Aircon Installs: What It Really Costs To Beat The Heat

It wasn’t even 11am in my neck of the woods in Adelaide on Tuesday, and the temperature had already reached 42.2C. After several days roasting in the forties, it’s fair to say that if I didn’t already have air conditioning, I’d have given up one of my kidneys to get it. Maybe even both of them.

Fortunately, air conditioning installers don’t typically expect human organs as payment – although that doesn’t mean a quality new system comes cheap. Here’s how much it typically costs to install an air conditioner in Australia in 2026.

What Does An Air Conditioning Install Cost In Australia?

The cost of installing a reverse-cycle air conditioner depends on a range of factors, including what type of air conditioner you get, the size of the system, the brand, extra features and the complexity of the job. Including install, reverse cycle ducted systems typically cost $12,000 to $17,000, multi-head splits between $4,200 and $8,000, while a single split system is around $1,800 to $4,800.

Don’t Rush Your Purchase On A Hot Day

Like much of the country in recent days, here in South Australia we’ve been copping an absolute monster of a heatwave.  It hit 44.7C in Adelaide on Monday, while Ceduna was cooked to the tune of 49.5C, at which point you might as well be living on Venus.

Fortunately, I got a reverse cycle ducted system in 2024 that’s sheltered us from the worst of it. Ducted is on the expensive side, but given we wanted to cover four different rooms we decided to make the investment instead of a handful of different split systems (here’s how to choose between ducted and splits).

We went with a 12.5kW Panasonic ducted system (our review of Panasonic explains why it is also one of our recommended aircon brands for split systems) and I don’t regret it, particularly at times like this when you can cook an egg on the pavement before midday.

It took a few days to get an installer to visit and there was a lead time of three weeks to get the system installed, so there’s no point racing out to get a new system based on the day’s weather – particularly for complex ducted installs.

When I bought the system in 2024 it cost $11,680, but I opted against a few extra bells and whistles that would have added to the bill. I chose not to get a Polyaire AirTouch 5 that would have given me wireless control for $620 extra.

I also opted against mounting the outdoor unit on a concrete slab, saving $270. Instead the outdoor unit is attached to the wall with brackets, which means there’s more vibration and noise, but for us it is located out of the way and we haven’t noticed it anyway.

Installing the outdoor unit of my ducted system on the wall instead of atop a concrete slab reduced the cost of the install by a couple of hundred bucks, but the extra noise may not be worth it, depending on location.

Typical Air Conditioner System & Installation Costs In 2026

Prices have gone up since I got my system in 2024, unsurprisingly. The SolarQuotes team did some research and found that these days the air conditioner and install costs vary significantly:

• Ducted systems typically cost $12,000 to $17,000, although the figure can soar past $20,000 for complex jobs;
• A multi-split system connecting multiple indoor units to a single outdoor unit is cheaper, averaging between $4,200 and $8,000. A top-tier two-head multi-split starts at $4,200-$4,500, but add $1,000-$1,500 per extra head;
• Regular split systems are cheaper still, at around $1,800 to $4,800 for supply and installation, of which $1,000-$1,200 would be just installation cost;
• Portable air cons cost even less, but the downside is they don’t actually work in most cases.

Other Aircon Installation Cost Factors

The aircon split system brands recommended by SolarQuotes – the further to the right the brand name, the more expensive the air conditioner.

There’s plenty of other factors that can influence the final bill:

• Premium brands like Daikin can cost more, but cheaper alternatives like Gree could inflict an emotional toll down the line if you run into issues;
• Installing a replacement unit exactly where the old one was can shave a bit off the price, provided existing wiring can be reused. Warranties typically require that the piping be replaced.
• Complex installs for large or multi-level homes require more materials and labour, and some installations require significant electrical work, such as running new cables or installing a new circuit breaker.
• Remote locations may incur extra travel fees, and labour costs can vary by region;
• As noted above, additional features like wireless control or the addition of a concrete slab can add to the final cost;
• Some installs require plumbing work like connecting to the wastewater system. In the case of evaporative systems, they also need a water supply to run up to the roof unit;
• A misleading quote may not include the costs of system commissioning and warranty registration – this is worth checking before you sign on the dotted line;
• Surprise obstacles like insulation issues, problematic wall/ceiling types, outdoor unit location, site access and wiring can change after the quote if the installer didn’t ask the right questions before locking the job in.

So there you have it – a rough idea of install & system costs for air conditioning. A quality installer will be able to give you a more accurate estimate. To decide on your preferred aircon brand, take a look at our air conditioner reviews portal.