Cost example updated October 24, 2026
At the US average home electricity rate of 18.31 cents per kWh (EIA, July 2026), a full home charge costs about $14.04 for a Model 3 Standard (about 69 kWh of usable battery) and about $15.26 for a Model Y Long Range (about 75 kWh of usable battery), counting the electricity the meter reads. That works out to about 4.4 cents a mile for the Model 3 and about 4.9 cents a mile for the Model Y. At 12,000 miles a year, 1,000 miles a month, that is about $44 a month for the Model 3 and about $49 a month for the Model Y. The rest of the page shows the math, the range at lower and higher rates, and what is estimated rather than exact.
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What is a kWh, in plain words?
A kWh, a kilowatt-hour, is the unit on your electric bill, the way a gallon is the unit at a gas pump. One kWh is what you use if you run a 1,000-watt appliance for one hour. Your bill charges you a price for each kWh you use. So charging a car is just two numbers multiplied: how many kWh go in, times your price per kWh. That price is the rate on your bill, here, 18.31 cents per kWh is the US average home rate for July 2026, from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Your own rate is on your bill: take the total energy charges, including delivery, and divide by the kWh you used that month.
The two cars in the math
Two models, stated plainly so you can check them. The Model 3 Standard (rear-wheel drive) uses about 69 kWh of usable battery, the part of the battery you can actually drive on, and is rated at 24.2 kWh per 100 miles. The Model Y Long Range (all-wheel drive) uses about 75 kWh of usable battery and is rated at 26.8 kWh per 100 miles. The per-100-miles figures are EPA ratings measured at the wall, that is, they already count the electricity the meter reads, including charging losses. One honest gap, stated here rather than hidden: Tesla does not publish usable battery sizes, so the 69 and 75 kWh figures are estimates from outside sources (see the sources note at the bottom), and they vary a little by model year and trim. The per-mile and monthly numbers below rest on the EPA ratings, which do not depend on the battery estimate.
What a full charge costs, at three rates
A full charge from empty is rare, most nights you top up what you drove that day, but it is the number everyone asks for, so here it is. The meter reads a little more than the battery holds, because about 10% is lost as heat while charging. So the wall figure is the usable battery divided by 0.90: 76.67 kWh for the Model 3, 83.33 kWh for the Model Y. Multiply that by your rate.
- Model 3 Standard, 76.67 wall kWh: $9.75 at 12.72 cents (Louisiana, the lowest state average, July 2026); $14.04 at 18.31 cents (US average); $25.77 at 33.61 cents (California, July 2026).
- Model Y Long Range, 83.33 wall kWh: $10.60 at 12.72 cents; $15.26 at 18.31 cents; $28.01 at 33.61 cents.
For reference, the battery energy alone, before charging losses, is $12.63 for the Model 3 (69 x 18.31 cents) and $13.73 for the Model Y (75 x 18.31 cents) at the US average. The difference between those figures and the ones above is the charging loss. A half charge costs about half the full-charge figure: about $7.02 for the Model 3 and about $7.63 for the Model Y at the US average.
What it costs per mile, and per month
Per-mile cost is the EPA rating times your rate. Monthly cost is 1,000 miles (12,000 miles a year) times the per-mile cost. These are the budgeting numbers, they do not depend on how empty the battery was when you plugged in.
- Model 3 Standard, 24.2 kWh per 100 miles: 4.4 cents a mile at the US average (3.1 cents at 12.72 cents; 8.1 cents at 33.61 cents). At 1,000 miles a month: about $44 a month at the US average ($31 at the low rate; $81 at the high rate), or about $532 a year at the US average.
- Model Y Long Range, 26.8 kWh per 100 miles: 4.9 cents a mile at the US average (3.4 cents at 12.72 cents; 9.0 cents at 33.61 cents). At 1,000 miles a month: about $49 a month at the US average ($34 at the low rate; $90 at the high rate), or about $589 a year at the US average.
Your rate moves the answer more than anything else. The same Model 3 month costs about $31 in a low-rate state and about $81 in a high-rate state. Cold weather, highway speeds, and heavy acceleration all push real-world use above the EPA rating, so treat these as planning numbers and redo them with your bill.
