The average pool will cost you somewhere between $65 and $165 per month to maintain, depending on the size of your pool. You could pay hundreds of extra dollars every year to maintain a massive backyard lap pool versus a small one used for the occasional dip.
We know lot goes into maintaining a pool, so we've broken down the costs individually in the following sections.
To keep your pool clean and free of algae, you'll generally run your filter pump daily for somewhere between 6 and 8 hours (though less during the winter season).
Since you use your pump so frequently, it can chew through tons of electricity, but more energy efficient models help drive those costs down.
You should expect to see many pool pumps rated for efficiency, similar to the ratings you find on heaters and refrigerators. As of 2021, pool pumps are scored under the E3 Program with 1–10 stars, with each extra star representing a 25% increase in efficiency.
These ratings can make a big difference to running costs, so we've chosen 2 recent Zodiac pool pumps to demonstrate the price gap. Yearly consumption figures are taken from the Energy Rating database.
| Yearly energy consumption | Monthly energy cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Zodiac Flo Pro E3: 6-star rating | 657kWh | 54.75kWh (monthly consumption) x 26.5c/kWh (usage rate) = $14.51 |
| Zodiac Flo Pro VS: 9-star rating | 305kWh | 25.42kWh (monthly consumption) x 26.5c/kWh (usage rate) = $6.74 |
As you can see, the more efficient model cuts your pump's energy use (and costs) in half. Less efficient pumps will always consume more power, so it can be well worth investing in decent equipment.
Unless you love cold baths, heaters are essential for a pleasant swimming experience. There are 3 types of heaters: electric, gas and solar.
Here's a rough guide of how much you might spend per month during a 6-month swimming season (October to March) using:
You might notice these estimates vary widely. This is because heating costs heavily depend on lots of external factors, including:
| Response | |
|---|---|
| No | 83.32% |
| Yes | 16.68% |
According to data from the Bureau of Meteorology, about 5.21mm of water will evaporate from the surface of your pool daily during the month of December.
In a 6m x 4m pool, that's the equivalent of 125L lost to evaporation every single day, adding up to 3,750L per month (about $9 @ $2.50/kL). You'll lose even more water when the humidity drops or the temperature rises.
If you buy all your own chemicals to keep your pool clean, it can cost you around $200 per year or $17 per month. However, even the most dedicated pool owner will need a professional clean from time to time.
Pool cleaning companies will charge you around $60–$150 for a standard clean (or up to $1,000 for specialised cleans). You might need them about 4 times a year on top of your own cleaning. This route is more expensive, costing around $400 per year or $33 per month.
Pool cleaning companies will charge you around $60 - $150 for a standard clean (or up to $1,000 for specialised cleans), and you might need them around 4 times a year on top of your own cleaning. This route is more expensive, costing around $400 per year, or $33 per month.
A lot goes into keeping a pool functioning. This can range from $10 pool nets up to $1,000+ water pumps, plus occasional expensive repair jobs like patching cracks or replacing worn-out lining.
You can expect to budget in another $100–$300 or so per year to cover these various maintenance costs or around $17 per month.
Adding all these various costs together, a swimming pool will cost somewhere in the region of $800–$2,000 per year to maintain.
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If you're relying on gas or electric heaters, yes.
Solar water heaters work by pumping water up onto tubes on your roof, transferring heat from the sun into it before pumping it back into the pool. You only need to pay for the energy used for pumping, not the actual heating itself (unlike electric or gas heaters).
While they aren't the cheapest to install ($1,000–$5,000 for the heating system itself and up to $2,500 for installation), solar water heaters are far cheaper to run and should last a decade or two with proper maintenance.
Beyond investing in a solar heater, here are the best ways to lower your pool running costs:
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