Updated monthlyMelbourne price guide Air conditioning
Air conditioning
installation cost in Melbourne
Air conditioning installation in Melbourne costs $1,450–$2,300 for a small split system, $2,400–$3,700 for a large living-area split, and $8,000–$16,000 for whole-home ducted, fully installed, with the biggest price swings driven by suburb, housing stock and season.
What will yours cost?
Licensed installers who service your postcode quote your exact job.
What Melbourne homeowners actually pay
| Job | Installed price | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5kW split, bedroom, back-to-back install | $1,450–$1,950 | Single bedroom or home office |
| 3.5–5kW split, living room, standard install | $2,050–$2,900 | Apartment living area, medium lounge |
| 7kW split, open-plan living | $2,900–$3,700 | Large open-plan house living zone |
| Ducted, single storey, zoned | $8,000–$12,000 | 3-bed single-storey with roof access |
| Ducted, two storey, zoned | $12,000–$16,000 | 4-bed two-storey family home |
Local factors
Where you live changes the quote
Timing matters
Same house, same unit, different month, different price.
What the same installed job costs through the year, versus fair shoulder-season pricing.
Melbourne installation cost FAQs
How much does it cost to install a split system in Melbourne?
A small bedroom split costs $1,450–$2,300 installed in Melbourne; a large living-area split runs $2,400–$3,700. Brand and install complexity set the spread, back-to-back installs at the bottom, long pipe runs and double-storey work at the top.
What does ducted air conditioning cost in Melbourne?
$8,000–$16,000 installed for most Melbourne homes. Single-storey zoned systems sit at the lower end; big two-storey homes and period places needing bulkhead ductwork push toward the top. Replacing ducted gas heating with reverse-cycle is a common Melbourne job, and VEU discounts can apply.
Why do quotes vary so much across Melbourne?
Housing stock. A new build in the growth corridors with a clean roof cavity quotes very differently to a Victorian terrace in the inner north with no cavity at all, or a bayside apartment needing body-corporate approval. The house decides the method, and the method decides the price.
When is the cheapest time to install aircon in Melbourne?
Autumn and early spring. Melbourne installers get two rushes, January heat and the start of winter for heating, so the quiet windows between them are when calendars need filling and quotes sharpen.
How long does installation take in Melbourne?
Once quoted, most split installs are a half-day job scheduled within 1–2 weeks. Ducted installs run 1–2 days on site. In peak summer, add 2–4 weeks of queue before the crew arrives.
Cooling and heating in one
Melbourne runs reverse-cycle in both directions, and winter heating hours usually beat summer cooling hours. Compare quotes on the heating efficiency numbers, not just cooling.
Period homes, inner suburbs
Terraces and bungalows in the inner north and south often have no usable roof cavity: well-placed splits room by room, or bulkhead ducted at a premium.
Growth corridors built for ducted
New two-storey stock in the west and north is designed around zoned ducted, quoting is competitive, so compare on zone count and unit spec.
VEU discounts apply
Victorian Energy Upgrades can take hundreds off a high-efficiency reverse-cycle install through accredited providers, ask for it as a line item on the quote.