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Aircon Price Guide Size my room

What air conditioning really costs

Size a room, price split or ducted systems, and see which Australian state discounts apply. Every figure sourced.

Size my room How quotes will work

Start with the size of the room

Installers begin with a rule of thumb of about 0.12 to 0.15 kW per m²^src. Too small and the unit runs flat out; too large and you paid for capacity you never use.

The rule ignores ceiling height, orientation and glazing^src, so treat the band as the starting point for a quote, not the answer.

Capacity for 30 m²

3.6to4.5kW

Room floor area

Add the installed price and an hourly running cost.

Your climate zone changes the answer

The National Construction Code splits Australia into eight climate zones^src. Pick yours to see what it means for cooling and heating.

Climate zone 1

Described by the building code as high humidity summer, warm winter^src.

Includes northern Australia from Exmouth to south of Townsville^src.

Humid summers matter here: evaporative coolers are less effective on humid days^src, so refrigerated air conditioning is the usual choice.

Climate zone 2

Described by the building code as warm humid summer, mild winter^src.

Includes coastal Queensland from north of Mackay to just south of Coffs Harbour^src.

Humid summers matter here: evaporative coolers are less effective on humid days^src, so refrigerated air conditioning is the usual choice.

Climate zone 3

Described by the building code as hot dry summer, warm winter^src.

A reverse cycle system heats as well as cools, while energy.gov.au has evaporative cooling listed only as a cooling choice^src.

Climate zone 4

Described by the building code as hot dry summer, cool winter^src.

A reverse cycle system heats as well as cools, while energy.gov.au has evaporative cooling listed only as a cooling choice^src.

Climate zone 5

Described by the building code as warm temperate^src.

A reverse cycle system heats as well as cools, while energy.gov.au has evaporative cooling listed only as a cooling choice^src.

Climate zone 6

Described by the building code as mild temperate^src.

A reverse cycle system heats as well as cools, while energy.gov.au has evaporative cooling listed only as a cooling choice^src.

Climate zone 7

Described by the building code as cool temperate^src.

A reverse cycle system heats as well as cools, while energy.gov.au has evaporative cooling listed only as a cooling choice^src.

Climate zone 8

Described by the building code as alpine^src.

A reverse cycle system heats as well as cools, while energy.gov.au has evaporative cooling listed only as a cooling choice^src.

Not sure which zone you are in? The ABCB climate map lets you search by address or postcode^src.

Heating costs

Reverse cycle against the heater it replaces

Reverse cycle air conditioner

3to5

units of heat for every unit of electricity

Energy Rating: reverse cycle systems move 3 to 5 units of heat per unit of electricity^src in normal Australian conditions.

Standard electric heater

1

unit of heat for every unit of electricity

A plug-in or panel heater turns power straight into heat: about 1 unit of heat per unit of electricity^src.

Replacing gas? Victoria estimates switching a ducted gas heater to efficient reverse cycle saves up to $1,140 a year^src on bills, or up to $460 a year^src for a single-room gas heater.

Compare heating running costs

What your state takes off the price

Victoria

up to $5,530

off an efficient reverse cycle system replacing ducted gas heating, or up to $1,610^src for a gas room heater. Taken off the quote by an accredited provider.
How Victoria's discount works
New South Wales

up to $560

when a 6 kW split system replaces an old air conditioner, or up to $550^src for a new system. It is a discount in the quote, not a cheque.
What the NSW incentive covers
Queensland

nothing open

The Climate Smart Energy Savers rebate is closed^src and Energex says PeakSmart cashback has closed^src. Older articles may still advertise them.
Why Queensland pays full price

Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania: we have not verified incentive figures for those yet. Check your state or territory government's energy website for current programs before you buy.

Read before you buy

Guides, one question each

Answer first, then the detail. Official figures are marked as official; industry prices say whose they are.

Before you ask for quotes

Whoever you get quotes from, these three checks make them comparable.

Ask each installer for an ARC licence number and look it up on the ARC licence check^src. Anyone installing or servicing an air conditioner needs a Refrigerant Handling Licence^src.
In Victoria and New South Wales the discount is taken off the quote, so compare the price you pay, not the size of the discount.
Three quotes for the same capacity is the comparison worth making.

