Room Air Conditioners / Illinois
Cost to run a room air conditioner in Illinois
A typical ENERGY STAR room air conditioner costs about $102.23 a year to run in Illinois, or $8.52 a month, at the state’s average residential price of 19.22 cents per kWh (July 2026).
- Typical yearly cost
- $102.23
- Over ten years
- $1022 today’s price
- Price in Illinois
- 19.22 ¢/kWh
“Typical” means the median annual energy use of 556 current ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioners (532 kWh a year), multiplied by the price. It is a standardized figure, not a measurement of your home.
By type of room air conditioner
| Type | Models | Median kWh/yr | Cost per year | Per month | Range per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Window | 491 | 500 | $96.10 | $8.01 | $50.05 to $402.91 |
| Through the Wall | 65 | 648 | $124.45 | $10.37 | $81.78 to $192.20 |
Costs use each type’s median listing; the range runs from its lowest to its highest listed energy use. Source: ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioners dataset (EPA) and EIA residential prices.
How Illinois compares
Illinois’s average residential price is 19% above the median US state, ranking 17 of 51 from highest to lowest. The same typical room air conditioner would cost $67.66 a year in Louisiana, the cheapest state, and $255.31 in Hawaii, the most expensive. Over the last 12 months Illinois’s price rose 11.6%.
Cost to run a room air conditioner in every state · Illinois electricity price history · Replacing an old room air conditioner? Savings calculator
Lowest running cost by type
The published model with the lowest listed annual energy use in each type, with its cost at Illinois’s price:
- Midea MWEUTW-08CRFN8-BCN1 (through the wall): 426 kWh a year, about $81.78 in Illinois
- Vissani VAW05V1KWT (window): 260 kWh a year, about $50.05 in Illinois
These are the lowest among the models published on this site, not among every certified model. Browse all room air conditioners by energy use.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a room air conditioner in Illinois?
A typical ENERGY STAR room air conditioner (the median of 556 current listings, 531.9 kWh a year) costs about $102.23 a year, or $8.52 a month, at Illinois's average residential price of 19.22 cents per kWh. By type it ranges from $96.10 (window) to $124.45 (through the wall).
Is electricity expensive in Illinois?
Illinois's average residential price is 19.22 cents per kWh (July 2026, EIA), 19% above the median state and 17 of 51 when states are ranked from highest to lowest price. The same typical room air conditioner would cost $67.66 a year in Louisiana, the cheapest state, and $255.31 in Hawaii.
Will my room air conditioner cost the same?
Probably not exactly. The annual figure is a standardized ENERGY STAR value, and your own price per kWh may differ from the statewide average. Enter your rate in the calculator on any room air conditioner page for a closer number.