How Much Does It Cost to Run an Infrared Sauna in Perth?

If you're considering an infrared sauna for your Perth home, the purchase price is only part of the equation. A common question we hear is:

How much will it actually cost to run?

The good news is that this is one of the easier home-wellness costs to calculate. Each sauna has a known maximum power draw, and Perth electricity rates are publicly available.

At Synergy's current standard Home Plan A1 rate, a 45-minute sauna session costs roughly 51 cents to 76 cents at maximum power, depending on the model.

And if you're on Synergy's Midday Saver plan and use your sauna between 9am and 3pm, the electricity cost can be considerably lower.

Here's how the numbers break down.

How much power does an infrared sauna use?

Every Chakra Wellness sauna has a maximum rated power draw. This represents the total wattage when the heaters are operating at full power.

• GlowZen – Low EMF Far Infrared, 2 person: 2,030W maximum draw. Standard 10A outlet.

• RadiantZen Standard – Full Spectrum, 2 person: 2,300W maximum draw. Standard 10A outlet.

• RadiantZen Premium – Full Spectrum, 2 person: 2,300W maximum draw. Standard 10A outlet.

• CedarZen – Low EMF Far Infrared, 3–4 person: 3,030W maximum draw. 15A circuit.

For context, that puts our saunas in a similar power range to other household heating appliances.

The three 2-person models can all operate from a standard domestic 10A power point. CedarZen has a larger heater bank and requires a 15A connection.

It's also worth noting that these figures represent the maximum possible draw. Once your sauna reaches its set temperature, the heaters cycle rather than necessarily operating continuously at full power for the entire session. The real-world cost may therefore be lower than the ceiling figures below.

What does an infrared sauna cost to run per session?

As of 1 July 2026, Synergy's standard residential Home Plan A1 electricity rate is 33.2621 cents per kWh. There is also a daily supply charge, but because you pay that regardless of whether you use your sauna, we haven't included it in the sauna running-cost calculations.

Using the maximum power draw of each model:

• GlowZen: about 51 cents for a 45-minute session, about 68 cents for 60 minutes.

• RadiantZen Standard / Premium: about 57 cents for 45 minutes, about 77 cents for 60 minutes.

• CedarZen: about 76 cents for 45 minutes, about $1.01 for 60 minutes.

So even using the most conservative calculation — assuming the heaters operate continuously at maximum power — an hour-long session in the largest sauna in the range is around $1 in electricity.

What about weekly or monthly use?

As a simple example, if you used a RadiantZen for 45 minutes, four times per week, the maximum electricity cost would be approximately:

$2.30 per week

or around:

$9.95 per month

Actual usage may be lower because the heaters cycle once the desired temperature is reached.

Want to spend even less? The time of day matters

If your household is on Synergy's Midday Saver time-of-use plan, electricity prices vary substantially depending on when you use power.

Current rates are:

• Super off-peak — 9am to 3pm: 8.8520c/kWh

• Peak — 3pm to 9pm: 55.3253c/kWh

• Off-peak — 9pm to 9am: 24.3431c/kWh

That means electricity during the 9am–3pm window costs around 84% less than during the 3pm–9pm peak period.

For a 45-minute sauna session:

• GlowZen: about 84 cents in the peak window, about 13 cents in the super off-peak window.

• RadiantZen: about 95 cents in the peak window, about 15 cents in the super off-peak window.

• CedarZen: about $1.26 in the peak window, about 20 cents in the super off-peak window.

For example, a maximum-power 45-minute CedarZen session drops from around $1.26 during peak hours to just 20 cents during the super off-peak window.

That doesn't necessarily mean everyone should switch electricity plans just for their sauna. Midday Saver changes the rates you pay for your entire household, and a compatible meter is required.

But if you already enjoy a morning or lunchtime sauna, it can happen to coincide with the cheapest electricity period of the day.

10A vs 15A: does your sauna need an electrician?

This is another useful cost to consider before choosing your sauna.

GlowZen, RadiantZen Standard and RadiantZen Premium are all designed to operate from a normal domestic 10A power outlet.

In most Perth homes, that means no special electrical installation is required for the connection itself.

CedarZen draws 3,030W and requires a 15A circuit.

If you don't already have a suitable 15A outlet where the sauna will be installed, you'll need to allow for the one-off cost of having an electrician install one.

That doesn't affect your ongoing running cost, but it is worth including when comparing the total cost of ownership.

Five simple ways to keep your sauna running costs down

1. Use the temperature that feels right for you

Chakra Wellness saunas can reach up to 70°C, but hotter isn't necessarily better for every session. Our recommended range for most sessions is around 45–65°C, so there's little reason to automatically push the sauna to maximum temperature every time.

2. Set your session length rather than defaulting to an hour

The built-in timer can be set between 5 and 60 minutes, allowing you to choose the session length that suits you rather than leaving the sauna running unnecessarily.

3. Take advantage of cheaper electricity periods

If you're on a time-of-use electricity plan, a morning or lunchtime sauna can cost considerably less than the same session during evening peak hours.

4. Look after outdoor installations

If your sauna is installed outdoors, protecting the timber, doors and seals from the elements helps the cabin continue holding heat as designed.

5. Compare models if electricity use is important to you

GlowZen has the lowest maximum power draw in the Chakra Wellness range at 2,030W, compared with 2,300W for the RadiantZen models and 3,030W for CedarZen. Running cost probably shouldn't be the only factor when choosing between far infrared and full-spectrum models, but it can be useful if two models otherwise suit you equally well.

Infrared sauna running costs: frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run an infrared sauna in Perth?

At Synergy's current standard residential electricity rate, a maximum-power 45-minute session costs approximately: GlowZen 51 cents, RadiantZen 57 cents, CedarZen 76 cents. A 60-minute session costs approximately 68 cents, 77 cents and $1.01 respectively. These are conservative ceiling figures — real-world consumption can be lower as the sauna's heating system cycles once it reaches the set temperature.

Does an infrared sauna use a lot of electricity?

Depending on the model, Chakra Wellness saunas draw between 2,030W and 3,030W at maximum power. That is comparable with many household heating appliances. Because a sauna is generally used for a relatively short session rather than running continuously all day, the electricity cost per use remains modest.

Can I plug an infrared sauna into a normal power point?

Yes, for the 2-person models. GlowZen, RadiantZen Standard and RadiantZen Premium use a standard 10A household outlet. The larger CedarZen requires a 15A connection.

Is it cheaper to use my sauna in the morning?

If you're on Synergy's standard Home Plan A1, the rate is the same regardless of the time of day. If you're on Midday Saver, however, using electricity between 9am and 3pm is substantially cheaper than using it between 3pm and 9pm.

Does a low-EMF sauna automatically use less electricity?

No. Power use depends on the specific heater configuration and sauna design rather than whether a sauna is described as low-EMF or full-spectrum. Within the Chakra Wellness range, GlowZen happens to draw less power than the two RadiantZen models, but that shouldn't be taken as a general rule for all infrared saunas.

Do these calculations include Synergy's daily supply charge?

No. The supply charge applies to the household every day whether or not you use your sauna, so we've excluded it from the running-cost calculation.

So, are infrared saunas expensive to run?

For most Perth households, not particularly.

Even using conservative maximum-power calculations, a 45-minute session in one of our 2-person infrared saunas costs around 50–60 cents on Synergy's standard residential tariff.

And depending on your electricity plan and the time of day you use it, the cost can be considerably lower.

For many people, that makes an infrared sauna a relatively low ongoing cost for something they can use at home several times each week.

Want help choosing the right sauna for your home?