What Does It Cost to Run a Refrigerator in Iowa?
This page estimates the energy-only cost to run a refrigerator in Iowa using a typical compressor-cycle refrigerator, an average load of 180 watts, and a typical runtime of 8 hours/day.
Key metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average wattage assumption | 180 W |
| Typical usage assumption | 8 hours/day |
| Estimated monthly electricity use | 43.2 kWh |
| Estimated monthly cost | $5.69 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $69.27 |
Refrigerator cost vs U.S. average
At the statewide average residential rate, running a refrigerator in Iowa costs less per month by $1.90 than the same usage pattern priced at the current U.S. average electricity rate.
How much electricity does a refrigerator use?
This estimate uses a typical wattage range of 100-250 W and a modeling assumption of 180 watts for 8 hours/day. Using the formula kWh = (watts × hours) / 1000, that works out to 1.44 kWh per day, 43.2 kWh per 30-day month, and 525.6 kWh per year.
Refrigerators cycle on and off during the day, so the average running load is lower than peak startup wattage. In Iowa, that energy is priced using the statewide residential average of 13.18 ¢/kWh, with a national benchmark of 17.57 ¢/kWh for comparison.
Refrigerator operating cost estimate in Iowa
| Time period | Energy use | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour | 0.18 kWh | $0.02 |
| Per day | 1.44 kWh | $0.19 |
| Per month | 43.2 kWh | $5.69 |
| Per year | 525.6 kWh | $69.27 |
These estimates isolate electricity usage only. Real utility bills can be higher because delivery charges, taxes, seasonal pricing, and fixed monthly fees are not included in this appliance model.
What changes the cost the most?
The biggest cost drivers for a refrigerator are the local electricity rate and real-world usage intensity. For this appliance, the main swing factors are appliance age, door-opening frequency, garage vs indoor placement.
If your usage is lighter or heavier than the assumption on this page, the linked state calculator and usage-cost pages below are the fastest way to model a custom scenario with the same state electricity rate.
For calculator-focused intent, use the Refrigerator calculator in Iowa to compare light, typical, and heavy usage profiles.
Comparison discovery pathways
Use the curated Energy Comparison Hub to move between appliance, state, and usage comparison routes without changing canonical ownership for appliance cost intent.
Related appliance cost pages for Iowa
- Dishwasher cost in Iowa — Typical 1,200-1,800 W estimate with state-specific pricing
- Electric Oven cost in Iowa — Typical 2,000-5,000 W estimate with state-specific pricing
- Microwave cost in Iowa — Typical 600-1,500 W estimate with state-specific pricing
- Toaster Oven cost in Iowa — Typical 1,200-1,800 W estimate with state-specific pricing
State cost and bill pathways for Iowa
- Average power price in Iowa — Residential rate benchmark used in scenario estimates
- Iowa electricity overview — Core authority page with statewide pricing context
- Electricity cost in Iowa — State-level cost, affordability, and value overview
- Iowa monthly electricity bill estimate — Bill-focused context for household usage
- Electric bill estimator scenarios in Iowa — Deterministic household-profile bill scenarios
- Iowa data profile — Machine-readable state profile and metrics
Historical and trend pages
- Historical electricity prices in Iowa — Historical context and trend interpretation
- Electricity inflation in Iowa — State electricity inflation analysis
- Iowa electricity price volatility — Volatility and rate movement profile
Fixed-usage and calculator pathways
- 500 kWh cost in Iowa — Usage-tier estimate for the same state
- 1,000 kWh cost in Iowa — Usage-tier estimate for the same state
- Electricity cost for 1,500 kWh in Iowa — Usage-tier estimate for the same state
- Custom usage calculator for Iowa — Custom kWh and scenario cost calculation
Appliance and estimator pathways
- Refrigerator cost in Iowa — Canonical appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Refrigerator calculator in Iowa — Calculator-intent scenario page for this appliance
- Space Heater cost in Iowa — Canonical appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Space Heater calculator in Iowa — Calculator-intent scenario page for this appliance
- Window Ac cost in Iowa — Canonical appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Window Ac calculator in Iowa — Calculator-intent scenario page for this appliance
State comparison pathways for Iowa
- Compare Iowa with other states — State-to-state comparison hub
- Iowa vs California electricity cost — Head-to-head comparison page
- Iowa vs Florida electricity cost — Head-to-head comparison page
Discovery and navigation hubs
- Iowa electricity hub — Discovery hub for this state's price, usage, comparison, and tool pages
- Electricity cost scenario hub — Entry point for residential and industry scenario pages
- Iowa electricity cost authority — Canonical state electricity cost cluster page
- Iowa average electricity bill benchmark — Canonical benchmark bill cluster page
- Iowa electricity bill estimator — Canonical estimator cluster page
- Electricity usage hubs — Browse cost pages by common household usage tiers
Consumer electricity drivers
- Price drivers in Iowa — Understand what influences state electricity prices
Source & Method
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Retail Sales of Electricity. Last dataset period: February 2026. Costs are energy-only estimates and exclude delivery charges, taxes, and fixed utility fees.