Formula
Charging cost is two numbers multiplied: how many kWh go in, times your price per kWh. The wall figure is the usable battery divided by 0.90, because about 10% is lost as heat while charging: 69 divided by 0.90 is 76.67 kWh for the Model 3, and 75 divided by 0.90 is 83.33 kWh for the Model Y. At the US average home rate of 18.31 cents per kWh, a full charge is 76.67 times $0.1831, or about $14.04 for the Model 3, and 83.33 times $0.1831, or about $15.26 for the Model Y.
At the low state rate of 12.72 cents, a full charge is $9.75 for the Model 3 and $10.60 for the Model Y. At the high state rate of 33.61 cents, it is $25.77 for the Model 3 and $28.01 for the Model Y. The battery energy alone, before charging losses, is $12.63 for the Model 3 and $13.73 for the Model Y at the US average. A half charge costs about half the full-charge figure: about $7.02 for the Model 3 and about $7.63 for the Model Y.
Per-mile cost is the EPA rating times your rate. The Model 3 at 24.2 kWh per 100 miles is 4.4 cents a mile at the US average, 3.1 cents at the low rate, and 8.1 cents at the high rate. The Model Y at 26.8 kWh per 100 miles is 4.9 cents a mile at the US average, 3.4 cents at the low rate, and 9.0 cents at the high rate. At 1,000 miles a month, that is about $44 a month for the Model 3 and about $49 a month for the Model Y, or about $532 a year and about $589 a year. Against the gas comparison, a gas car at 30 miles per gallon and $4.29 a gallon spends 14.3 cents a mile on fuel: $143 for 1,000 miles, $1,716 for 12,000 miles.
The same miles in a gas car, in numbers
No verdict here, just the same 1,000 miles priced the gas way, so the two sets of numbers sit side by side. A gas car at 30 miles per gallon, with regular gas at $4.29 a gallon (AAA national average, October 2026), spends 14.3 cents a mile on fuel: $143 for 1,000 miles, $1,716 for 12,000 miles. Set against the home-charging figures above at the US average rate, 4.4 cents a mile and about $44 a month for the Model 3, 4.9 cents a mile and about $49 a month for the Model Y, that is the full comparison. Gas prices and electricity rates both move month to month, so rerun both sides with current prices before relying on them.
What is not in these numbers
The cost of putting a charger in is a separate topic and is not in any number on this page. Public fast charging is also not in these numbers, only home charging at the home rate is counted. And the July 2026 electricity rate is a summer month, which typically runs above a full-year average, so a full-year average rate would give slightly lower figures. The charger itself is priced separately, see how much it costs to install a home EV charger.
Calculation transparency
Scope. Home charging only, for two named cars, at three named rates, with per-mile and monthly figures from the EPA ratings, and the same miles priced the gas way for scale.
Rules and time period. US average home electricity rate 18.31 cents per kWh, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, July 2026; low state rate 12.72 cents, Louisiana; high state rate 33.61 cents, California; Model 3 Standard about 69 kWh usable battery, rated 24.2 kWh per 100 miles; Model Y Long Range about 75 kWh usable battery, rated 26.8 kWh per 100 miles; EPA ratings measured at the wall, so charging losses are already inside them; charging losses about 10% on home Level 2 charging; gas comparison at 30 miles per gallon and $4.29 a gallon, AAA national average, October 2026.
Scope and limitations. Educational estimate only. Tesla does not publish usable battery sizes, so the 69 and 75 kWh figures are estimates from outside sources and vary a little by model year and trim; the per-mile and monthly numbers rest on the EPA ratings, which do not depend on the battery estimate. The July 2026 electricity rate is a summer month, which typically runs above a full-year average, so a full-year average rate would give slightly lower figures. Cold weather, highway speeds, and heavy acceleration push real-world use above the EPA rating. The cost of putting a charger in and public fast charging are not in any number on this page. Insurance quotes, gas prices, and local rates vary by driver and address. Get a real quote for the same car, coverage, and loan before you decide.
Source links checked November 6, 2026. Figures: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, July 2026, US average residential rate 18.31 cents per kWh, Louisiana 12.72 cents, California 33.61 cents; EPA fuel economy ratings, Model 3 Standard 24.2 kWh per 100 miles, Model Y Long Range 26.8 kWh per 100 miles; AAA national average regular gas $4.29 a gallon, October 2026. The usable battery estimates are named only, not linked, because Tesla does not publish them.
Primary sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A; EPA fuel economy, 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD; EPA fuel economy, 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD; AAA gas prices. How the numbers are calculated is written down on the methodology page, and every source is listed on the sources page.
