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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Treadmill in California? (2026)
A motorised treadmill draws 300 watts at a walking pace and up to 1,500 watts running at speed with a heavier user. A 45 minute session typically uses about half a kWh.
A typical treadmill (700 W) costs $0.24 per hour, or about $5.51 per month at 0.75 hours a day in California. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (300 W) | $0.10 | $0.079 | $2.36 | $28.74 |
| Typical (700 W) | $0.24 | $0.18 | $5.51 | $67.07 |
| High (1,500 W) | $0.52 | $0.39 | $11.81 | $143.72 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.75 h/day ≈ 192 kWh per year.
In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical treadmill costs $0.24 per hour and about $67.07 per year at 0.75 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $2.83 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 4.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a treadmill
- Unplug it or use the power switch between workouts. Some models draw 3 to 5 watts idle.
- Lubricate the belt on schedule. A dry belt makes the motor work harder.
- Incline walking uses less motor power than fast running for a similar workout.
In standby it draws about 3 W, which adds roughly 26 kWh ($9.20) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a treadmill for an hour?
Around 0.7 kWh at a moderate pace. Check the hourly figure above.
Do treadmills use a lot of electricity?
Moderate. Daily 45 minute use is about 15 kWh a month.
Is a manual treadmill cheaper?
It uses no electricity at all, but is harder to walk on.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India