Electricity Cost by Country — Mining Profitability Guide 2026
Electricity cost is the single most important variable in crypto mining profitability. This table shows average residential rates for 51+ countries, colour-coded by mining viability. All rates are approximate USD/kWh equivalents as of 2026.
Sources: IEA, GlobalPetrolPrices.com, national energy regulators. Industrial rates are typically 30–60% lower than residential. Last updated: July 2026.
⚡ Quick Profitability Check
| Country | $/kWh (residential avg) | Mining Viability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇷 Iran | $0.003 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Subsidised; mining legally restricted |
| 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | $0.013 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Surplus hydroelectric; major mining hub |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | $0.023 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Itaipú dam hydro surplus |
| 🇩🇿 Algeria | $0.035 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Heavily subsidised gas |
| 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | $0.038 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Coal-heavy; major ASIC hub |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | $0.040 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Siberian hydro regions cheapest |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | $0.042 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Subsidised; inflation risk |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $0.048 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Heavily subsidised |
| 🇨🇦 Canada (Québec) | $0.052 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Hydro; industrial rates ~$0.03 |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | $0.052 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Subsidised; devaluation risk |
| 🇮🇸 Iceland | $0.054 | 🟢 Mining-friendly | Geothermal & hydro; 100% renewable |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | $0.074 | 🟡 Marginal | Subsidised Tenaga rates |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | $0.078 | 🟡 Marginal | Tiered EVN rates |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | $0.079 | 🟡 Marginal | Hydro; variable seasonal pricing |
| 🇨🇳 China | $0.079 | 🟡 Marginal | Mining banned since 2021 |
| 🇦🇪 UAE | $0.082 | 🟡 Marginal | Subsidised residential rates |
| 🇮🇳 India | $0.088 | 🟡 Marginal | Wide state variation |
| 🇺🇸 USA (Washington) | $0.092 | 🟡 Marginal | Columbia River hydro |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | $0.093 | 🟡 Marginal | CFE subsidised residential |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | $0.094 | 🟡 Marginal | Subsidised Taipower |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | $0.098 | 🟡 Marginal | Hydro-heavy grid |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | $0.098 | 🟡 Marginal | Variable due to inflation/FX |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | $0.112 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $0.114 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Tiered pricing; industrial cheaper |
| 🇺🇸 USA (Texas) | $0.118 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Competitive deregulated market |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | $0.119 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Eskom load-shedding risk |
| 🇺🇸 USA (avg) | $0.128 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Wide variation: TX ~$0.12, WA ~$0.09 |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | $0.128 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Subsidised but supply issues |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | $0.142 | 🔴 Unprofitable | North Sweden much cheaper |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | $0.143 | 🔴 Unprofitable | One of cheaper EU countries |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | $0.149 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇭🇷 Croatia | $0.157 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | $0.162 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Among highest in SE Asia |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | $0.169 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Coal transition underway |
| 🇸🇰 Slovakia | $0.178 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇨🇿 Czechia | $0.195 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | $0.198 | 🔴 Unprofitable | City-state, import-dependent |
| 🇫🇷 France | $0.206 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Nuclear fleet keeps rates lower |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | $0.213 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Island grids cost more |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | $0.218 | 🔴 Unprofitable | High retail rates; some cheap industrial |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $0.221 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Variable PVPC tariff |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $0.221 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Post-Fukushima high rates |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | $0.223 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | $0.224 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Renewable-heavy but expensive |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | $0.247 | 🔴 Unprofitable | |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $0.271 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Residential ~€0.25/kWh |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $0.291 | 🔴 Unprofitable | OFGEM price cap regime |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $0.292 | 🔴 Unprofitable | High excise duty |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $0.298 | 🔴 Unprofitable | High network tariffs |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $0.342 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Highest in EU; green energy surcharges |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | $0.358 | 🔴 Unprofitable | Highest residential in Europe |
Why Electricity Cost Is the #1 Factor in Mining Profitability
Every mining operation — from a single GPU rig at home to a 100 MW industrial data centre — is essentially an electricity-to-cryptocurrency conversion machine. The efficiency of that conversion is determined by your hardware; the profitability is determined by the gap between what you pay for electricity and what you earn for the coins you mine.