Definitions
kWh. A kilowatt-hour, the unit on your electric bill, the way a gallon is the unit at a gas pump. One kWh is what you use if you run a 1,000-watt appliance for one hour.
Usable battery. The part of the battery you can actually drive on. On this page, about 69 kWh for the Model 3 Standard and about 75 kWh for the Model Y Long Range.
Wall figure. The electricity the meter reads, a little more than the battery holds, because about 10% is lost as heat while charging. On this page, 76.67 kWh for the Model 3 and 83.33 kWh for the Model Y.
Charging losses. Electricity lost as heat while charging, about 10% on home Level 2 charging. The battery energy alone is $12.63 for the Model 3 and $13.73 for the Model Y at the US average, against $14.04 and $15.26 metered.
EPA rating. The per-100-miles figure measured at the wall, which already counts the electricity the meter reads, including charging losses. On this page, 24.2 kWh per 100 miles for the Model 3 and 26.8 for the Model Y.
Level 2 charging. Slower AC charging on a 240-volt circuit, common at home. Charging losses of about 10% on this page are for home Level 2 charging.
Per-mile cost. The EPA rating times your rate. On this page, 4.4 cents a mile for the Model 3 and 4.9 cents a mile for the Model Y at the US average rate.
Rate. Your price per kWh, on your bill. Take the total energy charges, including delivery, and divide by the kWh you used that month.
Questions people actually ask
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla at home?
At the US average home rate of 18.31 cents per kWh (EIA, July 2026), a full home charge costs about $14.04 for a Model 3 Standard (about 69 kWh of usable battery) and about $15.26 for a Model Y Long Range (about 75 kWh of usable battery), counting charging losses. That is about 4.4 cents a mile for the Model 3 and about 4.9 cents a mile for the Model Y.
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla per month?
At 12,000 miles a year (1,000 miles a month) and the US average rate of 18.31 cents per kWh, about $44 a month for a Model 3 Standard and about $49 a month for a Model Y Long Range. At the low state rate of 12.72 cents, about $31 and $34 a month; at the high state rate of 33.61 cents, about $81 and $90 a month.
What is a kWh in plain words?
A kWh (kilowatt-hour) is the unit on your electric bill, the way a gallon is the unit at a gas pump. One kWh is what you use running a 1,000-watt appliance for one hour. Charging cost is simply the kWh that go in, times your price per kWh.
Why does a full charge cost more on my bill than battery size times rate?
Because about 10% of the electricity is lost as heat while charging, so the meter reads more than the battery holds. The battery energy alone is $12.63 for the Model 3 and $13.73 for the Model Y at the US average rate; the metered full charge, counting losses, is $14.04 and $15.26.
How much does charging a Tesla at home cost per mile compared with gas?
At the US average home rate of 18.31 cents per kWh, about 4.4 cents a mile for a Model 3 Standard and about 4.9 cents a mile for a Model Y Long Range. A gas car at 30 miles per gallon and $4.29 a gallon (AAA national average, October 2026) spends 14.3 cents a mile on fuel.
Related: See what EV road trip charging costs when you leave home.
Related: See what it costs per mile to drive, including the electricity rate.
Run your own numbers
Take your rate from your bill and multiply: for a full charge, your wall kWh (76.67 for the Model 3, 83.33 for the Model Y) times your rate; for a month, your miles times your per-mile cost. The calculator runs the same math for a whole car, and the EV vs. gas calculator compares electric and gas side by side. For the full ownership picture of each model, see the Model 3 cost page and the Model Y cost page, or the EV vs. gas guide.
Figures: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, July 2026 (US average residential rate 18.31 cents per kWh; Louisiana 12.72 cents; California 33.61 cents), as reported by multiple rate trackers; EPA ratings, Model 3 Standard 24.2 kWh per 100 miles, Model Y 26.8 kWh per 100 miles; usable battery estimates, Model 3 Standard about 69 kWh (two outside estimates agree at about 69 kWh) and Model Y Long Range about 75 kWh (three outside estimates agree at about 75 kWh); Tesla does not publish usable battery sizes, so treat those two figures as estimates; charging losses about 10% on home (Level 2) charging; AAA national average regular gas $4.29 a gallon, October 2026. Your rate, your driving, and the weather move the real numbers, the structure above is the part that does not change.