How much does it cost to run a Monero miner 24/7?
Your main cost to run a Monero miner 24/7 is electricity: the power your computer draws multiplied by your electricity rate. For example, a computer averaging 150 watts costs about $16.20 per 30-day month at $0.15 per kilowatt-hour, before any extra cooling, hardware, or mining fees.
Work out your electricity bill
You need two numbers: your computer’s average power use while mining and your electricity price.
A watt (W) measures how much power a device uses. Your utility charges for kilowatt-hours (kWh), which measure electricity used over time.
Use this formula:
Monthly electricity cost = watts ÷ 1,000 × 24 × 30 × price per kWh
At an example electricity rate of $0.15 per kWh, continuous mining would cost:
- 50 W: 36 kWh, or $5.40 a month
- 150 W: 108 kWh, or $16.20 a month
- 300 W: 216 kWh, or $32.40 a month
These are power-use examples, not expected readings for your computer. A 31-day month costs slightly more. Use the per-kWh charges on your own bill, including usage-based delivery charges and taxes where applicable.
If your electricity price changes by time of day, calculate each rate period separately.
Measure the right amount of power
A plug-in electricity meter is usually the simplest way to measure your computer’s actual draw from the wall. Software estimates may show only processor power, leaving out memory, fans, and power-supply losses.
Don’t use the wattage printed on your power supply. A “650 W” label describes its capacity, not its constant consumption.
Which reading matters depends on what you would otherwise do:
- You would turn the computer off: Count its full power draw while mining.
- You would leave it on anyway: Compare mining power with its normal power use. The difference is your additional mining cost.
For example, if your computer normally uses 40 W and uses 150 W while mining, mining adds 110 W. At $0.15 per kWh, that adds $11.88 per 30-day month.
Measure over several hours to get a representative average, especially if you also use the computer for other tasks.
Include cooling, equipment, and fees
Electricity is not the only possible expense.
- Cooling: Mining produces heat. Air conditioning may use extra electricity to remove it.
- Hardware: If you buy a computer just for mining, spread its purchase cost over the months you expect to use it.
- Maintenance: Continuous heat and fan use can add wear. Keep vents clear and watch temperatures.
- Fees: A mining pool—a group that combines mining work—or browser-mining service may take a share of your rewards. This reduces earnings rather than raising your electricity bill.
Browser mining still uses your processor and electricity. “Free to start” does not mean free to run, and a browser tab may pause or slow down in the background.
The bottom line
To price 24/7 mining, measure your actual power use and apply your electricity rate to 720 hours per 30-day month. Then add any cooling and equipment costs. Whether your Monero rewards cover that total is a separate calculation: check a live mining calculator using your measured mining speed, and subtract any service fees.