Quote requests are not open yet

We are still lining up licensed installers, so there is no request form on the site for now. The calculator runs in your browser and sends nothing to anyone.

Until requests open, these do the groundwork a good quote builds on:

When requests open: Installers may pay us a fee for an introduction. It does not change what you pay.

Where every figure on this page comes from

Where these figures come from

Victorian Energy Upgrades, Victorian Government: Victorian Energy Upgrades discount when installing or replacing a non-ducted gas space heater, such as a single-room heater, with an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner. Checked 12 September 2026.
Victorian Energy Upgrades, Victorian Government: Estimated yearly energy bill saving from replacing a non-ducted gas space heater with an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner. Checked 12 September 2026.
Victorian Energy Upgrades, Victorian Government: Victorian Energy Upgrades discount when removing or replacing a ducted, whole-of-home gas heater with an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner. Checked 12 September 2026.
Victorian Energy Upgrades, Victorian Government: Estimated yearly energy bill saving from replacing a ducted gas heater with an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner. Checked 12 September 2026.
NSW Climate and Energy Action: NSW air conditioner upgrade incentive when installing a new 6 kW air conditioner system. Checked 16 September 2026.
NSW Climate and Energy Action: NSW air conditioner upgrade incentive when replacing an old air conditioner with a 6 kW split system. Checked 16 September 2026.
Australian Refrigeration Council (ARCtick): Anyone who installs, services or repairs an air conditioner must be a licensed technician holding a Refrigerant Handling Licence. Checked 16 September 2026.
Look For The Tick licence check, Australian Refrigeration Council: The Australian Refrigeration Council's online licence check shows whether a technician's Refrigerant Handling Licence is current and what type it is, searching by licence number or name. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: The National Construction Code has eight climate zones, and the zones on the ABCB climate map were created using Bureau of Meteorology climatic data. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 1 is described as high humidity summer, warm winter. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 2 is described as warm humid summer, mild winter. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 3 is described as hot dry summer, warm winter. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 4 is described as hot dry summer, cool winter. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 5 is described as warm temperate. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 6 is described as mild temperate. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 7 is described as cool temperate. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: NCC climate zone 8 is described as alpine. Checked 16 September 2026.
YourHome, Australian Government: NCC climate zone 1 covers northern Australia from Exmouth in Western Australia across the country to south of Townsville in Queensland. Checked 16 September 2026.
YourHome, Australian Government: NCC climate zone 2 covers coastal Queensland from north of Mackay down to just south of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. Checked 16 September 2026.
ABCB Climate Map, Australian Building Codes Board: The ABCB climate map gives the NCC climate zone for a location when you search by address or postcode. Checked 16 September 2026.
energy.gov.au, Australian Government: Evaporative coolers work well in low-humidity inland regions, and reduced effectiveness on humid days is listed among their drawbacks. Checked 16 September 2026.
energy.gov.au, Australian Government: Evaporative cooling appears among cooling choices but not heating choices, while reverse cycle air conditioning is described as providing heating as well as cooling. Checked 16 September 2026.
Energy Rating, Australian Government: During the normal operating range in Australia, reverse cycle air conditioners can move three to five units of heat into a room for every unit of electricity they use. Checked 16 September 2026.
Energy Rating, Australian Government: Standard electric heaters are about 100 per cent efficient, producing around one unit of heat for each unit of electricity. Checked 16 September 2026.
Canstar Blue sizing guide: As a general guide, an air conditioner needs about 0.12 to 0.15 kW of capacity per square metre of floor area. Checked 12 September 2026.
Canstar Blue sizing guide: Ceiling height, the orientation of the home and the size and orientation of windows and glass doors also affect the size you need. Checked 12 September 2026.
Queensland Government ministerial media statement, 20 November 2023: The Climate Smart Energy Savers rebate only covered appliances bought and installed on or before 4 December 2023, with applications due within 30 days, so it is closed. Checked 16 September 2026.
Energex: Energex cashback offers for installing or converting to PeakSmart air conditioning have closed; units installed on or before 30 November 2025 could be claimed until 31 December 2025. Checked 16 September 2026.

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