How Much Does It Cost to Run a Pool Pump in California? (2026)
A single speed pool pump running 8 hours a day is frequently the second largest electricity consumer in a home after air conditioning. Variable speed pumps cut this cost dramatically.
A typical pool pump (1,500 W) costs $0.52 per hour, or about $125.06 per month at 8 hours a day in California. Expensive to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 500 W | $0.17 | $1.39 | $41.69 | $250.13 |
| Typical 1,500 W | $0.52 | $4.17 | $125.06 | $750.38 |
| High 2,500 W | $0.87 | $6.95 | $208.44 | $1,251 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day for about 180 days a year (the pool season) ≈ 2,160 kWh per year.
One hour of a pool pump (1.5 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 8.3km in an electric car
- 15hours of TV
- 33hours of a laptop
- 167hours of an LED bulb
In California, with electricity at 34.7¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical pool pump costs $0.52 per hour and about $750.38 per year at 8 hours a day. That is about 89% more than the national average for the US ($66.02 per month), because electricity in California costs 34.7¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 1.9 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a pool pump
- Replace a single speed pump with a variable speed model. Savings of 50 to 80 percent are typical.
- Run the pump only as long as needed for one full water turnover, usually 6 to 8 hours.
- Schedule pump run time for off-peak electricity hours.
- Keep the filter and skimmer baskets clean so the pump works against less resistance.
Is an efficient pool pump worth it?
Single-speed pool pump, 1,500 W: about 2,160 kWh a year. Variable-speed pump run at low speed: about 756 kWh. The difference is worth $487.75 a year in California.
- Replacing one that still works pays back in 2.1 years.
- When yours needs replacing anyway, the extra cost of the efficient model pays back in 1.0 years.
Usage assumed: 8 hours a day over a six-month pool season. Typical prices: $1,000 for the efficient model, $500.00 more than a basic one. Work it out with your own prices
Frequently asked questions
How many hours a day should a pool pump run?
Long enough to turn over the pool volume once, typically 6 to 8 hours in summer and less in winter.
How much does a pool pump cost to run per month?
A 1,500 watt pump for 8 hours uses 12 kWh a day, or about 360 kWh a month. Check the monthly figure above.
Are variable speed pumps worth it?
Usually yes. The payback period is commonly one to three years.
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Electric Lawn Mower (Corded or Battery)1,200 W typical
- Electric Pressure Washer1,800 W typical
- Electric Sauna Heater6,000 W typical
- Infrared Sauna1,800 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz