Sauna vs. infrared sauna: running cost
An infrared sauna is cheaper to run: about $51 a year versus $177 for a sauna at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $126 difference.
| Sauna | Infrared sauna | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 6,000 W | 1,600 W |
| Watt range | 3,000–9,000 W | 200–3,000 W |
| Typical use | 1.5 hours a day, 3 days a week | 1 hour a day, 4 days a week |
| Energy per year | 986 kWh | 284 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 76¢ | 24¢ |
| Cost per day | 49¢ | 14¢ |
| Cost per month | $14.78 | $4.26 |
| Cost per year | $177 | $51 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $429 | $124 |
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What drives the difference
- Sauna: Traditional saunas use 240 V heaters of 4.5-9 kW. A session includes 30-45 minutes of preheat at full power plus thermostat cycling while in use, about 6 kWh per session for a 6 kW heater.
- Infrared sauna: Infrared saunas use 120 V or 240 V carbon or ceramic panels drawing 1,500-3,000 W for cabins. A session including 10-15 minutes of warm-up uses about 1.5-2.5 kWh.
Ways to cut either cost
Uses about 300-500 W for a single-person session.
See options on AmazonRuns at 1.5-2.5 kW with 10-15 minutes of warm-up, using about a third as much energy per session.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a sauna or an infrared sauna?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a sauna costs about $177 a year versus $51 for an infrared sauna. That's $126 more, or 3.5× as much.
How many watts do sauna and infrared sauna use?
A sauna typically draws 6,000 W (range 3,000–9,000 W). An infrared sauna draws 1,600 W (range 200–3,000 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.