Updated monthlyNational price guide Air conditioner
Air conditioner
replacement cost
Replacing a split system costs $1,200–$4,150 installed like-for-like, and a ducted changeover that reuses your ductwork runs $6,500–$15,000, what you're replacing, and what can be reused, drives the price more than the new unit does.
Price your replacement
Licensed installers quote your exact swap, obligation-free. Mention the old unit's brand and age for sharper numbers.
What homeowners actually pay to replace
| Job | Installed price | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Like-for-like 2.5kW split swap, same wall | $1,200–$1,900 | Bedroom unit that died, wiring and location fine |
| 5kW living-area swap, pipes reused | $1,900–$2,900 | Tired lounge unit, modern R32 predecessor |
| Split swap with new pipework and circuit check | $2,100–$3,600 | R22-era units, pipe runs that fail pressure test |
| Ducted changeover, existing ducts reused | $6,500–$15,000 | Ducted system 10+ years old, ductwork still sound |
| Full ducted replacement including new ductwork | $12,750–$18,000 | Crushed, leaky or undersized ducts, major renovations |
What gets reused
Where replacement saves money, and where it can't
Pipework: the big variable
If the old unit runs modern R32 or R410A refrigerant and the pipes pass a pressure test, they can often be reused, that's real money saved. R22-era pipework usually can't be, wrong spec, and the changeover becomes closer to a full install.
Electrical circuit
A same-size swap usually reuses the existing circuit. Sizing up, or replacing a very old unit wired before current standards, can mean switchboard work, ask for it as a line item.
Ductwork: a third of a ducted job
Sound, well-sized ducts survive the changeover and save thousands. Crushed, leaky or undersized runs don't, and a good installer will inspect before quoting rather than discovering it on install day.
The old unit's disposal
Degassing and disposing of the old unit legally is part of a proper quote, refrigerant can't just be vented. If a cheap quote doesn't mention it, ask where the old unit is going.
Replacing a specific brand?
We map old series to their current equivalents: Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Fujitsu, what replaced your discontinued model and what it costs installed.
Replacement cost by city
| City | Split swap range | Ducted changeover | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $1,350–$3,500 | $6,500–$9,250 | Sydney guide → |
| Melbourne | $1,450–$3,700 | $8,000–$12,000 | Melbourne guide → |
| Brisbane | $1,300–$3,500 | $9,000–$12,250 | Brisbane guide → |
| Perth | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,000–$12,000 | Perth guide → |
| Adelaide | $1,200–$3,500 | $8,000–$11,750 | Adelaide guide → |
| Gold Coast | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,900–$12,850 | Gold Coast guide → |
| Canberra | $1,550–$3,900 | $11,000–$14,000 | Canberra guide → |
| Newcastle | $1,450–$3,650 | $10,000–$12,900 | Newcastle guide → |
| Wollongong | $1,450–$3,650 | $10,000–$12,900 | Wollongong guide → |
| Sunshine Coast | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,900–$12,850 | Sunshine Coast guide → |
| Geelong | $1,450–$3,650 | $10,000–$12,900 | Geelong guide → |
| Hobart | $1,550–$3,900 | $11,000–$14,000 | Hobart guide → |
| Darwin | $1,600–$4,000 | $11,500–$14,500 | Darwin guide → |
| Townsville | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,300–$13,250 | Townsville guide → |
| Cairns | $1,500–$3,800 | $10,400–$13,400 | Cairns guide → |
| Orange | $1,450–$3,700 | $9,800–$12,800 | Orange guide → |
| Dubbo | $1,450–$3,700 | $9,800–$12,800 | Dubbo guide → |
| Wagga Wagga | $1,450–$3,700 | $9,800–$12,800 | Wagga Wagga guide → |
| Albury | $1,450–$3,700 | $9,800–$12,800 | Albury guide → |
| Tamworth | $1,450–$3,700 | $9,800–$12,800 | Tamworth guide → |
| Bathurst | $1,450–$3,700 | $9,800–$12,800 | Bathurst guide → |
| Coffs Harbour | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,500–$12,500 | Coffs Harbour guide → |
| Port Macquarie | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,500–$12,500 | Port Macquarie guide → |
| Central Coast | $1,400–$3,550 | $9,200–$12,200 | Central Coast guide → |
| Ballarat | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Ballarat guide → |
| Bendigo | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Bendigo guide → |
| Shepparton | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Shepparton guide → |
| Mildura | $1,550–$3,800 | $9,000–$12,600 | Mildura guide → |
| Warrnambool | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Warrnambool guide → |
| Traralgon | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Traralgon guide → |
| Toowoomba | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,300–$12,450 | Toowoomba guide → |
| Bundaberg | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,500–$12,650 | Bundaberg guide → |
| Hervey Bay | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,500–$12,650 | Hervey Bay guide → |
| Gladstone | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,500–$12,650 | Gladstone guide → |
| Mackay | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,000–$13,000 | Mackay guide → |
| Rockhampton | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,000–$13,000 | Rockhampton guide → |
| Mount Isa | $1,650–$4,050 | $11,500–$14,500 | Mount Isa guide → |
| Bunbury | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,300–$12,300 | Bunbury guide → |
| Geraldton | $1,500–$3,750 | $9,800–$12,800 | Geraldton guide → |
| Kalgoorlie | $1,600–$3,950 | $10,800–$13,800 | Kalgoorlie guide → |
| Albany | $1,500–$3,750 | $9,800–$12,800 | Albany guide → |
| Mount Gambier | $1,500–$3,700 | $10,300–$13,150 | Mount Gambier guide → |
