Annual Pool Operating Cost Calculator
Rated input watts from the motor label.
US average $0.18/kWh (EIA).
Typical spend; enter your own.
0 if unheated.
Yearly operating cost
$758.58 /year
Running this pool for 6 months costs about $758.58 a year, or $126.43 per month of the season.
- Pump electricity
- $398.58 (53%), 2,190 kWh
- Chemicals
- $360.00 (47%)
- Heating
- $0.00 (0%)
The pump is your biggest cost. A variable-speed pump running longer at low speed typically uses a fraction of the energy of a single-speed pump.
How it's calculated
- Electricity defaults to $0.18 per kWh: US average residential electricity price (2026 forecast) (U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook).
- The chemical default ($60.00 a month) is a typical figure for a residential pool. What you spend depends on pool size, sun, bather load and how you chlorinate.
- For heating, use the running cost from the heat pump calculator or your gas bills.
Worked example
A 1,500 W single-speed pump running 8 hours a day for a 6-month season, $60.00 a month of chemicals, no heater:
- Energy: 1.5 kW × 8 h × 6 × 30.4 = 2,190 kWh.
- Pump cost: 2,190 × $0.18 = $398.58.
- Chemicals: $60.00 × 6 = $360.00.
- Total: $758.58 per year, $126.43 per month of the season.
Pump electricity per 6-month season
At $0.18/kWh. Wattages are illustrative; use the figure on your pump.
| Pump setup | Watts × hours | Season cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single-speed, 1.5 HP | 2,000 W × 8 h | $531.44 |
| Single-speed, 1 HP | 1,400 W × 8 h | $372.01 |
| Variable-speed, medium | 500 W × 12 h | $199.29 |
| Variable-speed, low | 200 W × 16 h | $106.29 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a pool per year?
It depends mostly on the pump and on heating. With a 1,500 W pump running 8 hours a day for 6 months at $0.18/kWh and $60.00 a month in chemicals, the total is about $758.58 a year before any heating. Heating can easily double that.
How much electricity does a pool pump use?
Watts × hours ÷ 1,000 gives kWh per day. A 1,500 W pump for 8 hours uses 12 kWh a day, about $2.18 at the US average rate. The pump's rated input watts are on the motor label or in the manual.
Does a variable-speed pump really save money?
Usually a lot. Pump power falls with roughly the cube of speed, so running longer at low speed moves the same water for much less energy. In the table on this page a variable-speed pump on low costs $106.29 a season versus $531.44 for a single-speed 1.5 HP pump.
How can I lower my pool running costs?
Switch to a variable-speed pump, run it longer at low speed, use a cover to cut heating and chemical costs, keep the filter clean so the pump works less, and buy chemicals in bulk where they keep (liquid chlorine does not keep long).
Does a saltwater pool cost less to run?
Salt pools spend less on chlorine but use electricity for the cell and need a replacement cell every few years. Overall running costs are often similar; the difference is convenience.
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