At the U.S. average price of 18.16¢ per kWh. Your state's price changes these numbers; use the calculator.
Work out your cost
Change any number. The price per kWh is on your electric bill.
Starts at the U.S. average residential price, 18.16¢/kWh (August 2026, EIA, checked Oct 24, 2026). Month is 30 days; year is 12 such months.
The formula
cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh
Worked example: 250 W × 24 h ÷ 1,000 = 6 kWh a day. 6 kWh × $0.1816 = $1.09 a day, or about $32.69 over 30 days.
How many watts does a hot tub use?
Most are rated 194 to 750 W. For ready-mode cost, use the spa's average standby watts or daily kWh from the energy label or a plug-in meter. For a heater cycle, use the heater rating on the data plate (often 1 kW, 4 kW, or 5.5 kW) and the hours it actually fires.
- DOE's 2022 final coverage determination for portable electric spas used California Energy Commission MAEDbS listings and reported an average standby power of 194 W for a standard spa (normalized with the cover on). At 8,760 hours a year that is about 1,699 kWh a year, or about 4.7 kWh a day while the spa holds temperature and filters.
- Jacuzzi reports a real-world median of 6 kWh a day across four seasons from more than 20,000 hot tub users. As a continuous average that is about 250 W. Our calculator default uses that field figure so the monthly estimate matches what many owners see.
- A NextZero (utility) tip sheet puts an average-sized energy-efficient hot tub at about 5 to 7 kWh a day, and a poorly insulated, inefficient tub at about 12 to 18 kWh a day (about 500 to 750 W continuous). Winter outdoor air, a damaged cover, and wind all push use toward the high end.
- The heater element is a short, high-wattage load on top of standby. Hot Spring Hot Spot pre-delivery docs list about 1,000 W of heat on 115 V configurations and about 4,000 W when converted to 230 V, 50 A. Jacuzzi's wiring guide puts typical 120 V heaters around 1 to 1.5 kW and 240 V heaters around 4 to 5.5 kW (for example a Jacuzzi J-495 / J-335-class 5.5 kW high-flow heater on 240 V). CEC and related studies note that standby (cover on, holding temperature) is about 75% of lifetime energy use.
Cost at different electricity prices
| Use | Nevada (lowest state)12.72¢/kWh | U.S. average18.16¢/kWh | New York28.65¢/kWh | California29.75¢/kWh | Hawaii (highest state)47.18¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOE average standby (194 W), ready mode 24 h/day140 kWh a month | $17.77$213/yr | $25.37$304/yr | $40.02$480/yr | $41.55$499/yr | $65.90$791/yr |
| Efficient ready mode about 5 kWh/day (208 W), 24 h/day150 kWh a month | $19.05$229/yr | $27.20$326/yr | $42.91$515/yr | $44.55$535/yr | $70.66$848/yr |
| Jacuzzi field median 6 kWh/day (250 W), 24 h/day180 kWh a month | $22.90$275/yr | $32.69$392/yr | $51.57$619/yr | $53.55$643/yr | $84.92$1,019/yr |
| Inefficient ready mode about 15 kWh/day (625 W), 24 h/day450 kWh a month | $57.24$687/yr | $81.72$981/yr | $129$1,547/yr | $134$1,606/yr | $212$2,548/yr |
| 4 kW heater recovery cycle only, 2 h (Hot Spring 230 V class)240 kWh a month | $30.53$366/yr | $43.58$523/yr | $68.76$825/yr | $71.40$857/yr | $113$1,359/yr |
Per month (30 days) and per year (12 such months). Real use is usually seasonal. Average residential prices for August 2026 from the same EIA table. Your utility's rate, including delivery charges, may differ. Check the price per kWh on your bill.
Ways to pay less
- Keep a tight, dry cover on whenever you are not in the tub Jacuzzi notes that about 75% of a hot tub's energy use happens while the cover is on and the spa is idle, and DOE/CEC treat standby the same way. A NextZero tip sheet says standard covers are about R-12, that most heat leaves through the cover, and that a water-logged cover raises energy use. Latch the straps, replace foam that has soaked up water, and consider a floating thermal blanket under the hard cover (NextZero cites about R-16 combined with a 1/4 inch closed-cell blanket).
- Hold about 102°F, and turn the set point down when you are away NextZero recommends maintaining about 102°F rather than 104°F, dropping to about 96°F in summer, and turning heat down or off for a week or more away. Every degree you do not need is heat the element does not have to replace after overnight loss.
- Shift filtration and reheat to off-peak hours if your rate varies If you are on a time-of-use plan, NextZero suggests programming the timer off during peak windows (they cite roughly 6 to 10 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.) when a well-insulated spa will hold temperature for several hours. Jacuzzi similarly notes off-peak use can cut the bill when the utility prices evenings higher.
- Cut wind and fix the envelope before chasing a bigger heater NextZero recommends windbreaks (fencing, landscaping, or privacy panels) because wind strips heat off the shell and cover. Full foam insulation and a snug cover do more for monthly kWh than a larger heater element, which only shortens recovery time when the thermostat calls.
- Trim jet-pump filtration if water quality allows NextZero says typical single- or two-speed filtration is often set for about four hours, and some owners can cut that to about three hours twice a day in off-peak windows if the water stays clear. Leave a dedicated low-wattage circulation pump alone if the spa is designed to run it continuously.
