Cold plunge cost & chiller calculator
Price up a home cold plunge: the tub, the chiller you need to hold temperature year-round, the groundworks and the electrical supply — plus a realistic monthly running cost. Indicative ranges, then an accurate quote from installers who cover your area.
Price it up
Indicative UK pricing for the tub, the chiller and getting it installed — plus what it will cost to hold temperature.
The usual home setup: rotomoulded shell, filtration, holds temperature year-round.
Existing patio, concrete pad or a deck rated for the load.
£3,250–£6,950
Installed, excluding VAT where a trade quote is ex-VAT.
- Tub — £1,800–£3,800
- Chiller (1/3 HP) — £1,100–£2,000
- Outdoor electrical supply (Part P) — £350–£900
- Base / groundworks — £0–£250
Chiller: around a 1/3 HP unit for 300 litres (0.5 kW when running). Running cost roughly £10–£20 a month averaged across the year — near nothing in January, most of it in a hot spell. Assumes 26p/kWh including VAT — around the Ofgem cap level. Your tariff will differ, and the cap changes quarterly.
Indicative UK ranges for 2026, assembled from published supplier pricing. Every site is different — a quote is the only real number.
What drives a cold plunge quote
- The tub — an inflatable or barrel is a few hundred pounds; an insulated rotomoulded or stainless plunge with integrated filtration is several thousand.
- The chiller — the single biggest line after the tub, and the thing that makes a plunge usable in July. Sizing follows tub volume and how fast you want it to pull down.
- Where it goes — a level, load-bearing base is non-negotiable: a filled tub with a person in it is comfortably over 500 kg.
- The electrical supply — a permanent outdoor circuit is notifiable work under Part P and needs a registered electrician and a certificate.
- Delivery and access — if it will not fit through the side gate, it goes over the house, and that means a crane.
Why the running cost varies so much
A chiller only works to hold temperature once the water is down, so the cost tracks how hard the weather is fighting you. In a British January the ambient air does most of the job and the chiller barely runs; in a July heatwave it works most of the day. Insulation and a properly fitted lid make more difference than the chiller model.
Common questions
How much does a home cold plunge cost in the UK?
An entry-level ice bath tub is £100–£600. A rotomoulded plunge with a chiller and filtration typically lands between £2,500 and £6,000 installed, and an insulated cedar or stainless plunge between £6,000 and £15,000. Sunken and bespoke installations with groundworks commonly run £15,000–£40,000 or more.
What size chiller do I need for a cold plunge?
It depends on tub volume, target temperature and how quickly you want it to pull down. For a typical 300–500 litre domestic plunge, a 1/3 to 1 HP unit is the usual range, with the larger end chosen for faster pull-down or a poorly insulated tub. An installer should size it against your actual volume rather than a rule of thumb.
How much does a cold plunge cost to run?
For an insulated tub with a fitted lid, typically £15–£40 a month across the year in the UK — close to nothing in winter, most of the cost in a hot spell. Poor insulation, no lid, a very low target temperature or a chiller sited in full sun can push that considerably higher.