Is it expensive to heat up and use the sauna?

No. Contrary to common belief, using an electric sauna is not very expensive. Let’s break down the cost with some basic math. In Ontario, the all-in electricity cost, including fees and taxes, is roughly $0.14 to $0.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). We’ll use $0.18 as the average cost. Our sauna has a 6-kilowatt heater, and on the coldest winter days, it takes 1 hour to heat up. So, 6 kW × 1 hr = 6 kWh used × $0.18 per kWh = $1.08 to heat up the sauna.

Once the sauna is heated up, you’ll typically use it for an average of 30–45 minutes. Let’s assume a full 1-hour usage for easier math. While in the sauna, the heater doesn’t run continuously. It turns on to reach the set temperature (usually 90 degrees Celsius) and then turns off until the temperature drops a few degrees. Let’s assume the heater is on for 75% of the time during your 1-hour usage. Therefore, 6 kW per hour × 75% = 4.5 kW used for 1 hour of usage. At an average cost of $0.18 per kWh, the cost for 1 hour of usage would be approximately $0.81.

Now we add up the two: heating up time and the usage. We get $1.08 + $0.81 = $1.89 total cost to use the sauna. This example is for using it in the cold winter at –10 degrees Celsius for a full hour. So, this is the most it will cost you. In warmer weather, it will take less time to heat up, and less heat will be needed to maintain the optimal temperature each time the door is opened during usage. In the spring, fall, and summer, your cost could be $1.07–$1.50 for each sauna session. That’s less than a cup of coffee.

If you use the sauna once every three days (365 days in a year / 3 = 122 days), it would cost you 122 days × $1.41 average cost = $172 for the year.

These numbers are based on our very well-insulated sauna. If you use this math when looking at competing models, remember that insulation plays a huge role in the cost of usage, especially when the weather starts to cool.

You can see from the cost that if you were thinking of getting a smaller sauna to save on electricity, it won’t save you much. Giving up the option of laying down on the bench or having others join you is not really worth the savings. This is why we have designed ours to be a 4 person sauna.

If you want to go with a larger sauna, it will require an 8–9 kW heater, and if the sauna is not as well-insulated as ours (which most are not), then your cost could be more than double. A larger heater will also require larger breakers and wiring.

When you compare this to owning and using a hot tub (especially in colder climates) the cost savings are huge. From our research, we found that it is estimated to cost about $60+ on average per month to have a hot tub in Canada. That is $720 per year. Plus, you have to factor in your time commitment to maintain the water.

The beauty of a sauna when thinking about the cost is that it doesn’t cost you anything if you don’t have time to use it. Unlike pools and hot tubs, the sauna requires no ongoing electricity, water, or chemicals. It costs nothing when you are not using it.