Contrast Therapy Explained: Heat and Cold for Recovery
Sauna & Cold Plunge Running Cost Calculator
Wondering what a home sauna or cold plunge actually adds to your power bill? Enter your details below and this calculator estimates the running cost per session, per month, and per year using real electricity numbers. No email, no sign-up.
Estimates only. Real cost varies with your local rate, climate, insulation, and how you use the unit. Cold plunge chillers run around the clock to hold temperature, so their cost is driven by the room they sit in rather than session length.
The short answer on running costs
An infrared sauna is the cheapest of these to run. A one or two person infrared cabin draws roughly 1.4 to 1.8 kW and only while you are in it, so four 40-minute sessions a week land near 3 to 5 dollars a month at average US electricity prices. A traditional electric sauna pulls far more power, commonly 4.5 to 8 kW, and cycles to hold high heat, so it runs closer to 8 to 15 dollars a month with similar use. A cold plunge is the opposite case: if it has a chiller, the compressor runs day and night to keep the water cold, so it costs about 15 to 35 dollars a month depending on your climate and how well the tub is insulated. Cooling with ice instead removes the electricity but adds a real ongoing ice bill, often 50 dollars a month or more for daily plunging. Use the calculator above to put your own numbers in.
Typical running cost at a glance
| Equipment | Typical power use | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Infrared sauna (1-person / portable) | ~1.4 kW while in use | ~$3 / month |
| Infrared sauna (2-person) | ~1.8 kW while in use | ~$4 to $6 / month |
| Infrared sauna (3-4 person) | ~2.4 kW while in use | ~$6 to $9 / month |
| Traditional electric sauna | 4.5 to 8 kW, cycling | ~$8 to $15 / month |
| Cold plunge with chiller | 0.3 to 0.9 kW, running 24/7 | ~$15 to $35 / month |
| Cold plunge with ice | No power, buys ice | ~$50 to $150 / month |
Two takeaways stand out. Infrared saunas cost very little to run because they heat your body, not a large volume of air. And over a year of regular use, a chiller almost always costs less than buying ice, which is why frequent plungers move to a chilled tub. Our Cold Plunge Buying Guide walks through chiller sizing, and the Sauna Buying Guide compares infrared and traditional heaters in detail.
How this calculator works
For saunas the math is power times time times your rate. The tool multiplies the average power draw in kilowatts by the session length in hours, then by your cost per kilowatt-hour, to get a cost per session. It scales that by your weekly sessions to reach monthly and yearly figures. The size presets fill in a realistic average draw, and traditional saunas use a figure that already accounts for the heater cycling on and off to hold temperature.
For a chilled cold plunge the cost comes from the compressor holding the water cold around the clock, so the tool multiplies the chiller power by how hard it works across a full day and month. For an ice setup there is no electricity, so it simply counts your ice. National average electricity prices come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration; check a recent power bill for your own exact rate.
How to lower your running cost
Pick the right tool for your goal. If low cost and easy daily use matter most, infrared is hard to beat, and you can compare options in infrared saunas or the apartment-friendly portable saunas. For a cold plunge, insulation is the single biggest lever on running cost: a well-insulated tub holds temperature so the chiller cycles less. Keeping the unit somewhere cool rather than a hot garage helps too. Browse chiller-ready options in cold plunge tubs, or set up heat and cold together for contrast therapy.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run an infrared sauna?
For most home infrared saunas, about 3 to 6 dollars a month with regular use. A one or two person cabin draws roughly 1.4 to 1.8 kW and only while you are inside, so a 40-minute session costs only cents. Enter your size and habits above for a figure based on your own electricity rate.
Do infrared saunas use a lot of electricity?
No. Infrared saunas warm your body directly instead of heating a large room of air, so they draw less power than a traditional electric heater and run only during your session. That is why their monthly cost usually lands in the single digits.
How much does a cold plunge cost to run?
A cold plunge with a chiller typically costs 15 to 35 dollars a month in electricity, since the compressor runs continuously to hold the water cold. Better insulation and a cooler location lower that. Cooling with ice instead has no power cost but often runs higher once you add up the ice for daily use.
Educational estimate, not a utility bill. Your actual cost depends on local electricity rates, climate, water temperature, insulation, and usage. Questions about a specific model? Contact our team.