United States Outdoor and garage
How much does it cost to run a hot tub?
A hot tub kept hot all the time uses 3 to 12 kWh a day depending on the season, the cover and the insulation. The heater is 1,500 watts on a plug-in (110 volt) tub and 4,000 to 6,000 watts on a hard-wired tub, but it only runs to replace the heat that leaks out.
A hot tub uses about 6.0 kWh a day kept at temperature, which costs about $1.09 a day in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh, $33.16 a month and $397.98 a year.
- Prices: EIA, August 2026, every state
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 6.0 kWh a day, 183 kWh a month, at 18.16 cents per kWh (US average).
The dial places the daily cost between a 50 watt fan and a 4.5 kW water heater on 2.5 hours a day.
A hot tub uses about 6.0 kWh a day kept at temperature, which costs about $1.09 a day in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh, $33.16 a month and $397.98 a year.
What this assumes
The default is 6.0 kWh a day. Owners report 3 to 12 kWh a day depending on insulation, cover, climate and use, so this is the one appliance where your own meter reading beats any estimate.
The price is the average residential rate in each state from the EIA's Electric Power Monthly for August 2026, released 23 October 2026. The next monthly table is due 24 November 2026. A fixed tariff, a time-of-use plan or a different payment method changes the rate, which is why the rate field is editable.
Cost to run a hot tub in every state
Same 6.0 kWh a day, priced at each state's average residential rate for August 2026. Cheapest: Nevada at 12.72 cents per kWh. Dearest: Hawaii at 47.18. Change the numbers above and the table follows.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72c | 76 cents | $23.23 | $278.76 |
| Louisiana | 12.87c | 77 cents | $23.50 | $282.05 |
| North Dakota | 13.31c | 80 cents | $24.31 | $291.69 |
| Utah | 13.31c | 80 cents | $24.31 | $291.69 |
| Idaho | 13.37c | 80 cents | $24.42 | $293.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.42c | 81 cents | $24.51 | $294.10 |
| Nebraska | 13.54c | 81 cents | $24.73 | $296.73 |
| Kentucky | 13.8c | 83 cents | $25.20 | $302.43 |
| Arkansas | 14.37c | 86 cents | $26.24 | $314.92 |
| Mississippi | 14.43c | 87 cents | $26.35 | $316.23 |
| Wyoming | 14.43c | 87 cents | $26.35 | $316.23 |
| Washington | 14.63c | 88 cents | $26.72 | $320.62 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82c | 89 cents | $27.07 | $324.78 |
| North Carolina | 14.95c | 90 cents | $27.30 | $327.63 |
| Florida | 14.99c | 90 cents | $27.38 | $328.51 |
| Arizona | 15.05c | 90 cents | $27.49 | $329.82 |
| South Dakota | 15.15c | 91 cents | $27.67 | $332.01 |
| Kansas | 15.47c | 93 cents | $28.25 | $339.03 |
| Montana | 15.57c | 93 cents | $28.43 | $341.22 |
| South Carolina | 15.76c | 95 cents | $28.78 | $345.38 |
| Georgia | 15.9c | 95 cents | $29.04 | $348.45 |
| Texas | 15.91c | 95 cents | $29.06 | $348.67 |
| Oregon | 15.92c | 96 cents | $29.07 | $348.89 |
| Missouri | 16.02c | 96 cents | $29.26 | $351.08 |
| West Virginia | 16.31c | 98 cents | $29.79 | $357.43 |
| Alabama | 16.33c | 98 cents | $29.82 | $357.87 |
| New Mexico | 16.51c | 99 cents | $30.15 | $361.82 |
| Indiana | 17.02c | $1.02 | $31.08 | $372.99 |
| Iowa | 17.06c | $1.02 | $31.16 | $373.87 |
| Colorado | 17.17c | $1.03 | $31.36 | $376.28 |
| Minnesota | 17.2c | $1.03 | $31.41 | $376.94 |
| Virginia | 17.64c | $1.06 | $32.22 | $386.58 |
| Delaware | 18.7c | $1.12 | $34.15 | $409.81 |
| Illinois | 19.32c | $1.16 | $35.28 | $423.40 |
| Ohio | 19.38c | $1.16 | $35.39 | $424.71 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41c | $1.16 | $35.45 | $425.37 |
| Maryland | 21.4c | $1.28 | $39.08 | $468.98 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77c | $1.31 | $39.76 | $477.09 |
| Michigan | 22.99c | $1.38 | $41.99 | $503.83 |
| Vermont | 23.84c | $1.43 | $43.54 | $522.45 |
| Connecticut | 24.51c | $1.47 | $44.76 | $537.14 |
| New Jersey | 24.61c | $1.48 | $44.94 | $539.33 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98c | $1.56 | $47.45 | $569.35 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64c | $1.66 | $50.48 | $605.73 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18c | $1.69 | $51.46 | $617.56 |
| New York | 28.65c | $1.72 | $52.32 | $627.86 |
| Alaska | 29.41c | $1.76 | $53.71 | $644.52 |
| California | 29.75c | $1.79 | $54.33 | $651.97 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48c | $1.83 | $55.66 | $667.97 |
| Maine | 32.11c | $1.93 | $58.64 | $703.69 |
| Hawaii | 47.18c | $2.83 | $86.16 | $1,034 |
Rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, residential sector, August 2026, preliminary. All rates with the year-on-year change.
How a hot tub uses electricity
Energy per day, not watts, is the right way to think about a hot tub. A well insulated tub with a tight cover in a mild climate sits near 3 to 5 kWh a day. An inflatable tub outdoors in winter can pass 12 kWh a day, because thin walls leak heat and the small heater runs for hours.
Each use adds energy: the cover is off, the jets and blower run (the pump alone is 1,000 to 2,000 watts), and the water is reheated afterwards.
Heating from cold is the expensive part. Warming 300 gallons (about 1,100 litres) by 60 degrees Fahrenheit takes roughly 50 kWh, which is why keeping it hot usually beats heating it up for every use.
Ways to cut the cost
- A good cover and a thermal blanket on the water are the two biggest savings.
- Drop the set point by a few degrees when you will not use it for a week.
- Keep the filter clean so the pump runs less.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a hot tub per month?
At 6 kWh a day, about 180 kWh a month, which is about 33 dollars at 18 cents per kWh or 47 pounds at 26.32p per kWh. In winter outdoors it can be double.
Is an inflatable hot tub expensive to run?
Per day, often more than a hard-shell tub, because it is poorly insulated and its small heater runs for hours. UK owners commonly report 7 to 10 kWh a day in cold months.
Other outdoor and garage costs
More in the US
Sources
The electricity price on this page is read from the data file that also lists the release it came from. The wattage range is a published typical range, not a measurement of your appliance.