Safety. Portable spas need GFCI protection. Hot Spring's Hot Spot pre-delivery instructions require a dedicated GFCI circuit, tell owners never to use an extension cord, and call for testing the cord GFCI (press TEST, then RESET) so the spa loses power and then restores. Jacuzzi and the National Electrical Code (Article 680) likewise require GFCI protection for outdoor spas, with 240 V models hardwired to a dedicated GFCI breaker by a licensed electrician. CPSC GFCI guidance is to test monthly. Keep the equipment bay dry, and shut the spa down if the GFCI will not reset.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a hot tub per day?
At the U.S. average residential rate of 18.16¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), DOE's 194 W average standby is about $0.85 a day, and Jacuzzi's 6 kWh/day field median is about $1.09 a day. An efficient 5 kWh/day spa is about $0.91 a day; a poorly insulated 15 kWh/day spa is about $2.72 a day. Your winter outdoor temperature and cover condition move the number more than brand marketing does.
How much does a hot tub cost to run per month?
About $25.37 a month for DOE's 194 W average standby at 24 hours a day, or about $32.69 a month for Jacuzzi's 6 kWh/day field median, at 18.16¢/kWh. An efficient 5 kWh/day spa is about $27.24; a 15 kWh/day inefficient spa is about $81.72. A single 2-hour recovery on a 4 kW heater (without counting standby) is about $1.45 that day.
Does a hot tub use a lot of electricity?
As a continuous load, yes relative to small appliances, but less than many people fear if the spa is insulated and covered. DOE's 194 W standby is about 140 kWh a month; Jacuzzi's 6 kWh/day median is 180 kWh a month. EIA says the average U.S. home used about 899 kWh a month in 2022, so a ready-mode spa can add roughly 15% to 20% on top of that. Leaving the cover off, running jets for long sessions, or living with a soaked cover pushes use much higher.
How many watts is a hot tub heater?
Two different numbers matter. Ready-mode average draw is often about 150 to 300 W once you spread heater cycles and filtration over the day (DOE's certified average is 194 W). The heater element rating on the data plate is much higher when it is actually firing: about 1,000 W on many Hot Spring Hot Spot 115 V setups, about 4,000 W on their 230 V 50 A conversion, and about 4 to 5.5 kW on typical 240 V Jacuzzi hardwired spas. A 5.5 kW element costs about $1.00 an hour while it is on at 18.16¢/kWh.
Is a 120 V plug-and-play hot tub cheaper to run than a 240 V spa?
Not necessarily. A 120 V spa has a smaller heater (about 1 to 1.5 kW), so each recovery hour costs less, but it may run the heater more hours to hold temperature in cold weather, and Jacuzzi notes it can struggle to keep set point with jets on. Monthly energy is mostly heat loss through the cover and shell, so insulation and climate dominate over nameplate heater size. Compare standby kWh or a metered month, not only the heater rating.
Is a home bitcoin miner cheaper than a hot tub for the same electricity?
Per kWh of heat, a heater miner can be cheaper once you count mining income, but it heats a room, not spa water. An 800 W Avalon Mini 3 uses 576 kWh over 30 days, about $104.60 at 18.16¢/kWh, versus about $25.37 to $32.69 for typical hot-tub ready mode. At the November 7, 2026 hashprice it earns about $36.32 a month (gross, before pool fees), covering about 35% of its electricity, so its heat costs the equivalent of about 11.86¢ per kWh against 18.16¢ for spa resistance heat. A miner does not replace a listed spa heater, GFCI, or cover. Mining income moves with the bitcoin price and network difficulty; our bitcoin heater page recalculates it daily.
Sources
- U.S. EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average price of electricity by state, August 2026 (released Oct 23, 2026). Used for: U.S. average residential rate (18.16¢/kWh) and state rates
- U.S. DOE: Final determination of portable electric spas as a covered consumer product (August 2022 PDF). Used for: Average standard-spa standby 194 W from CEC MAEDbS; about 1,699 kWh/year; standby ~75% of energy; RECS-based industry estimate ~1,567 kWh/year
- Jacuzzi: How much electricity does a hot tub use?. Used for: Field median 6 kWh/day across seasons (20,000+ users); ~75% of energy use with cover on; cover and off-peak tips
- Jacuzzi: Hot tub wiring and electrical hookup guide. Used for: 120 V heaters about 1 to 1.5 kW; 240 V heaters about 4 to 5.5 kW; dedicated GFCI; NEC Article 680
- Hot Spring Spas: Hot Spot Collection pre-delivery instructions (March 2024 PDF). Used for: About 1,000 W heat on 115 V; about 4,000 W on 230 V 50 A; dedicated GFCI; never use an extension cord; test GFCI
- Jacuzzi J-495 specifications (dealer PDF of manufacturer sheet). Used for: Example 5.5 kW high-flow heater; 240 VAC at 50 A or 60 A on a large portable spa
- NextZero: Tips to save energy and water with your hot tub (utility tip sheet PDF). Used for: 102°F setpoint; off-peak heating; cover R-12 and floating blanket; efficient 5 to 7 kWh/day vs inefficient 12 to 18 kWh/day; windbreaks; filtration timing
- U.S. CPSC: GFCI fact sheet (PDF). Used for: What a GFCI does; test after install, monthly, and after power failures
- U.S. EIA: How much electricity does an American home use?. Used for: Average U.S. residential customer about 899 kWh a month
- WattCost: hashprice (mempool.space), November 7, 2026, and Canaan Avalon Mini 3 specifications. Used for: Avalon Mini 3: 37.5 TH/s at 800 W; mining income at $32.28 per PH/s a day