How much does it cost to run a hot tub?
Short answer: A hot tub drawing 1,500 watts costs about $0.27 per hour at the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Used 4 hours a day, 30 days a month, that is about $32.96 per month and $395.50 per year. In Louisiana, the cheapest state, the same use costs $22.90 a month; in Hawaii, the most expensive, $86.40.
Hot tub cost calculator
Average hours per day the heater is on to hold temperature. About 4 hours is typical for a well-insulated spa in mild weather; expect far more in a cold winter.
Energy used: 180.0 kWh per month. Default price is the U.S. residential average; pick your state or type the price from your own bill.
A hot tub's cost is almost entirely about holding several hundred gallons of water at around 100°F, day and night. The heater is powerful but runs only part of the time, and how big that part is depends on insulation, the cover and the weather.
Cost by size and setting
Costs below use the U.S. average price and 4 hours a day, 30 days a month.
| Type | Power | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120-volt plug-in spa | 1,500 W | $0.27 | $32.96 |
| 240-volt spa, standard heater | 4,000 W | $0.73 | $87.89 |
| 240-volt spa, large heater | 5,500 W | $1.01 | $120.85 |
Why the same tub costs different amounts
A well-insulated spa with a tight, dry cover in a mild climate may use 150 to 250 kWh a month. The same model with a waterlogged cover in a northern winter can use three or four times that. The heater does not work harder in winter; it simply stays on for many more hours.
The calculator default of 1,500 watts for four hours a day, about 180 kWh a month, represents a small plug-in spa or a larger insulated spa in mild conditions. For winter in a cold state, try eight to twelve hours.
The cover is the main variable
Most heat leaves through the water surface. A cover that has absorbed water becomes heavy and loses most of its insulating value. If yours is hard to lift or steams around the edges in cold weather, replacing it will usually pay for itself in a single winter.
How to lower the cost
- Keep the cover on and latched whenever the tub is not in use.
- Add a floating thermal blanket under the main cover.
- Lower the set temperature by a few degrees when you will not use it for several days.
- Shelter the tub from wind, which strips heat from the cabinet and cover.
Cost to run a hot tub in every state
Based on 1,500 watts for 4 hours a day, 30 days a month, at each state's average residential electricity price for July 2026.
| State | Price per kWh | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $0.25 | $29.52 | $354.24 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.43 | $51.89 | $622.73 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.23 | $27.68 | $332.21 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.21 | $25.79 | $309.53 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $0.50 | $60.50 | $725.98 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.26 | $30.60 | $367.20 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.36 | $43.49 | $521.86 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.28 | $33.26 | $399.17 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.38 | $45.38 | $544.54 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.23 | $27.05 | $324.65 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.24 | $29.29 | $351.43 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $0.72 | $86.40 | $1,037 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.21 | $24.71 | $296.57 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.29 | $34.60 | $415.15 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.25 | $30.11 | $361.37 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.24 | $28.78 | $345.38 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.23 | $27.49 | $329.83 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.21 | $24.86 | $298.30 |
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.19 | $22.90 | $274.75 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $0.49 | $58.34 | $700.06 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.32 | $38.54 | $462.46 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $0.46 | $54.88 | $658.58 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.35 | $41.49 | $497.88 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.26 | $31.41 | $376.92 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.22 | $26.17 | $314.06 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.24 | $28.96 | $347.54 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.22 | $26.98 | $323.78 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.21 | $24.80 | $297.65 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.19 | $22.99 | $275.83 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.40 | $47.88 | $574.56 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.38 | $45.34 | $544.10 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.24 | $28.96 | $347.54 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $0.45 | $53.82 | $645.84 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.23 | $27.29 | $327.46 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.20 | $24.14 | $289.66 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.29 | $35.01 | $420.12 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.22 | $25.83 | $309.96 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.24 | $28.75 | $344.95 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.33 | $39.10 | $469.15 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.42 | $50.92 | $611.06 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.23 | $27.85 | $334.15 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.23 | $27.67 | $331.99 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.21 | $24.68 | $296.14 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.24 | $28.58 | $343.01 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.20 | $23.62 | $283.39 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.36 | $42.75 | $513.00 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.26 | $31.59 | $379.08 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.22 | $26.48 | $317.74 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.24 | $28.40 | $340.85 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.29 | $34.31 | $411.70 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.22 | $25.85 | $310.18 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hot tub add to an electric bill?
Commonly 150 to 400 kWh a month depending on climate and insulation. At the calculator's default that is about $32.96 at the U.S. average price.
Is it cheaper to leave a hot tub on all the time?
If you use it several times a week, yes. Holding temperature takes less energy than reheating hundreds of gallons from cold each time. If you use it once a month, turning it down between uses is cheaper.
Do inflatable hot tubs cost more to run?
Usually, yes. Their thin walls lose heat quickly, so the heater runs much longer, particularly below about 50°F outdoors.