. With a humidistat, real run time is usually much lower.

What humidity should I set?

Around 40–50% indoors is a common target. Lower settings make the unit run much longer for little extra benefit.

Do desiccant dehumidifiers use less power?

Not necessarily. They often draw more watts but work better in cold spaces like garages, where compressor models struggle.

Results are estimates for planning — check critical figures with a professional or the official source.

Popular tools

Image Converter

Convert any image to JPG, PNG or WebP, with quality and size controls.

Image

JPG to PNG Converter

Turn JPG files into PNG right in your browser — drag in one image or thirty.

Image

PNG to JPG Converter

Turn PNG files into JPG right in your browser — drag in one image or thirty.

Image

WebP to JPG Converter

Turn WebP files into JPG right in your browser — drag in one image or thirty.

Image