What Bulb For
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Electricity cost calculator

At the US average rate for homes in 2025, 17.3¢ per kWh, an old 60 watt bulb on for 3 hours a day costs $11.37 a year to run. Feit’s OM60DM/927CA, an LED 60 watt replacement that uses 8.8 watts, costs $1.67 a year.

Cost of

W
h
¢/kWh

The rate starts at the US average for homes in 2025. For several bulbs or a holiday display, type a sum, such as 60 + 60 + 40.

Cost to run

$11.37 a year

60 W × 3 h = 0.18 kWh a day. 0.18 kWh × 17.3¢ = 3.1¢ a day. 93¢ a month (30 days), $11.37 a year (365 days).

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  • The amps for 60 W: watts to amps
  • Use the watts under Energy Used on a bulb’s Lighting Facts label, or the watts on a device’s nameplate. The cost assumes it draws those watts the whole time it’s on.
  • For your own rate, divide the electricity charges on your bill by the kWh it lists, then multiply by 100 for cents.

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Cost at 3 hours a day

What a bulb or device costs to run 3 hours a day at 17.3 cents per kWh
WattsA dayA month (30 days)A year (365 days)
8.8 W0.5¢14¢$1.67
40 W2.1¢62¢$7.58
60 W3.1¢93¢$11.37
75 W3.9¢$1.17$14.21
100 W5.2¢$1.56$18.94
1,500 W78¢$23.36$284.15

Rounded to the cent or tenth of a cent.

Your own rate

Rates differ a lot by state. From January to July 2026, state averages for homes ran from 12.36¢ per kWh in North Dakota to 46.28¢ in Hawaii.

For holiday lights, see what Christmas lights cost to run, and for a light left on all day, the cost to leave a light on.

Common questions

Why is my cost higher than the yearly cost on the bulb's box?

The Lighting Facts label works out its yearly cost at 3 hours a day and 11 cents per kWh. At the US average of 17.3 cents, the same bulb costs about 1.6 times as much.

Where we get our information from

The default rate is the US Energy Information Administration’s average residential price, the LED’s watts come from Feit’s product page, the brightness from ENERGY STAR (EPA), and the label details from the FTC’s labeling rule. Checked against published data from FTC, ENERGY STAR, US EIA and Feit Electric.

See all 4 sources
  • FTC Appliance Labeling Rule, 16 CFR 305.23: the Lighting Facts label (brightness, yearly cost, life, light appearance, energy used, mercury; 3-way levels)
  • ENERGY STAR (EPA), “Learn About Brightness”: lumens, not watts, and the watts-to-lumens table
  • US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly (released September 24, 2026), Table 5.3: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, 2025 annual residential, and Table 5.6.B: by state, year to date through July 2026
  • Feit Electric product page: 8.8W (60W Replacement) Soft White (2700K) A19 E26 Base Dimmable LED (OM60DM/927CA/4)

General guidance from manufacturer and standards data. Products vary, so check the label and the maker's instructions.