How much does it cost to run a sauna?

At the US average of 18.31 cents per kWh, a 20 minute session including heat-up costs about $0.26 to $1.46 in electricity, depending on the heater. That assumes the heater runs at full power the whole time, so the real figure is usually lower.

Is a home sauna worth it?

It depends on what you pay now and how often you go. Put your own numbers in the calculator above: it shows how many months of your current spending the sauna replaces, or says plainly when it never pays for itself.

Do I need an electrician for a home sauna?

Every infrared cabin we checked plugs into a standard 120V outlet, though some need a 20 amp circuit, so check the maker's spec. Every electric barrel, cabin and indoor traditional sauna we checked needs a dedicated 240V circuit, which a licensed electrician installs.

Black barrel sauna with a chimney and a stack of firewood in a grassy field

How much does a home sauna cost?

A one or two person infrared cabin costs $1,700 to $6,000, and an outdoor barrel sauna with an electric heater costs $6,000 to $9,892, before an electrician ($250 to $900 for a 240V circuit). Running one three times a week costs about $3 to $19 a month in electricity at the US average rate.

Prices from each seller's own website, checked Sep 26, 2026. Sources are listed at the end.

Will it pay for itself?

Compare a home sauna with what you pay now. Change any number.

The calculator starts with $199 a month, the middle membership price among the 254 studios we list that post one, and $49 a day pass, the middle of 360 posted day passes.

What the calculator leaves out: repairs, a replacement heater, higher insurance, what you could sell it for, and anything a studio has that a home sauna doesn't, like a cold plunge.

Prices by type of sauna

Type	Price	Power it needs	Electricity per session
1 to 2 person indoor infrared cabin	$1,700 to $6,000typical $2,000	1.7 kW, standard outlet	about $0.26
3 to 4 person indoor infrared cabin	$2,500 to $8,635typical $3,400	2.2 kW, standard outlet	about $0.34
Outdoor barrel sauna, electric heater (4 to 6 person)	$6,000 to $9,892typical $6,349	8 kW, 240V circuit	about $1.46
Outdoor cabin sauna, electric heater	$3,500 to $10,722typical $6,899	6 kW, 240V circuit	about $1.10
Wood-fired outdoor sauna	$12,391 to $15,006typical $13,756	Wood	Firewood, no electricity
Indoor traditional (Finnish) prebuilt or kit	$4,172 to $7,415typical $5,017	6 kW, 240V circuit	about $1.10

Price ranges come from the 37 products listed in the sources. Electricity is for 20 minutes plus the maker's stated heat-up time at 18.31¢ per kWh, with the heater at full power throughout.

A sauna blanket costs $179 to $699. It is a heated wrap you lie inside, not a room of hot air, so it isn't the same as a sauna, but it is the cheapest way to try heat at home.

Costs people miss

A 240V circuit. Every electric barrel, cabin and indoor traditional sauna we checked needs one, at 30 to 50 amps. An electrician charges $250 to $900. Cost guides add $7 to $10 a foot for a long wire run and $1,300 to $4,000 if your panel needs an upgrade. The infrared cabins we checked plug into a normal outlet.
A level base outdoors. Barrel and cabin saunas sit on a pad or deck. A gravel or paver base costs $320 to $800.
Assembly. Almost Heaven says two or three people can put one of its kits together in a handful of hours. Costco doesn't offer installation. One installer we found, Steam Sauna Supply, charges $2,998 for a barrel sauna; add it to setup costs in the calculator if you'd pay for it.
Permits. Rules are local. New York City requires an electrical permit and a licensed electrician for new wiring (NYC Buildings). Seattle and Portland let you build a small detached shed without a building permit, but still need an electrical permit (Seattle, Portland). None of these pages names saunas, so ask your city before you buy.

Or try one first

Not sure you will keep going? A few day passes cost far less than a sauna. What studios charge in the areas we cover:

Questions people ask

How much does a home sauna cost?: From the prices we checked on Sep 26, 2026, a one or two person infrared cabin costs $1,700 to $6,000 and an outdoor barrel sauna with an electric heater costs $6,000 to $9,892. Add $250 to $900 for an electrician if the heater needs a 240V circuit, which every electric barrel, cabin and indoor traditional sauna we checked does.
How much does it cost to run a sauna?: At the US average of 18.31 cents per kWh, a 20 minute session including heat-up costs about $0.26 to $1.46 in electricity, depending on the heater. That assumes the heater runs at full power the whole time, so the real figure is usually lower.
Is a home sauna worth it?: It depends on what you pay now and how often you go. Put your own numbers in the calculator above: it shows how many months of your current spending the sauna replaces, or says plainly when it never pays for itself.
Do I need an electrician for a home sauna?: Every infrared cabin we checked plugs into a standard 120V outlet, though some need a 20 amp circuit, so check the maker's spec. Every electric barrel, cabin and indoor traditional sauna we checked needs a dedicated 240V circuit, which a licensed electrician installs.

Sources

All seen Sep 26, 2026. Product prices are from each seller's own page.

1 to 2 person indoor infrared cabin: Dynamic Barcelona 1 to 2 person FAR infrared sauna, Dynamic Gracia 1 to 2 person low EMF infrared sauna, Dynamic Versailles 2 person FAR infrared sauna, Dynamic Serena 2 person low EMF FAR infrared sauna, Dynamic Aveiro 2 person full spectrum infrared sauna, Sunlighten Signature II Obsidian (2 person), Almost Heaven Laurel 1 person infrared sauna
3 to 4 person indoor infrared cabin: Dynamic Bellagio 3 person low EMF FAR infrared sauna, Dynamic Vila 3 person infrared sauna, Dynamic Lugano 3 person full spectrum infrared sauna, Dynamic Bergamo Elite 4 person ultra low EMF FAR infrared sauna, Sunlighten Signature IV Obsidian (4 person), Almost Heaven Harmony infrared sauna, 3 person size
Outdoor barrel sauna, electric heater (4 to 6 person): Almost Heaven Emerson 6 person outdoor barrel sauna, Almost Heaven Pinnacle 4 person barrel sauna, 6 kW KIP heater, Redwood Outdoors barrel outdoor sauna, 6 person, Almost Heaven Vista 6 person outdoor barrel sauna, Almost Heaven Princeton 6 person barrel sauna, 8 kW KIP heater, Almost Heaven Kuuma 4 to 6 person barrel sauna, 8 kW KIP heater
Outdoor cabin sauna, electric heater: Backyard Discovery Bennett 2 to 4 person outdoor sauna, Almost Heaven New Haven 2 to 3 person outdoor cabin, Almost Heaven Oasis 3 person outdoor sauna, Redwood Outdoors cabin outdoor sauna, 4 person, Almost Heaven Escape 6 person outdoor sauna, Almost Heaven Allegheny 6 person cabin sauna, 8 kW KIP heater
Wood-fired outdoor sauna: Almost Heaven Kuuma 4 to 6 person barrel sauna, M3 wood burning heater kit, Almost Heaven Takoa 4 to 6 person barrel sauna, M3 wood burning heater kit, Almost Heaven Saddle Mountain outdoor sauna, Pro 20 wood burning kit, Almost Heaven Blackwater 4 person cube sauna, M3 wood burning heater kit, Almost Heaven Allegheny 6 person cabin sauna, Pro 20 wood burning heater kit
Indoor traditional (Finnish) prebuilt or kit: Almost Heaven Logan 1 person indoor sauna, 6 kW KIP heater, Redwood Outdoors Alcove indoor sauna, 2 person, Almost Heaven Auburn 2 to 3 person indoor sauna, 6 kW KIP heater, Almost Heaven Sutton 2 person indoor sauna, 6 kW KIP heater, Almost Heaven Hillsboro 2 person indoor sauna, 6 kW KIP heater, Redwood Outdoors Haven indoor sauna, 3 person, Almost Heaven Worthington 4 to 6 person indoor sauna, 8 kW KIP heater
Sauna blanket (for comparison only): MiHIGH infrared sauna blanket, HigherDOSE infrared sauna blanket, BON CHARGE infrared sauna blanket, USA/Canada 110V to 120V
Electrician for a 240V circuit: HomeGuide cost guide, HomeGuide cost guide, Fixr cost guide, Angi cost guide, Angi cost guide
Outdoor base: Angi cost guide, Angi cost guide, HomeGuide cost guide, Almost Heaven Saunas FAQ, Redwood Outdoors barrel sauna page, foundation section
Electricity rates: US EIA, July 2026

Prices checked Sep 26, 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.