Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a laptop cost to run?
About $0.20 a month
for a typical laptop in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Uses
- 0.04 kWh a day
- Uses per year
- 13.3 kWh
Laptops are some of the most efficient computers you can buy. A typical certified laptop uses about 13.3 kWh a year under ENERGY STAR's standard office-style pattern, far less than a desktop. Gaming or video editing draws a lot more, so if that's you, try your charger's watts in the calculator.
ENERGY STAR's yearly figure assumes a standard mix of time switched off, asleep and idle with the screen on. Sitting idle with the screen on, the typical certified laptop draws about 4.9 W. Gaming, video editing and other heavy work draw much more; for those, try your adapter's watts in the running cost calculator.
Work out your own laptop
Typical use: 13.3 kWh a year
You'll find it on the appliance's energy label.
Laptop, tablet or desktop
Yearly figures are ENERGY STAR's typical energy consumption for certified models. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Type of computer | Energy per year | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop1,157 models | $2.44 | |
| Tablet110 models | $1.50 | |
| Desktop306 models | $7.65 | |
| All-in-one desktop129 models | $9.89 |
What it costs in other countries
For a typical laptop, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $0.20 | $2.44 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £0.29 | £3.50 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €0.40 | €4.81 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €0.43 | €5.15 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €0.28 | €3.31 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €0.28 | €3.34 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €0.35 | €4.18 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €0.27 | €3.25 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your laptop
-
Use a laptop instead of a desktop
In the ENERGY STAR data, the typical certified laptop uses 28.5 kWh a year less than the typical desktop.
Saves about $5.22 a year
-
Let it sleep
Short sleep settings keep the yearly figure low when you step away.
-
Turn the brightness down
A brighter screen uses more power.
Savings use the electricity price you set above and figures from this page's sources.
What can power it
A laptop charges through its power adapter, and the watts printed on the adapter are about the most it will draw. When you pick a power station or a USB-C power bank, check that its output matches or beats the adapter's watts.
Common questions
How much electricity does a laptop use?
A typical ENERGY STAR laptop uses about 13.3 kWh a year under ENERGY STAR's standard pattern of off, sleep and idle time, across 1,157 certified models. Heavy use draws more.
How many watts does a laptop use?
Sitting idle with the screen on, the typical ENERGY STAR laptop draws about 4.9 W. Under heavy load it can draw up to its power adapter's rating.
How much does it cost to run a laptop per day?
About $0.01 a day in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.01 a day in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a typical laptop. That adds up to about $2.44 or £3.50 a year.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR Certified Computers data set (U.S. EPA), 1,815 models, fetched 15 October 2026
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.