Split System Aircon Installation Cost Australia (2026 Prices)

A split system air conditioner costs roughly $1,500 to $4,000 supplied and installed in 2026, depending mostly on its size. A 2.5 kW unit for a bedroom sits at the low end, a 7 kW unit for an open-plan living area at the top. If you buy the unit yourself, a standard installation costs about $600 to $1,500, with extras for long pipe runs, a new circuit or difficult access.

Those standard install prices hide a lot of variation. Installers define a standard installation differently, and the extras are where quotes diverge. This guide explains split system prices by size, what install-only quotes include, how to size a unit, the licences an installer must hold, and three worked examples. Prices include GST and are indicative. Get at least three written quotes and make sure they describe the same installation.

Split system prices by size

These figures are for a reputable brand of inverter reverse-cycle split system, supplied and installed with a standard back-to-back or short-run installation. They do not include a new electrical circuit, which many homes need.

Premium Japanese brands with high energy ratings and Wi-Fi control sit at the top of each range, while budget brands sit at the bottom. The gap between them on a 7 kW unit can easily be $800 to $1,200. Room sizes in the table are rough and assume an insulated room with a standard ceiling height in a temperate climate. Hot or poorly insulated rooms need more capacity.

Install-only prices and the extras that add up

If you buy the unit from a retailer, you pay separately for installation. Here is what installers commonly charge.

A back-to-back install is the cheapest because the indoor and outdoor units sit on opposite sides of the same external wall, with a short pipe run straight through. Anything else, such as the outdoor unit around the corner, on the ground below a second-storey bedroom or on a roof, adds pipe, labour and sometimes a second installer.

Picking the right size

An undersized unit runs flat out and still cannot keep up on a 40 degree day. An oversized unit cycles on and off, costs more to buy and does a poorer job of removing humidity. The table above gives rough room sizes, but a good installer looks at more than floor area:

• Ceiling height. A 3 m ceiling holds about a quarter more air than a 2.4 m ceiling.
• Insulation. Uninsulated ceilings and walls can need a size up.
• Windows and orientation. Large west-facing glass in Perth or Brisbane adds a lot of afternoon heat.
• Climate. A living room in Darwin needs more cooling capacity than the same room in Hobart, while Canberra and Ballarat buyers often size for heating.
• Open doorways. A living area open to the kitchen and hallway behaves like a much larger room.

Ask the installer to explain how they sized the unit. If two quotes recommend very different capacities for the same room, ask why.

What turns a standard install into an expensive one

Pipe length and route

Every metre of refrigerant pipe beyond the included length costs extra, and long runs through a roof space or under a floor take more labour. Manufacturers also set maximum pipe lengths and height differences for each model.

Where the outdoor unit goes

A wall bracket at ground floor height is simple. A roof mount needs safe access, a frame and sometimes extra people. A narrow side passage may block airflow and annoy neighbours. Ground pads need firm, level ground.

Wall construction

Drilling a 65 to 90 mm hole through brick veneer or weatherboard is quick. Double brick, concrete block and concrete apartment walls need core drilling and take longer.

Drainage

The indoor unit produces water when cooling. It normally drains by gravity through a hose that runs with the pipes. If the indoor unit is on an internal wall or below the level of a suitable drain point, a condensate pump may be needed.

Electrical supply

Most units of 5 kW and above, and many smaller ones, should have their own circuit from the switchboard, plus an isolator switch near the outdoor unit. If the board is full, uses old fuses or has no safety switches, the electrician may need to upgrade it first. Our switchboard upgrade cost guide covers that work, and the electrician cost guide lists typical rates for new circuits.

Energy ratings and running costs

Split systems sold in Australia carry a Zoned Energy Rating Label that shows efficiency for hot, average and cold climate zones, with separate figures for heating and cooling. Pick the zone that matches where you live, then compare the stars and the annual energy figure between models of the same size. The Energy Rating website explains the label and lets you compare models.

