Cold Plunge Monthly Cost Calculator

Ice vs chiller · Updated July 2026 · Research-based tool by PlungeWise

The sticker price of a cold plunge is only half the story. The part nobody advertises is the ongoing cost of ownership — bags of ice, chiller electricity, filters, and water. This free calculator estimates your real monthly and yearly cost, and shows you the point at which a chiller becomes cheaper than hauling ice. Change the numbers to match your situation; every assumption is shown.

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Your usage

Sessions per week how often you'll plunge

Ice setup

Ice used per session (lbs) a typical fill uses 20–40 lbs

Cost per 10 lb bag of ice ($) store-bought bagged ice

Chiller setup

Chiller power draw (watts) many home chillers average ~300–600 W

Chiller run time per day (hours) cycles on/off; estimate average

Electricity rate ($/kWh) check your utility bill

Filter cost per year ($) filters × replacements, if your tub uses them

Optional: break-even

Extra up-front cost of a chiller setup vs an ice tub ($) leave blank to skip

How this is calculated

We keep the math simple and visible so you can trust it:

Ice cost/month = sessions per week × 4.33 weeks × (lbs of ice ÷ 10) × price per 10 lb bag.
Chiller electricity/month = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours per day × 30 days × your $/kWh rate.
Chiller filters/month = yearly filter cost ÷ 12.
Break-even = extra up-front chiller cost ÷ monthly saving vs ice.

These are estimates, not quotes. Real ice usage, chiller efficiency, and local prices vary. The goal is a realistic ballpark to compare the two paths — not an exact bill.

Thinking chiller? Compare automated tubs in our best cold plunge tubs guide. Starting with ice? See the best budget tubs. Still deciding whether to build or buy at all? The DIY & Budget hub compares the ice, DIY-chiller and ready-made routes side by side, and the DIY ice bath ideas page covers the individual builds.