Light emitting diode (LEDs) light bulbs have become required in recent years, but do they make financial sense? Suppose a typical 60-watt incandescent light bulb costs $.53 and lasts for 1,000 hours. A 15-watt LED, which provides the same light, costs $3.80 and lasts for 12,000 hours. A kilowatt hour of electricity costs $.129. A kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watts for 1 hour. However, electricity costs actually vary quite a bit depending on location and user type. An industrial user in West Virginia might pay $.04 per kilowatt-hour whereas a residential user in Hawaii might pay $.25.