How much does a Raspberry Pi 5 cost to run 24/7? Idle power cost
By TechCompare · Updated · How we check
At 3.0 W idle, a Pi 5 costs about $4.73 a year at $0.18/kWh, or about €7.88 at €0.30/kWh. The 8.8 W stress test figure, held for every hour of the year, comes to $13.88.
A Raspberry Pi 5 sitting idle drew 3.0 W at the wall in CNX Software's review. Running 24/7, that's 26.3 kWh a year, or $4.73 at $0.18/kWh, about $0.39 a month.
The table below prices the same 3.0 W at three dollar rates and three euro rates.
Yearly cost at six example rates, for 26.3 kWh a year
| Example rate | Yearly cost | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| $0.12 per kWh | $3.15 | $0.26 |
| $0.18 per kWh | $4.73 | $0.39 |
| $0.30 per kWh | $7.88 | $0.66 |
| €0.20 per kWh | €5.26 | €0.44 |
| €0.30 per kWh | €7.88 | €0.66 |
| €0.40 per kWh | €10.51 | €0.88 |
Your own rate will differ. Open this scenario in euros and type the price from your bill.
How this is calculated
CNX Software measured a Pi 5 with 8 GB of memory with the active cooler, a wall power meter and the power supply from the Raspberry Pi kit. Headless with Wi-Fi only, it drew 3.0 W at idle. With Ethernet, Wi-Fi, a USB mouse and keyboard and an HDMI display attached, it drew 3.6 W. A stress test on all four cores pushed it to 8.8 W.
Jeff Geerling's Pi 5 test results are close: 2.8 W idle at the wall and 9.7 W in a stress test, on a pre release board.
A USB SSD, a PoE hat or other add ons raise the draw, so measure your own setup if it carries more than the bare board. A reading that's already an average goes in at 100% utilization for 24 hours, which is how this page treats the idle figure.
Verdict
Budget about $5 a year for an idle Pi 5 at $0.18/kWh. That's the realistic case for a DNS filter, a small web service or a Home Assistant box. Even a board that works flat out all day costs only $14 a year.
At €0.30/kWh the idle cost is about €7.88, and at €0.40/kWh it's about €10.51. The board draws so little that an SSD, a fan or the losses in the power supply can matter as much as the Pi. Measure the complete setup once with a plug meter.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a Raspberry Pi 5 cost to run per month?
Does a Raspberry Pi 5 use much more power under load?
What does a Raspberry Pi 5 cost per year in euros?
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