How much does it cost to run a hair dryer?
A typical hair dryer draws about 1800 watts. Used 0.2 hours a day, that works out to roughly $0.06 per day, $1.86 per month, and $22.34 per year on an average electricity rate of 17¢ per kWh. High wattage, but only a few minutes of use per day.
Hair Dryer running cost calculator
- Per day
- $0.06
- Per month
- $1.86
- Per year
- $22.34
- CO₂ / year
- 52.6 kg
Based on 131.4 kWh per year. Adjust the price per kWh to match your latest electricity bill for an exact figure.
The number that matters most is your own electricity rate. Rates range from under 11¢ per kWh in some regions to over 30¢ in others, so the same hair dryer can cost two or three times as much depending on where you live. Enter your exact rate in the calculator above to get a figure tailored to your bill.
Over a full year this hair dryer uses about 131.4 kWh of electricity and is responsible for roughly 52.6 kg of CO₂ emissions on an average grid. Reducing run time, or switching to a more efficient model, lowers both the cost and the footprint.
If this hair dryer is one you use daily, even small efficiency gains compound. Cutting its usage or wattage by 20% would save around $4.47 every year — money that an efficient replacement can recover over its lifetime.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to run a hair dryer per hour?
- At 1800 watts and a 17¢/kWh rate, a hair dryer costs about $0.31 per hour to run.
- How much electricity does a hair dryer use per month?
- Running 0.2 hours a day, a hair dryer uses roughly 11.0 kWh per month, costing about $1.86.
- Is a hair dryer expensive to run?
- Not particularly — at around $22.34 per year, a hair dryer is a relatively minor part of most electricity bills.
- How can I reduce my hair dryer running costs?
- Use it during off-peak hours if your utility offers time-of-use pricing, reduce daily run time, and consider an ENERGY STAR rated hair dryer, which uses less power for the same job.