A miner running an Antminer S21 Pro (234 TH/s, 3510W) earns roughly the same number of bitcoins per day regardless of location. The difference between profit and loss is entirely in the electricity bill:
- At $0.03/kWh (Ethiopian hydro): ~$2.52/day electricity cost → potentially $20–40/day profit
- At $0.08/kWh (US industrial): ~$6.73/day → marginal profit depending on BTC price
- At $0.27/kWh (Italian residential): ~$22.72/day electricity → almost always a loss
This is why the geography of mining has shifted dramatically: large operations moved to Ethiopia, Paraguay, Oman, and other countries with power surpluses, while home mining in Western Europe and Australia is largely uneconomical at retail rates.
How to Find Your Actual Electricity Rate
The rates in this table are averages and may not reflect your actual cost. To find your exact rate:
- Find your electricity bill (paper or online account)
- Look for the unit price — it may be listed as "Energy charge," "Unit rate," or "Prezzo energia"
- Divide total electricity cost by total kWh consumed to get your effective rate
- Note that tiered pricing means heavy users (like miners) may be in a higher tier
Once you have your rate, enter it into our profitability calculator for an accurate result, or use the coin comparator to find which coin gives you the best return at your specific rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the cheapest electricity for crypto mining?
As of 2026, the countries with the cheapest electricity for mining are Iran (~$0.003/kWh, subsidised but legally restricted), Ethiopia (~$0.013/kWh, hydroelectric surplus), Paraguay (~$0.023/kWh, Itaipú dam), Algeria (~$0.035/kWh), Kazakhstan (~$0.038/kWh) and Russia (~$0.04/kWh, Siberian hydro). Industrial rates are always significantly lower than the residential averages shown here.
What is the average electricity cost for Bitcoin mining in 2026?
There is no single global figure: residential rates range from under $0.01/kWh in Iran and Ethiopia to over $0.35/kWh in Germany and Denmark. The practical break-even for home Bitcoin mining with modern ASICs sits around $0.07–$0.12/kWh; profitable industrial operations typically secure power below $0.05/kWh.
How much does electricity cost to mine 1 Bitcoin?
It depends almost entirely on your power rate and hardware efficiency. A modern fleet running at ~17 J/TH needs roughly 6–7 MWh of electricity to mine 1 BTC at 2026 difficulty. At $0.05/kWh that is about $300–350 of power per coin; at $0.27/kWh (typical EU residential) the same coin costs $1,600–1,900 in electricity alone — often more than mining rewards return.
Is Bitcoin mining profitable in the United States?
It varies sharply by state. The US residential average (~$0.13/kWh) is generally unprofitable for home ASIC mining, but deregulated markets like Texas (~$0.12/kWh, with demand-response credits) and hydro-rich Washington (~$0.09/kWh) are far more viable, and large operations negotiate industrial rates near $0.04–0.06/kWh. Run your exact rate through the calculator before buying hardware.
Why is electricity for mining so cheap in Iran and Ethiopia?
Both rely on heavy subsidies or surplus generation. Iran subsidises energy to roughly $0.003/kWh, though mining is legally restricted and grid-stress crackdowns are common. Ethiopia exports surplus hydroelectric power from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam at ~$0.013/kWh and has actively courted mining operators since 2023.
How much cheaper are industrial mining rates than residential?
Industrial and negotiated mining contracts are typically 30–60% below the residential averages in this table. A country shown at $0.12/kWh residential may offer $0.05–0.08/kWh to a megawatt-scale miner, which is why nearly all profitable mining happens on industrial or behind-the-meter power, not household supply.
Keep Going
Electricity rate is one input — pair it with the right coin and hardware to see real numbers:
- Profitability simulations — every coin modelled across electricity tiers from $0.04 to $0.20/kWh
- Mining hardware — efficiency (J/TH) specs for current ASICs and GPUs, the other half of the cost equation
- Mining by country — full legal, tax and grid profiles for 19 countries
- Mining algorithms — why some coins cost far less power per dollar mined
- Jump straight to a calculator: Bitcoin, Kaspa, Monero or Litecoin