Sauna running cost calculator

Running cost questions

How much does a sauna cost to run?

Heater power times session length times your electricity rate. A 6 kW heater for one hour at the national average of 18.34 cents per kWh costs $1.10, which is $13.20 at twelve sessions a month. Your own state's rate changes that figure more than any other input.

Does the heater draw its full rated power for the whole session?

No. It draws close to full power while heating up, then cycles on its thermostat to hold temperature, so a real session uses less than power times hours. The figures here are that ceiling rather than an average, because the ceiling is the number worth budgeting against and the cycling depends on your room and your door.

Which electricity rates are these?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's residential rate by state for June 2026, refreshed automatically each month from the EIA source table. The national figure quoted is EIA's own U.S. total rather than an average of the state rows, which would weight a small state like a large one.

Is the running cost or the purchase price the bigger number?

The purchase price, by a wide margin, at any ordinary usage. Twelve one hour sessions a month on a 6 kW heater is a two figure monthly bill against a four figure cabinet, which is why the sizing and the price comparison decide the budget and this calculator refines it.