Cost of Owning

Christmas Tree and Lights Cost Calculator

Enter your tree prices and how many strands of lights you run. See the break-even on an artificial tree and the real electricity cost of your lights.

Updated October 2026 · Free · No sign-up

Tree and lights: what will you spend?

Artificial tree pays for itself in
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ItemPer season

Defaults: $84 and $126 are the 2025 US average real and artificial tree prices as reported by Finder (citing National Christmas Tree Association data); 2026 prices may differ. Bulb wattages are typical figures, not exact: check your box. Electricity = watts × strands ÷ 1,000 × hours × days × rate; state rates are average residential prices (EIA, July 2026). Break-even counts purchase price and yearly extras only.

How the math works

Tree break-even divides the artificial tree's price by what you would spend on real trees each year. Lights are watts times hours times your rate: a 100-bulb LED strand draws a few watts, an old incandescent one roughly ten times that, which is why switching strands is the easy saving.

Ways to spend less

  • Swap incandescent strands for LED. The same display draws about a tenth of the power.
  • Use a timer. Six hours a day lit instead of twelve halves the lights' cost.
  • Buy artificial only if you will keep it for the break-even number of seasons above.

The full comparison, with sources, is in the guide: real vs artificial Christmas tree cost in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Christmas tree cost in 2026?
The most recent published averages are from 2025: about $84 for a real tree and about $126 for an artificial one, as reported by Finder citing National Christmas Tree Association data. A 2026 average has not been published yet, and the American Christmas Tree Association says artificial prices are running higher.
Is an artificial tree cheaper than a real one?
On price alone, yes after a couple of seasons: at $126 against $84 a year, the artificial tree pays for itself in two seasons (our arithmetic, before stand, bags and disposal). Environmental break-even studies, which are a different question, put it at about 4 to 5 years.
How much do Christmas lights add to the electric bill?
Very little with LEDs. Energy.gov says LEDs use about 70% less energy than conventional strands. At the US average 18.31¢ per kWh, ten 100-bulb LED strands at roughly 4 W each, lit 6 hours a day for 40 days, use about 9.6 kWh and cost about $1.76.
How much does it cost to have Christmas lights installed?
Angi and HomeAdvisor put the average near $440, with typical jobs ranging from roughly $220 to $685 (figures as reported in search listings; we could not open either page).
Are Christmas trees a fire risk?
Rarely, but they are dangerous when they do burn. NFPA data reported by the International Fire and Safety Journal counts about 143 home fires a year that begin with Christmas trees in 2020 to 2024. Keep the tree away from heat sources and water a real one daily.