An inverter split system is one of the cheapest ways to heat a room in most of Australia, often cheaper to run than gas or electric resistance heaters. Running costs depend on how often you use it, the temperature you set, the size of the unit and your electricity tariff. As a rough idea, a 2.5 kW unit cooling a bedroom for a few hours a night might cost tens of cents per night, while a 7 kW unit cooling an open-plan area on a very hot afternoon can cost a few dollars a day. Setting the thermostat to 24 to 25 degrees in summer and 18 to 20 degrees in winter keeps costs down. Rooftop solar makes daytime running costs much lower.

Multi-head and ducted alternatives

If you want air conditioning in three or more rooms, you have three options: several separate split systems, one multi-head system, or ducted air conditioning.

• Several splits are usually the cheapest per room and give independent control. If one unit fails, the rest keep working. The downside is several outdoor units on the walls.
• A multi-head system runs two to five indoor heads from one outdoor unit. It saves wall space outside but costs more and, if the outdoor unit fails, every room loses cooling.
• Ducted systems hide everything in the ceiling and floor vents, with zoning to control rooms. They cost far more, typically $10,000 to $20,000 or more for a house. See our ducted air conditioning cost guide for the details.

Replacing an existing split system

Swapping an old split system for a new one is often a little cheaper than a fresh install, because the wall penetration, the outdoor unit position and the circuit already exist. Expect to pay the new unit price plus about $700 to $1,300 for removal and installation, including recovering the old refrigerant. The installer has to recover refrigerant from the old unit using proper equipment rather than venting it, and the old unit then goes to a recycler.

Whether the old pipework can be reused depends on its condition, its size, the refrigerant the old unit used and the new manufacturer's instructions. Many installers prefer new pipe for anything more than a few years old, particularly when moving from an older refrigerant like R22 to a current R32 system, because contamination in old pipes can shorten the life of the new compressor and affect the warranty. Reusing pipe can save $100 to $300 on a short run, but ask the installer to put the decision and the reason in writing.

Check the old circuit too. A circuit sized for an old 5 kW unit may not suit a new 7 kW unit, and an old isolator that has sat in the sun for 15 years is often due for replacement anyway. If your current unit has a fault and you are deciding between repair and replacement, our repair guide linked further down explains when a fix still makes sense.

Prices by city

Three installs, costed

Bedroom unit in a Marrickville semi, NSW

A double-fronted brick semi in Sydney's inner west. The owners want a 2.5 kW unit in the main bedroom on an external side wall, back to back with the outdoor unit on wall brackets. The old switchboard has space, but the unit needs its own circuit.

Open-plan living in Mandurah, WA

A single-storey double brick home. A 7 kW unit goes on the internal end of the open-plan living room, with the outdoor unit on a ground pad around the corner, giving a 7 m pipe run. A new circuit is needed.

Replacing a gas wall heater in Ballarat, Victoria

A 1950s weatherboard with an old gas wall furnace in the lounge. The owners want an 8 kW reverse-cycle unit in the living area and a 2.5 kW unit in the main bedroom, both on new circuits. A licensed gasfitter caps off the old heater.

In Victoria, the Victorian Energy Upgrades program has offered discounts on efficient reverse-cycle systems that replace older heating, delivered through accredited providers. Eligibility and amounts change, so check the current scheme before you sign, and ask the installer to show any discount clearly on the quote. NSW and some other states have run similar energy-efficiency programs.

Licences: ARCtick and electrical

Two separate licences apply to a split system installation, and you should check both.

Refrigerant handling. Anyone who handles refrigerant, which includes connecting the pipes, pressure testing, evacuating and releasing the charge into the system, must hold a refrigerant handling licence issued by the Australian Refrigeration Council, commonly known as an ARCtick licence. The business must also hold a refrigerant trading authorisation. These requirements sit under federal law, and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water explains the framework. Ask for the licence number and check it on the ARC's public register.

