Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a dehumidifier cost to run?
About $4.81 a month
for a typical portable dehumidifier 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
- 0.86 kWh a day
- Uses per year
- 315 kWh
A dehumidifier can run for hours a day through a damp season, so its cost adds up quietly. A typical portable certified model, removing about 25 pints (12 litres) of water a day, is rated at about 315 kWh a year. The humidity level you set makes a real difference.
Work out your own dehumidifier
Typical use: 315 kWh a year
You'll find it on the appliance's energy label.
What it costs in other countries
For a typical portable dehumidifier, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $4.81 | $58 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £6.91 | £83 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €9.50 | €114 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €10 | €122 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €6.52 | €78 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €6.59 | €79 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €8.25 | €99 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €6.41 | €77 |
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 dehumidifier
-
Don't set it lower than you need
A lower humidity target keeps it running longer, so set it only as dry as the room needs.
-
Close doors and windows
Otherwise it keeps drying air that's coming in from outside.
-
Pick the right size
A unit too small for the room runs almost constantly.
What can power it
We haven't found a published start-up figure for this appliance yet, so we don't give generator advice for it. Check the label for its watts.
Common questions
How much electricity does a dehumidifier use?
A typical portable ENERGY STAR dehumidifier is rated at about 315 kWh a year, and most fall between 181 and 525 kWh, across 541 models. Your use depends on how many hours it runs.
Does a dehumidifier use more than a fridge?
Over a year, a typical portable ENERGY STAR dehumidifier is rated at about 315 kWh, less than the 457 kWh of a typical full-size ENERGY STAR fridge. It depends on how many hours yours runs.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier per day?
About $0.16 a day in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.23 a day in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a typical portable dehumidifier. That adds up to about $58 or £83 a year.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifiers data set (U.S. EPA), 565 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.