Cold plunge cost
A cold plunge with a chiller costs $899 to $15,690 in our index, and the chiller adds an electricity bill on top. Here's what each type costs to buy, and a calculator for what it costs to run.
Purchase price by type
| Type | Models | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflatable or portable | 7 | $899 | $1,499 | $4,000 |
| Hard tub | 9 | $2,898 | $6,790 | $13,999 |
| Stainless steel | 1 | $15,690 | $15,690 | $15,690 |
| Tub only | 1 | $1,750 | $1,750 | $1,750 |
Brand-listed prices on November 1, 2026, many of them sale prices. "Tub only" has no chiller, so it needs ice or a separately bought chiller.
Electricity cost calculator
Power draw: few brands publish what their chiller actually draws. Two in the index do:
If a brand lists amps instead, multiply amps by volts to get watts. Don't use the circuit size (like "15A dedicated circuit"); that's the most the circuit can carry, not what the chiller uses.
Hours per day is your estimate. The chiller cycles on and off, running more in a warm room, in summer, after a fresh fill, and when the lid is off. The 8-hour starting value is only an example. Plunge Chill, for one, says its 1 HP chiller uses about 4.25 kWh to cool water from 90°F to about 39°F.
Rate: the starting value is the U.S. Energy Information Administration's projected 2026 average residential price, 18.2 cents per kWh (EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026). Use the rate on your own bill for a better estimate.
Compare chillers in cold plunge chillers compared, or see the best cold plunge picks.