Energy prices around the world vary depending on a range of factors, including government subsidies and access to natural resources. These same factors impact how much it costs to run the energy-demanding computers known as
Bitcoin miners, which crack highly complex math problems to earn Bitcoin.
One of the most efficient miners, the Bitmain Antminer S9, drains 1350 Watts while working. That’s the same amount of electricity a blow dryer on a max setting can use up.
With an average of $12,203 in electricity costs per Bitcoin, the island-dotted region of Oceania is the most expensive area on the globe for mining, followed by South America at $7,150, Europe at $6,695, Asia at $6,378, the Middle East at $6,249, and North America at $5,456. Africa is the cheapest region for mining, costing an average of $4,626 in electricity per BTC.
The average electrical cost to mine 1 bitcoin across all the nations is $7,295. Electricity costs in Canada and the United States both fell more than $2,000 below the average. And with 1 BTC earning more than $10,000 in today’s market, high electricity bills can justify the payoff.
It’s important to note that the study only surveyed 111 of the 195 nations on Earth. The uncolored nations on the map represent the countries that weren’t represented in the study. (Click the map below to enlarge.)