How Much Does an Infrared Sauna Cost Per Month?

Most home infrared saunas cost only a few dollars a month to run. For light use, around three sessions a week, expect roughly 2.50 to 6 dollars per month in electricity. Daily use in a higher-rate state still lands around 10 to 12 dollars per month. Infrared saunas are cheaper to operate than traditional saunas because they draw only about 1 to 3 kilowatt hours per hour and heat your body directly instead of heating a whole room of air.

The short answer

The monthly cost of an infrared sauna depends on three things: how often you use it, your session length, and your local electricity rate. A typical home infrared sauna uses about 1 to 3 kilowatt hours per hour. At the US average residential rate of roughly 18 cents per kilowatt hour, a single 30 to 45 minute session costs about 0.20 to 0.40 dollars. Multiply that out and light use of three sessions a week comes to about 2.50 to 6 dollars a month. Regular use of a two-person model averages about 5 to 7 dollars a month. Even daily use in a high-rate state like California stays near 10 to 12 dollars a month. Those numbers make the running cost of an infrared sauna one of the smallest parts of ownership; the purchase price matters far more than the monthly bill.

How is the monthly cost calculated?

The math is straightforward. Take your sauna's power draw in kilowatts, multiply by hours of use, then multiply by your electricity rate. Most home infrared cabins pull 1.5 to 3 kilowatts. A 45 minute session at 1.6 kilowatts uses about 1.2 kilowatt hours. At 18 cents per kilowatt hour that session costs about 0.22 dollars.

The national figure to plug in is the US Energy Information Administration average residential price, which sits near 18 cents per kilowatt hour in 2026 (U.S. EIA). Your state rate may be lower in the South and Midwest or higher in the Northeast and California, so adjust accordingly. Treat any single figure as an estimate, since wattage and rates vary.

What does it cost at different usage levels?

Usage	Sessions per month	Estimated monthly cost
Light	About 12, or 3 per week	2.50 to 6 dollars
Regular	About 20	5 to 7 dollars
Daily	About 30	8 to 12 dollars

These ranges assume a one to two person cabin at the national average rate. Larger cabins with more or higher-wattage panels sit toward the top of each range, and high-rate states push the daily number to around 12 dollars. The cost per session generally stays between 0.20 and 0.40 dollars across all of these.

What affects how much you pay each month?

Several factors move the number up or down. Your location matters most, because electricity rates vary widely by state. Cabin size and heater wattage come next; a four-person cabin draws more than a one-person unit. Session length and frequency obviously scale the bill. Insulation quality also plays a role, since a well-insulated cabin holds heat and spends less energy maintaining temperature.

You can trim costs without trimming sessions. Running the sauna during off-peak hours where time-of-use pricing applies, choosing a sensible temperature rather than the maximum, and keeping the door closed during heat-up all help. For a fuller picture of what a sauna adds to your power bill, the Cleveland Clinic overview of infrared saunas covers how they work, and our infrared saunas collection lists the panel and wattage details that drive consumption.

How does infrared compare to a traditional sauna?

Infrared is the cheaper of the two to run. A traditional electric sauna heats a full room of air to 150 to 195 degrees and uses a higher-wattage stove, so it draws more power per session, especially during a longer heat-up. Infrared warms your body directly at 110 to 135 degrees, reaches usable temperature faster, and uses less energy overall. If keeping the monthly bill low is a priority, infrared has the edge, though a traditional sauna or a hybrid sauna may still be the right call if you want hotter, humid sessions. Either way, the operating cost difference is measured in single-digit dollars per month, not hundreds.

Is the monthly cost a reason to buy or skip an infrared sauna?

The running cost should rarely be the deciding factor. At a few dollars a month, electricity is a rounding error next to the purchase price. The more meaningful comparison is against what you spend on sauna sessions elsewhere. A handful of spa or studio visits can cost more in a single month than a year of running a home unit. For buyers weighing the full investment, many home wellness purchases are HSA and FSA eligible, which can save eligible buyers up to about 30 percent, and financing can spread the upfront cost over time.

Health and safety note

Infrared saunas are generally well tolerated by healthy adults, and regular sauna use has been linked with cardiovascular and other benefits in a 2018 Mayo Clinic Proceedings review, though those are associations rather than proof of cause (Mayo Clinic Proceedings). Hydrate before and after sessions. If you are pregnant, have heart disease, or take medication that affects how your body handles heat, check with your clinician before starting a routine.

Frequently asked questions

Do infrared saunas use a lot of electricity? No. Most home models draw about 1 to 3 kilowatt hours per hour, less than many household appliances. A typical session costs around 0.20 to 0.40 dollars, so even regular use adds only a few dollars to your monthly bill.

Is it cheaper to run an infrared or a traditional sauna? Infrared is cheaper. It warms your body directly at a lower temperature and heats up faster, while a traditional sauna heats a whole room with a higher-wattage stove and uses more energy per session.

How can I lower my infrared sauna running costs? Use off-peak hours if your utility offers time-of-use pricing, run a moderate temperature instead of the maximum, keep sessions to a sensible length, and choose a well-insulated cabin that holds heat efficiently.

The bottom line

An infrared sauna is inexpensive to run, usually a few dollars a month and rarely more than about 12 even with daily use in a high-rate state. Let the purchase price and the cabin quality guide your decision, not the power bill. When you are ready, browse our infrared saunas and use the sauna buying guide to match a cabin to your space. As an authorized retailer we include free US shipping, a best price guarantee, and real human support, so contact us with any questions.