outdoor · 1500W typical

Running a hot tub / spa costs about $3.71/month.

That's the typical hot tub / spa at 1500W, run 1 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.

Estimated cost

$3.71/month

$0.12 per day$45.17 per year22.5 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

A hot tub / spa draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 0.5 effective hours at 1500W across your 1-hour window.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same hot tub / spa can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

weekend soak

$3.71

per month

active use a few times per week

1 hrs/day·$45.17/yr

winter maintenance

$89.10

per month

freeze-prevention heating in cold climates

24 hrs/day·$1,084.05/yr

Where you live

$6.73 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.

Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.

State	Rate	Monthly	Yearly
Hawaii	41.2¢	$9.27	$112.79
California	31.4¢	$7.06	$85.96
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$6.93	$84.32
Connecticut	28.7¢	$6.46	$78.57
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$6.28	$76.38
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$5.54	$67.34
Alaska	24.3¢	$5.47	$66.52
New York	22.3¢	$5.02	$61.05
Maine	22.1¢	$4.97	$60.50
Vermont	21.5¢	$4.84	$58.86
Michigan	19.3¢	$4.34	$52.83
New Jersey	19.1¢	$4.30	$52.29
Maryland	18.4¢	$4.14	$50.37
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$4.07	$49.55
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$4.01	$48.73
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$3.92	$47.63
Delaware	17.2¢	$3.87	$47.09
Illinois	16.9¢	$3.80	$46.26
Ohio	16.6¢	$3.74	$45.44
Nevada	16.3¢	$3.67	$44.62
Indiana	15.8¢	$3.55	$43.25
Virginia	15.7¢	$3.53	$42.98
Minnesota	15.6¢	$3.51	$42.71
Colorado	15.4¢	$3.47	$42.16
Alabama	15.2¢	$3.42	$41.61
West Virginia	15.2¢	$3.42	$41.61
Florida	15.1¢	$3.40	$41.34
New Mexico	14.8¢	$3.33	$40.52
Texas	14.8¢	$3.33	$40.52
Arizona	14.7¢	$3.31	$40.24
South Carolina	14.7¢	$3.31	$40.24
Kansas	14.6¢	$3.28	$39.97
Georgia	14.2¢	$3.19	$38.87
Iowa	14.1¢	$3.17	$38.60
North Carolina	13.9¢	$3.13	$38.05
Missouri	13.6¢	$3.06	$37.23
Oregon	13.4¢	$3.02	$36.68
Tennessee	13.3¢	$2.99	$36.41
Kentucky	13.2¢	$2.97	$36.14
Mississippi	13.1¢	$2.95	$35.86
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$2.95	$35.86
South Dakota	12.7¢	$2.86	$34.77
Montana	12.4¢	$2.79	$33.95
Nebraska	12.2¢	$2.75	$33.40
Arkansas	12.1¢	$2.72	$33.12
Washington	12.1¢	$2.72	$33.12
Louisiana	11.9¢	$2.68	$32.58
Wyoming	11.6¢	$2.61	$31.76
North Dakota	11.5¢	$2.59	$31.48
Utah	11.4¢	$2.57	$31.21
Idaho	11.3¢	$2.54	$30.93

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $150.56/year difference across the wattage range.

Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.

Most efficient

1000W

$2.48 per month

$30.11 per year

Typical

1500W

$3.71 per month

$45.17 per year

High draw

6000W

$14.85 per month

$180.68 per year

When it hits hardest

winter peak

Heating cost peaks Dec-Feb in cold climates.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Use a well-insulated cover AND thermal floating blanket
Combined savings 50-70% on heating cost
2
Lower setpoint when not in regular use (95°F vs 104°F)
Saves 20-40% heating cost
3
Schedule jets on low speed for filtration only — jets are the biggest watt source
Saves 30-50 kWh/week

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Jacuzzi	J-335	5000W
Hot Spring	Relay	4500W
Cal Spas	Atlas	6000W

Picks that actually move the needle

Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.

Heavy-Duty Hot Tub Cover

Good cover cuts heating cost 50-70%

$400-600

Thermal Floating Blanket

Used UNDER the cover — stops evaporation

$35-50

Kill A Watt P3 P4460 Meter

Spa costs vary wildly — measure yours

$28-35