Electrical work. Connecting the unit to power, running a new circuit and installing the isolator is fixed electrical work. It must be done by a licensed electrician, or by an installer who holds the appropriate electrical licence. Some states issue restricted electrical licences that let air conditioning technicians disconnect and reconnect equipment, but those do not cover new circuits or switchboard work. Electricians are licensed by NSW Fair Trading, Energy Safe Victoria, the Electrical Safety Office in Queensland, Building and Energy in WA, Consumer and Business Services in SA, CBOS in Tasmania, Access Canberra and the NT licensing board.

There is no legal DIY option. Self-install kits sold online still need a licensed technician to connect the refrigerant and a licensed electrician to wire the unit, and an unlicensed install will almost certainly void the manufacturer's warranty. A handyman cannot do it either. Our article on whether a handyman can do electrical work explains why.

Noise, neighbours, strata and council

Outdoor units make noise, and state environmental protection rules set limits on noise from air conditioners, particularly at night. Place the outdoor unit away from neighbours' bedroom windows where you can, and on anti-vibration mounts. Most standard split system installations on houses do not need council approval, but conditions on location and noise usually apply, and heritage areas can have extra rules. Check with your council if the outdoor unit will be visible from the street in a heritage area.

In apartments and townhouses, strata approval is often needed before drilling through external walls or placing an outdoor unit on common property or a balcony. Some buildings have designated positions or approved pipe routes. Get approval in writing before booking the installer, as removing a non-approved unit is an expensive mistake.

Saving money without a worse result

• Book in autumn or winter. Installers are flat out from the first heatwave to February. Off-season bookings are faster and sometimes cheaper.
• Choose a back-to-back position where the room layout allows it.
• Get several units installed at once. The setup cost is shared, and some installers discount multi-unit jobs.
• Compare supply and install packages with retail plus install-only. Sometimes a retailer sale plus a separate installer wins, sometimes the installer's package does. Make sure the install-only price includes everything a package does.
• Do not oversize. A unit one size too big costs more to buy and runs less efficiently.
• Plan the circuit and switchboard early. A surprise switchboard upgrade on install day is the most common budget blowout.

What a good aircon quote spells out

• The exact brand, model number and capacity in kW for heating and cooling.
• Indoor and outdoor unit positions and the included pipe length.
• The rate for extra pipe per metre.
• Whether a dedicated circuit, isolator and any switchboard work are included.
• Brackets or pad, pipe cover ducting, condensate drainage and any pump.
• Removal and disposal of an old unit, including refrigerant recovery.
• The installer's ARCtick licence number, the business's refrigerant trading authorisation and the electrician's licence number.
• Manufacturer and installation warranty periods.

Be wary of very cheap installs that do not name the model, quotes that exclude the electrical connection without saying who will do it, cash-only pricing, and installers who cannot give an ARCtick licence number.

Yakka and your air conditioning install

Air conditioning installation needs licensed people for the refrigerant and electrical work. You can find air conditioning installers on Yakka among the tradies listed on the platform, and check their licences before booking.

A general worker can handle the labour that needs no licence: moving furniture away from the installation wall, carrying an old unit's housing out after the technician has recovered the refrigerant, clearing a path down a side passage for the outdoor unit, and taking packaging to the tip. Our rubbish removal listings help if you are clearing out old units and boxes after a bigger job.

Install day and what comes after

A back-to-back installation usually takes three to four hours. A standard installation with a longer pipe run and a new circuit takes most of a day, and a multi-unit job can take two days. Expect a hole of 65 to 90 mm through the wall, some dust, and the power off for part of the job while the electrician connects the circuit. The installer should pressure test and vacuum the pipework before releasing the refrigerant, then run the unit and show you the remote and Wi-Fi app.

Clean the indoor unit's filters every few weeks during heavy use, and book a professional service every one to two years. Our air conditioning repair and service guide covers what that costs. A well-installed, well-maintained split system typically lasts 10 to 15 years, and longer in mild climates.