How much does a cold plunge cost to run per month?

For a chiller-equipped cold plunge, expect roughly $20–50 a month in electricity for typical daily use at the US average rate of about $0.17/kWh. The chiller’s cooldown and standby power drive the cost far more than how long you sit in the water.

Is an infrared sauna cheaper to run than a traditional sauna?

Yes. An infrared sauna typically draws 1.5–2 kW versus 6–8 kW for a traditional electric heater, so it costs roughly 60–75% less per session, often $0.25–0.75 versus $1.25–2.50.

The tool

What it actually costs to run

The sticker price is the smallest part of owning a sauna or cold plunge. A traditional sauna can cost four times more per session than an infrared one; a chiller runs whether you plunge for two minutes or ten. Put in how you'll actually use it and your own electricity rate, and see the real cost.

Unit type

Sessions per week: 4

Power (kW)

Electricity ($/kWh)

US residential average is ~$0.17/kWh, change it to your rate for a real number.

Estimated running cost

$12/ month

$0.68

per session

$141

per year

4.0

kWh / session

Chiller cost is driven by cooldown and standby across the day, not your minutes in the water, so plunging more often barely moves the bill.

Estimate based on typical power draw and your inputs. Real cost varies with insulation, ambient temperature, and standby behaviour.

How we work it out

Saunas cost roughly their heater power (in kW) multiplied by the hours it runs, including a heat-up allowance before you get in. Infrared units draw 1.5–2 kW and heat fast; traditional electric heaters draw 6–8 kW and take longer, which is where the cost gap comes from.

Cold plunges are different: the electricity goes into the chiller, which cools the water down and then holds it there around the clock. Because standby and cooldown dominate, plunging more often barely changes the bill, the cost is mostly about keeping the water cold, not your minutes in it.

These are estimates from typical power figures and your inputs. Real numbers move with insulation, ambient temperature, water volume, and how aggressively a chiller cycles, which is exactly why we measure draw at the plug on the units we test, and publish it on each review.

US residential electricity averages about $0.17/kWh but ranges from ~$0.11 (some Midwest/South states) to ~$0.30+ (California, New England, Hawaii), so use your own rate for a figure you can trust.