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 $5.47 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 | $0.078 | $2.34 | $28.53 |
| Typical 700 W | $0.24 | $0.18 | $5.47 | $66.57 |
| High 1,500 W | $0.52 | $0.39 | $11.72 | $142.65 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.75 h/day ≈ 192 kWh per year.
One hour of a treadmill (0.70 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 3.9km in an electric car
- 7.0hours of TV
- 16hours of a laptop
- 78hours of an LED bulb
In California, with electricity at 34.7¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical treadmill costs $0.24 per hour and about $66.57 per year at 0.75 hours a day. That is about 89% more than the national average for the US ($2.89 per month), because electricity in California costs 34.7¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ 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 ($9.13) 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
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
- Exercise Bike or Smart Trainer30 W typical
- Aquarium (Heater, Filter, Light)80 W typical
- 3D Printer120 W typical
- Sewing Machine80 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz