Enter your humidifier's wattage and daily runtime to see real running cost through a heating season.
Ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers use far less power than steam-based whole-home units, which use a heating element and can cost significantly more to run.
Small ultrasonic and evaporative-wick humidifiers sip power (often 20-50W), while whole-home steam humidifiers use a heating element similar to a small water heater and can draw 400W or more — check your specific unit's nameplate rather than assuming, since the cost difference between types can be 10× or greater.
Whole-home steam humidifiers use a heating element and typically draw 400-900W, much higher than the portable ultrasonic units this default example assumes — enter your unit's actual wattage for an accurate number.
Indirectly, somewhat — humid air feels warmer at the same temperature, so some households lower the thermostat slightly when using a humidifier, offsetting part of its own running cost.