How much does it cost to run a portable air conditioner per hour?

At the U.S. average of 18.0¢/kWh, a typical certified unit costs 14.5¢ (5,000 BTU SACC), 16.4¢ (6,000 BTU SACC), 19.8¢ (8,000 BTU SACC), 22.8¢ (10,000 BTU SACC), 16.9¢ (12,000 BTU SACC) per hour at full power.

How many watts does a portable air conditioner use?

Divide its SACC by its CEER. Typical certified units draw 806 W at 5,000 BTU, 909 W at 6,000 BTU, 1096 W at 8,000 BTU, 1266 W at 10,000 BTU, 938 W at 12,000 BTU. Inverter units often run below full power once the room is cool, so real use is usually lower.

How much does a portable AC add to the electric bill per month?

Running 8 hours a day for 30 days, a typical 8,000 BTU (SACC) unit adds about $47, a 10,000 BTU unit about $55 and a 12,000 BTU unit about $41 at the U.S. average price. In Hawaii, where it runs the most hours, an 8,000 BTU unit costs about $923 over a whole year.

Is a portable air conditioner more expensive to run than a window unit?

Yes. For the same cooling, a typical ENERGY STAR certified window unit has a median CEER of 15.0 against 7.9 for the typical 10,000 BTU portable unit, so it costs about $90 a year at 750 hours instead of $171. Dual-hose and inverter portable units close much of the gap.

How much does a portable air conditioner cost to run?

A typical 10,000 BTU (SACC) portable unit costs about 23¢ an hour, $2 for an 8-hour day and $55 a month of daily use.

That is at the U.S. average of 18.0¢ per kWh. Your state's price and climate change it a lot: see the table below or use the calculator.

Cost by size

Size (SACC)	Watts	Per hour	8-hour day	Month	Window unit, month
5,000 BTU	806	14.5¢	$1.16	$35	$16
6,000 BTU	909	16.4¢	$1.31	$39	$17
8,000 BTU	1096	19.8¢	$1.58	$47	$23
10,000 BTU	1266	22.8¢	$1.83	$55	$29
12,000 BTU	938	16.9¢	$1.35	$41	$35

Typical (median-efficiency) DOE certified unit of each size at full power. Month: 8 hours a day for 30 days. The last column is a certified window unit that cools as much.

Calculator

1. The air conditioner type its size and CEER (on the yellow EnergyGuide label)

Cooling capacity BTU/hCEER efficiency, higher is better

2. How you use it

StateElectricity ¢ per kWhHours a day at full powerDays a year from your state's climate

Per year: $141
Per month of use: $26
Per day: $0.85
Per hour: 10.7¢
Power draw: 667 W

Electricity used: 880 kWh a yearAn old 9 CEER unit of the same size would cost $188

Power draw is capacity divided by CEER, which already includes standby power. Inverter units often run below full power, so real use can be lower. Electricity prices: U.S. EIA residential averages (12 months to July 2026). Days a year start from your state's cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).

By state

Yearly cost of an 8,000 BTU (SACC) unit in every state$3-$923

Typical certified 8,000 BTU unit (7.3 CEER), state electricity price and typical cooling hours from the state's cooling degree days.

State	¢/kWh	Hours	Per year
Hawaii	43.7	1925	$923
Arizona	15.5	1775	$300
Florida	15.4	1625	$275
Texas	16.0	1300	$229
District of Columbia	24.2	725	$194
Nevada	13.6	1225	$183
Alabama	16.5	1000	$182
Louisiana	13.1	1275	$181
South Carolina	15.7	1025	$176
Mississippi	14.9	1075	$175
Maryland	22.3	700	$168
California	33.1	450	$163
New York	28.4	500	$154
Georgia	15.1	900	$148
New Jersey	23.6	525	$138
Virginia	16.6	725	$130
Oklahoma	13.6	825	$124
Tennessee	13.7	825	$122
Pennsylvania	20.8	525	$121
North Carolina	14.9	750	$121
Arkansas	13.5	775	$116
Kansas	15.1	675	$111
Rhode Island	29.4	350	$110
Connecticut	28.2	350	$108
New Mexico	15.2	600	$102
Missouri	13.9	650	$99
Massachusetts	30.4	300	$98
Delaware	18.0	500	$97
Kentucky	14.0	625	$95
Illinois	19.0	450	$92
New Hampshire	26.8	300	$90
Utah	13.3	600	$87
Ohio	18.3	425	$87
Indiana	17.1	450	$86
West Virginia	15.7	475	$82
Michigan	21.0	325	$75
Nebraska	12.9	475	$68
Vermont	23.9	250	$66
Idaho	12.7	450	$61
Wisconsin	18.8	300	$61
Iowa	14.1	400	$60
Minnesota	16.2	325	$56
Maine	29.3	175	$55
Colorado	16.6	300	$54
South Dakota	14.3	325	$50
Montana	13.9	200	$30
Oregon	15.6	175	$30
North Dakota	12.5	225	$29
Wyoming	14.2	175	$29
Washington	14.2	125	$20
Alaska	27.0	0	$3

Electricity: U.S. EIA residential averages (12 months to July 2026). Climate: NOAA 1991-2020 normals.

Questions4

How much does it cost to run a portable air conditioner per hour?: At the U.S. average of 18.0¢/kWh, a typical certified unit costs 14.5¢ (5,000 BTU SACC), 16.4¢ (6,000 BTU SACC), 19.8¢ (8,000 BTU SACC), 22.8¢ (10,000 BTU SACC), 16.9¢ (12,000 BTU SACC) per hour at full power.
How many watts does a portable air conditioner use?: Divide its SACC by its CEER. Typical certified units draw 806 W at 5,000 BTU, 909 W at 6,000 BTU, 1096 W at 8,000 BTU, 1266 W at 10,000 BTU, 938 W at 12,000 BTU. Inverter units often run below full power once the room is cool, so real use is usually lower.
How much does a portable AC add to the electric bill per month?: Running 8 hours a day for 30 days, a typical 8,000 BTU (SACC) unit adds about $47, a 10,000 BTU unit about $55 and a 12,000 BTU unit about $41 at the U.S. average price. In Hawaii, where it runs the most hours, an 8,000 BTU unit costs about $923 over a whole year.
Is a portable air conditioner more expensive to run than a window unit?: Yes. For the same cooling, a typical ENERGY STAR certified window unit has a median CEER of 15.0 against 7.9 for the typical 10,000 BTU portable unit, so it costs about $90 a year at 750 hours instead of $171. Dual-hose and inverter portable units close much of the gap.

Cut the cost

Pick the right size from the SACC, not the box number. Size calculator
Prefer two hoses: in the 8,000 and 10,000 BTU classes the best dual-hose unit uses about half the electricity of the typical one-hose unit.
Insulate the exhaust hose and seal the window kit; every gap lets warm air back in.
Compare with a window unit if one will fit: portable vs. window.