| Launceston | $1,550–$3,900 | $11,000–$14,000 | Launceston guide → |
| Alice Springs | $1,650–$4,050 | $11,800–$14,800 | Alice Springs guide → |
| Mandurah | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,200–$12,200 | Mandurah guide → |
| Busselton | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,400–$12,400 | Busselton guide → |
| Nowra | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,500–$12,500 | Nowra guide → |
| Lismore | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,500–$12,500 | Lismore guide → |
| Devonport | $1,550–$3,900 | $11,000–$14,000 | Devonport guide → |
| Burnie | $1,550–$3,900 | $11,000–$14,000 | Burnie guide → |
| Wangaratta | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Wangaratta guide → |
| Karratha | $1,700–$4,150 | $12,000–$15,000 | Karratha guide → |
| Port Hedland | $1,700–$4,150 | $12,000–$15,000 | Port Hedland guide → |
| Broome | $1,650–$4,050 | $11,800–$14,800 | Broome guide → |
| Katherine | $1,650–$4,050 | $11,800–$14,800 | Katherine guide → |
| Logan | $1,300–$3,500 | $9,000–$12,250 | Logan guide → |
| Ipswich | $1,300–$3,500 | $9,000–$12,250 | Ipswich guide → |
| Tweed Heads | $1,400–$3,600 | $9,900–$12,850 | Tweed Heads guide → |
| Maitland | $1,450–$3,650 | $10,000–$12,900 | Maitland guide → |
| Goulburn | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,000–$13,000 | Goulburn guide → |
| Armidale | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,000–$13,000 | Armidale guide → |
| Griffith | $1,500–$3,750 | $9,800–$12,800 | Griffith guide → |
| Broken Hill | $1,600–$3,950 | $10,500–$13,650 | Broken Hill guide → |
| Cessnock | $1,450–$3,650 | $10,000–$12,900 | Cessnock guide → |
| Taree | $1,500–$3,700 | $9,900–$12,850 | Taree guide → |
| Forster | $1,500–$3,700 | $9,900–$12,850 | Forster guide → |
| Muswellbrook | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,000–$13,000 | Muswellbrook guide → |
| Inverell | $1,550–$3,800 | $10,200–$13,200 | Inverell guide → |
| Mudgee | $1,500–$3,750 | $10,000–$13,000 | Mudgee guide → |
| Parkes | $1,550–$3,800 | $10,200–$13,200 | Parkes guide → |
| Bowral | $1,550–$3,800 | $10,500–$13,500 | Bowral guide → |
| Gunnedah | $1,550–$3,800 | $10,200–$13,200 | Gunnedah guide → |
| Young | $1,550–$3,800 | $10,200–$13,200 | Young guide → |
| Wodonga | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Wodonga guide → |
| Warragul | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Warragul guide → |
| Horsham | $1,550–$3,800 | $9,000–$12,600 | Horsham guide → |
| Echuca | $1,550–$3,800 | $9,000–$12,600 | Echuca guide → |
| Morwell | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Morwell guide → |
| Sale | $1,500–$3,750 | $8,500–$12,250 | Sale guide → |
| Swan Hill | $1,600–$3,850 | $9,200–$12,800 | Swan Hill guide → |
| Emerald | $1,550–$3,850 | $10,500–$13,500 | Emerald guide → |
| Maryborough | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,500–$12,650 | Maryborough guide → |
| Dalby | $1,500–$3,700 | $9,600–$12,750 | Dalby guide → |
| Warwick | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,400–$12,550 | Warwick guide → |
| Gympie | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,600–$12,700 | Gympie guide → |
| Kingaroy | $1,500–$3,700 | $9,600–$12,750 | Kingaroy guide → |
| Murray Bridge | $1,450–$3,650 | $9,800–$12,800 | Murray Bridge guide → |
| Port Lincoln | $1,550–$3,800 | $10,500–$13,500 | Port Lincoln guide → |
| Margaret River | $1,500–$3,700 | $9,600–$12,600 | Margaret River guide → |
Split swap spans a small bedroom unit to a large living-area unit, like-for-like. Ducted changeover assumes reusable ductwork.
Replacement cost questions
How much does it cost to replace an air conditioner?
A like-for-like split swap runs $1,200–$4,150 installed depending on size and brand, roughly the same band as a new install, because labour is most of the bill either way. A ducted changeover that reuses your existing ductwork runs $6,500–$15,000, far less than the $18,000 a full new ducted system can reach, the ducts are a third of the job.
Is replacing cheaper than installing new?
Slightly, when the bones are reusable. A straight swap saves on wall penetrations, brackets and sometimes the electrical circuit, and a ducted changeover that keeps the ductwork skips the biggest labour item entirely. But if the old unit runs R22 refrigerant, the pipework usually needs replacing, which puts you back at new-install money. The quote tells you which side you are on.
Should I repair or replace my old aircon?
The working rules: under 8 years old with a minor fault, repair it. Over 10 years with a compressor or refrigerant-circuit fault, replace it, the repair often costs a third of a new unit that would be more efficient anyway. And if it runs R22 (made before roughly 2004), replace on the next major fault, that refrigerant is phased out in Australia and topping it up is expensive when it is possible at all. Not sure how old yours is? Check our brand guides on decoding your unit's age.
Can I replace it with the same size unit?
Usually, and a like-for-like capacity swap keeps the job simple. Two exceptions: if the old unit never quite coped, size up, and if you have renovated or added insulation since it went in, the right size may have changed. Modern units also cool better at the same rated kW, our size calculator sanity-checks it in 30 seconds.
How long does a replacement take?
A like-for-like split swap is usually half a day, the mounting, and sometimes the pipework, are already there. A ducted changeover typically takes a day. Both are quicker than the equivalent new install, which is part of why shoulder-season replacement beats waiting for the January breakdown queue.