What does it cost to run a home sauna or cold plunge?

Infrared cabins draw less. Clearlight's Premier IS-3 is rated at 1,950 watts on a standard 120-volt circuit, its Sanctuary 2 at 2,250 watts, and Sunlighten gives 1,350 watts for its one-person Signature.

Clearlight's own cost guide assumes 30 minutes of heat-up and 30 minutes inside, with the cabin drawing its full rating for the whole hour, which is the default here. Treat it as a ceiling, since it assumes full draw for every minute.

State	¢/kWh	Two-hour 6 kW visit
Hawaii	48	$3.36 to $4.32
California	33.61	$2.35 to $3.02
Maine	32.41	$2.27 to $2.92
Massachusetts	30.49	$2.13 to $2.74
New York	29.9	$2.09 to $2.69
Alaska	28.83	$2.02 to $2.59
Rhode Island	28.29	$1.98 to $2.55
New Hampshire	26.6	$1.86 to $2.39
District of Columbia	25.21	$1.76 to $2.27
New Jersey	25.19	$1.76 to $2.27
Connecticut	24.16	$1.69 to $2.17
Vermont	23.75	$1.66 to $2.14
Michigan	23.05	$1.61 to $2.07
Pennsylvania	21.72	$1.52 to $1.95
Maryland	21.41	$1.50 to $1.93
Ohio	19.45	$1.36 to $1.75
Illinois	19.22	$1.35 to $1.73
Wisconsin	19.06	$1.33 to $1.72
Delaware	18.48	$1.29 to $1.66
Virginia	17.55	$1.23 to $1.58
Minnesota	17.45	$1.22 to $1.57
Colorado	17	$1.19 to $1.53
Indiana	16.73	$1.17 to $1.51
Alabama	16.4	$1.15 to $1.48
Georgia	16.27	$1.14 to $1.46
Missouri	16.09	$1.13 to $1.45
New Mexico	16.09	$1.13 to $1.45
Iowa	15.99	$1.12 to $1.44
Oregon	15.97	$1.12 to $1.44
Texas	15.88	$1.11 to $1.43
West Virginia	15.78	$1.10 to $1.42
South Carolina	15.47	$1.08 to $1.39
Arizona	15.38	$1.08 to $1.38
South Dakota	15.37	$1.08 to $1.38
Kansas	15.27	$1.07 to $1.37
North Carolina	15.16	$1.06 to $1.36
Florida	15.03	$1.05 to $1.35
Montana	14.99	$1.05 to $1.35
Washington	14.71	$1.03 to $1.32
Mississippi	14.54	$1.02 to $1.31
Wyoming	14.36	$1.01 to $1.29
Oklahoma	14.35	$1.00 to $1.29
Arkansas	14.33	$1.00 to $1.29
Kentucky	13.81	$0.97 to $1.24
Nebraska	13.78	$0.96 to $1.24
Idaho	13.73	$0.96 to $1.24
Tennessee	13.71	$0.96 to $1.23
North Dakota	13.41	$0.94 to $1.21
Utah	13.12	$0.92 to $1.18
Nevada	12.77	$0.89 to $1.15
Louisiana	12.72	$0.89 to $1.14
U.S. average	18.31	$1.28 to $1.65

Your bill may split the price into supply and delivery charges; add them together to get your own rate, and enter it in the calculator.

How much does it cost to run a home sauna?

For a traditional sauna, Harvia says a 6 kW heater uses about 7 to 9 kWh over a two-hour visit including heat-up. At the July 2026 U.S. average of 18.31 cents per kWh, that is about $1.28 to $1.65 a visit, or $16.66 to $21.42 a month at three visits a week. Use the calculator for your state and heater.

How much electricity does an infrared sauna use?

It runs at roughly its rated wattage: the Clearlight Premier IS-3 is rated at 1,950 watts and Sunlighten's one-person Signature at 1,350 watts. An hour of the IS-3 at full draw is 1.95 kWh, about $0.36 at the U.S. average rate.

How much does it cost to run a cold plunge?

It depends on how long the chiller runs each day, which makers rarely publish. Renu lists 350 to 500 watts for its Cold Stoic 2.0 and Siberian Pro chillers when cooling. Even at 500 watts around the clock, that is 12 kWh a day, about $2.20 a day at the U.S. average, the most it could cost; real run times are shorter.

Does a home sauna need a 240-volt circuit?

A traditional heater usually does: Harvia's 6 kW Kip60B heater for the US is a 240-volt model. Infrared cabins vary: Clearlight's Premier IS-3 and Sanctuary 2 run on 120 volts and plug into a 20-amp outlet, while larger models need 240 volts. Renu's cold plunges use a standard 120-volt, 15-amp outlet, with a dedicated circuit recommended. An electrician should size the circuit.

Which state is most expensive to run a sauna in?

In July 2026, Hawaii had the highest average residential price at 48 cents per kWh and Louisiana the lowest at 12.72, so the same two-hour visit with a 6 kW heater costs about $3.36 to $4.32 in Hawaii and $0.89 to $1.14 in Louisiana.