Chiller vs ice: what a cold plunge costs per month
At four plunges a week, bagged ice comes to about $274.56 a month. A small chiller adds roughly $16.34–$32.69 to your power bill. On those numbers, a $569 tub-and-chiller bundle pays for itself in about 2.2–2.4 months.
The math
Ice
- Bag price: $4.29 for 10 lb (Kroger bagged ice, Ralphs online listing, checked 25 Oct 2026)
- Ice per session: 40 lb. This is our assumption. Your tub size and tap-water temperature change it a lot.
- Sessions: 16 a month (4 a week)
- 16 × 4 bags × $4.29 = $274.56 a month
Chiller
- Plunge Chill says its 1/3 HP chiller uses 3–6 kWh a day to hold temperature, plus about 4.8 kWh for the first cool-down
- US average home electricity: 18.16¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026)
- 30 × 3 kWh × $0.1816 = $16.34; 30 × 6 kWh × $0.1816 = $32.69 a month
| Ice | Chiller (1/3 HP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Up front | $0 (tub you already own) | $569 (tub + chiller bundle) |
| Per month | $274.56 | $16.34–$32.69 |
| After 12 months | $3294.72 | $765.13–$961.26 |
If you plunge once a week, ice runs about $68.64 a month and the payback takes about 11–16 months. In California (33.61¢/kWh in July 2026) the chiller line roughly doubles.
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How we compared
The ice price is one public store listing, and bag prices vary by store and season. The chiller energy figure is Plunge Chill's own claim. Electricity is the EIA national average. Your rate is on your bill.
Sources
- Kroger Bagged Ice 10 lb (Ralphs)
- EIA Electricity Monthly Update (Aug 2026 data, released 23 Oct 2026)
- Plunge Chill Tub with Chiller, checked 25 Oct 2026