How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dehumidifier?
Updated July 20, 2026
Just want the number? Use the energy cost calculator.
A typical 50-pint dehumidifier costs about 8 to 14 cents per hour to run at the U.S. average electricity rate, which works out to roughly 25 to 45 dollars a month if you run it 10 hours a day through the summer. The exact figure depends on your unit’s wattage, how many hours the compressor actually runs, and what your utility charges per kilowatt-hour.
The formula
Electricity is priced per kilowatt-hour. The math is:
cost per hour = (watts / 1,000) x electricity rate
A 500-watt unit at 17 cents per kWh costs 8.5 cents per hour. Run it 10 hours a day and that is 85 cents a day, or about 25 dollars over a 30-day month. Scale up or down from there based on your unit’s actual wattage.
Wattage by unit capacity
Dehumidifier capacity is rated in pints of moisture removed per day. The U.S. Department of Energy updated its dehumidifier test standard in 2019, which changed how manufacturers measure and label capacity. A unit sold as “50 pint” under the old standard may now carry a “35 pint” label under the new one. Wattage is more reliable than the pint label for comparing energy cost across brands.
| Capacity | Typical wattage | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|
| Small (about 16 to 22 pints/day, new standard) | 250 to 400 W | small bedroom, crawl space |
| Medium (about 30 to 35 pints/day, new standard) | 400 to 600 W | average basement or bedroom |
| Large (about 50 pints/day, new standard) | 600 to 800 W | large basement, open floor plan |
| Whole-house (about 70 pints/day, new standard) | 700 to 900 W | whole house or very large space |
The rated wattage for your specific unit is on the nameplate or in the owner’s manual, often listed as “Rated Input Power.” If you only see amperage, multiply amps by 120 to get watts.
Cost examples at different wattages
The U.S. Energy Information Administration tracks residential electricity rates monthly. The national average was near 17 cents per kWh in 2024, though rates in many northeastern and western states run 25 to 30 cents or more. At the national average:
| Wattage | Cost per hour | 10 hrs per day | 30-day month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 W (small unit) | about 5 cents | about 51 cents | about 15 dollars |
| 500 W (medium unit) | about 9 cents | about 85 cents | about 26 dollars |
| 700 W (large unit) | about 12 cents | about 1.19 dollars | about 36 dollars |
| 850 W (whole-house unit) | about 14 cents | about 1.45 dollars | about 43 dollars |
If your rate is 25 cents per kWh instead of 17 cents, multiply these figures by about 1.5. A medium unit that costs 26 dollars a month at the national average runs closer to 38 dollars a month in a high-rate state.
Why your actual bill is usually lower than the table suggests
A dehumidifier does not run its compressor every minute it is switched on. Once the room reaches the target humidity level, the compressor cycles off and the unit draws only a few watts to keep the fan and controls running. On a dry day or in a well-sealed space, the compressor might run less than half the total time.
The practical result: your real monthly cost is based on compressor-on hours, not clock hours. In a very humid basement during a wet summer, the compressor may run almost continuously and the table above is a close estimate. In a finished bedroom where you run the unit for a few hours to knock down post-shower humidity, the actual cost is considerably lower.
Energy efficiency: what IEF means
Dehumidifier efficiency is measured by the Integrated Energy Factor, abbreviated IEF, in liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed. A higher IEF means more moisture removed for the same electricity cost. The EPA Energy Star program certifies models that meet IEF thresholds above the federal minimum and publishes a full list of certified products with tested IEF values.
For a dehumidifier that runs most of the summer, choosing a certified unit over a budget model can reduce compressor-on hours enough to save 10 to 20 dollars over the season without sacrificing dehumidification performance.
How it compares to other appliances
A 700-watt dehumidifier draws about the same as a small window air conditioner running on a mild day. The key difference is that an air conditioner removes heat and moisture together, while a dehumidifier pulls moisture out but adds a small amount of heat back to the room as a byproduct. Running both at once in a hot, humid basement is common. The wattage math for window AC units, including how EER rating affects draw, is covered in how many watts a window air conditioner uses.
A plug-in space heater draws about 1,500 watts, roughly twice the draw of a large dehumidifier. If you are comparing seasonal electricity costs across appliances, the space heater running cost guide applies the same per-hour formula to heating.
Find your exact number
Take the wattage from your unit’s nameplate, enter it in the energy cost calculator along with your electricity rate from a recent bill and the hours per day you typically run the unit. The calculator returns cost per hour, per day, and per month with the math shown. Adjust the hours to reflect your real usage, especially if the unit cycles off frequently, and you get a seasonal estimate rather than a worst-case figure.