How is the running cost calculated?

Watts ÷ 1,000 × the electricity rate gives cost per hour: $0.83 at 2,500 W on the NSW rate; the yearly figure uses 6 h/day, 180 days a year at 2,500 W.

How much does it cost to run a pool/spa heater (electric heat pump)? (2026–27)

At typical draw · official state tariffs

$0.69–$1.05 per hour at 2,500 W

Typical household use (6 h/day, 180 days a year at 2,500 W) runs $742–$1,132 a year depending on your state's tariff.

Wattage basis: Compressor electrical input (not the 4–7× larger heat output): domestic units 1.0–5.0 kW input; a 32 kW-output unit draws ~4.4 kW.

Pool heat pump running cost by state and model, at 6 h a day for 180 days a year (2026–27 reference usage rates)
State	Model	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
New South Wales33.1c/kWh · Ausgrid	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.33	$1.99	$60.44	$358
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.83	$4.97	$151.11	$895
	High (5,000 W)	$1.66	$9.94	$302.21	$1,789
Victoria27.5c/kWh · Jemena	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.27	$1.65	$50.11	$297
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.69	$4.12	$125.26	$742
	High (5,000 W)	$1.37	$8.24	$250.53	$1,483
Queensland28.0c/kWh · Energex	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.28	$1.68	$51.03	$302
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.70	$4.20	$127.56	$755
	High (5,000 W)	$1.40	$8.39	$255.13	$1,511
South Australia41.9c/kWh · SA Power Networks	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.42	$2.51	$76.44	$453
	Typical (2,500 W)	$1.05	$6.29	$191.11	$1,132
	High (5,000 W)	$2.10	$12.57	$382.22	$2,263
Western Australia33.3c/kWh · Western Power (SWIS)	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.33	$2.00	$60.67	$359
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.83	$4.99	$151.68	$898
	High (5,000 W)	$1.66	$9.98	$303.35	$1,796
Tasmania28.0c/kWh · TasNetworks	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.28	$1.68	$50.99	$302
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.70	$4.19	$127.47	$755
	High (5,000 W)	$1.40	$8.39	$254.94	$1,510
Australian Capital Territory37.0c/kWh · Evoenergy	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.37	$2.22	$67.40	$399
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.92	$5.54	$168.51	$998
	High (5,000 W)	$1.85	$11.09	$337.02	$1,995
Northern Territory31.7c/kWh · Power and Water	Efficient (1,000 W)	$0.32	$1.90	$57.78	$342
	Typical (2,500 W)	$0.79	$4.75	$144.46	$855
	High (5,000 W)	$1.58	$9.50	$288.91	$1,711

Where a pool heat pump costs more

South Australia is the dearest state to run one: $1.05 an hour at 2,500 W on its 41.9c/kWh rate, against $0.69 in Victoria. Over a year of typical use that gap is $390 (52.6% more).
By yearly running cost at typical use it ranks 2nd of the 26 appliances costed on this site (1st costs the most): $895 a year at the NSW rate.
An efficient 1,000 W model costs $679 a year less than a typical 2,500 W one in SA at 6 hours a day for 180 days ($445 less in VIC); a high-draw 5,000 W model uses 5 times the power of the efficient one.
At the 1 July 2026 price reset, typical-use cost fell $61 in VIC (Jemena usage rate 29.7c to 27.5c/kWh) and rose $24 in WA (Western Power (SWIS) usage rate 32.4c to 33.3c/kWh).

Typical household use per year, cheapest state first (6 h/day, 180 days a year at 2,500 W)
Rank	State	Usage rate	Typical year	Above the cheapest
1	Victoria	27.5c	$742	—
2	Tasmania	28.0c	$755	+$13
3	Queensland	28.0c	$755	+$14
4	Northern Territory	31.7c	$855	+$114
5	New South Wales	33.1c	$895	+$153
6	Western Australia	33.3c	$898	+$156
7	Australian Capital Territory	37.0c	$998	+$256
8	South Australia	41.9c	$1,132	+$390

Rates by state (each state's capital-city network): NSW: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8); VIC: ESC Victorian Default Offer 2026–27; QLD: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8); SA: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8); WA: WA Government Standard Electricity Prices 2026–27 (Synergy Home Plan A1); TAS: OTTER-approved Aurora Energy Standing Offer 2026–27 (approved 25 June 2026) — Tariff 31; ACT: ICRC retail electricity price recalibration 2026–27 (ActewAGL standing offer); NT: NT Electricity Pricing Order 2026–27 (Jacana Energy standard residential). All effective 1 July 2026.

Appliance running-cost calculator

NSW

State

Power draw (watts)

Pool heat pump: 1,000–5,000 W typical range.

Hours per day

Days per year

4–8 h/day in the heating season; far less with a pool cover.

$0.83 per hour · $895/year at your settings

Per day (6 h): $4.97
Per month: $151.11
Per year (180 days): $894.70

Tariff: 33.1c/kWh — AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8) for the Ausgrid network, effective 1 July 2026. Wattage basis: NCS Pool Heating — heat pump power use. Full pool heat pump costs in NSW →

Cutting the cost

A pool cover is the single biggest saver here, since most heat escapes from the surface overnight and a cover holds it in. Set a modest target temperature and drop it further out of season. If yours is a heat-pump heater, run it in the warmer part of the day when it works most efficiently. Turn heating off well before you stop swimming for the year.

Frequently asked questions

How is the running cost calculated?: Watts ÷ 1,000 × the electricity rate = cost per hour. A pool heat pump drawing 2,500 W on NSW's 33.1c/kWh rate costs $0.83 an hour; the calculator below lets you change every input.
Does a higher star rating cut the cost?: Yes. The star rating compresses the power draw or energy per use, which scales these figures directly. The low–high band in the table (1,000–5,000 W) roughly spans efficient to inefficient models.

Sources — figures current as at 17 July 2026.

Costs use each state's representative-zone reference usage rate, effective 1 July 2026. 4–8 h/day in the heating season; far less with a pool cover.

How much does it cost to run a pool/spa heater (electric heat pump)? (2026–27)

Where a pool heat pump costs more

Appliance running-cost calculator

Cutting the cost

Frequently asked questions

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