Running cost comes down to wattage, hours and your rate. In Minnesota the rate is 16.95 cents per kWh, which is 8.1 percent below the national average. Here is what that means for a hot tub.
A hot tub drawing 1,500 W costs $0.25 per hour in Minnesota. Run 4 hours a day that is $1.02 daily, $30.51 a month and $371 a year, which is $32.63 less than the same appliance at the US average rate.
Cost by hours used per day in Minnesota
| Hours/day | Energy | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 1.50 kWh | $0.25 | $7.63 |
| 2 h | 3.00 kWh | $0.51 | $15.25 |
| 4 h | 6.00 kWh | $1.02 | $30.51 |
| 6 h | 9.00 kWh | $1.53 | $45.76 |
| 8 h | 12.00 kWh | $2.03 | $61.02 |
| 12 h | 18.00 kWh | $3.05 | $91.53 |
| 24 h | 36.00 kWh | $6.10 | $183 |
Cost by wattage at 16.95 cents
| Rated power | Per hour | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 W | $0.17 | $0.68 | $20.34 |
| 1,500 W | $0.25 | $1.02 | $30.51 |
| 3,000 W | $0.51 | $2.03 | $61.02 |
| 4,500 W | $0.76 | $3.05 | $91.53 |
| 6,000 W | $1.02 | $4.07 | $122 |
Find the row matching the nameplate on your own unit. Within a single appliance category the spread is often wider than the difference between categories, so the label is worth reading.
What this means in Minnesota
This appliance runs on much the same schedule regardless of climate, so the figure above is a reasonable year-round estimate for Minnesota. What changes it is your own usage pattern rather than the weather.
Why Minnesota pays what it does
Minnesota is a regulated market, so your utility is the only supplier and the rate is set through the state commission rather than by competition. Pricing tends to be steadier than in deregulated states, and there is no switching decision available. The levers are all on your side of the meter.
At 16.95 cents, Minnesota ranks 30 of 51 from cheapest to most expensive. The Midwest regional average is 16.55 cents. Roughly half of any residential bill is transmission and distribution rather than generation, which is why rates keep climbing even when fuel prices fall.
How this compares across the country
The same hot tub on the same schedule, in the cheapest and dearest states:
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $22.23 | $270 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $23.33 | $284 |
| Minnesota | 16.95¢ | $30.51 | $371 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $59.85 | $728 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $93.60 | $1,139 |
Lowering the number in Minnesota
- Replace a waterlogged cover. A saturated cover conducts heat instead of blocking it, around the clock.
- Drop the setpoint a few degrees. Every degree reduces the gradient the heater fights.
- Use economy or sleep mode between uses. Cheaper than holding full temperature, without the long reheat of switching off.
- Shelter it from wind. An exposed tub loses heat far faster.
- Do not switch it off between weekly uses. Reheating from cold costs more than holding temperature.
Offsetting it with solar in Minnesota
This load uses about 6.00 kWh a day. Covering that would take roughly 5 standard 400 W panels at typical sun hours, an array of about 2.00 kW. Because it offsets electricity worth 16.95 cents rather than the national 18.44 cents, the same array is worth less here than the national payback figures suggest.
The heater runs on its own schedule including overnight, which makes this a storage problem rather than a panel problem. Full sizing, including battery and inverter requirements, is on the solar sizing page for this appliance.
Questions people actually ask
[hed_faq]How much does it cost to run a hot tub in Minnesota?About $0.25 per hour and $30.51 a month at 4 hours a day, using the Minnesota average rate of 16.95 cents per kWh.
How many watts does a hot tub use?Around 1,500 W while running, with a range of roughly 1,000 to 6,000 W depending on model and setting.
Is that expensive for Minnesota?Minnesota electricity runs 8.1 percent below the national average, so this appliance costs $32.63 less per year here than it would at the US average rate.
Can I lower this without replacing the appliance?Usually yes. Run time is the variable you control, and the hours table above shows exactly what each hour costs. Since Minnesota is regulated, shopping for a supplier is not an option, so usage is the lever.[/hed_faq]