Air Conditioning Installation Cost Canberra 2026 — Cold Climate Reverse-Cycle, Ducted Heating and ACT Gas Phase-Out

Air Conditioning Installation Cost in Canberra 2026

Canberra has the most extreme climate of any Australian capital — hot dry summers reaching 38-40 degrees and cold winters with frosts from May to August and occasional snowfall. Both heating AND cooling are essential, making reverse-cycle air conditioning ideal. The ACT Government is also phasing out new gas connections, making electric reverse-cycle the primary replacement for gas ducted heating. This guide covers air conditioning installation costs in Canberra in 2026.

Canberra Split System Prices

• Single split system (2.5-3.5kW, bedroom): $800-$1,400 installed
• Standard split system (5-7kW, living area): $1,200-$2,200 installed
• Large split system (8-9kW): $1,800-$3,000 installed
• Critical: Specify cold-climate-rated units — standard models lose efficiency below 7 degrees and may fail below -5 degrees; Canberra winters demand hyper-heat models from Daikin, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, or Fujitsu rated to -15 to -25 degrees

Canberra Ducted Reverse-Cycle Costs

• Small ducted (3-4 zones): $7,000-$12,000 installed
• Standard ducted (4-6 zones): $10,000-$18,000 installed
• Large ducted (6-8+ zones): $16,000-$30,000+ installed

ACT Gas Phase-Out and Transition Rebates

• The ACT Government is phasing out gas connections in new builds and incentivising households to switch from gas to electric reverse-cycle heat pumps
• ACT Household Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES): Eligible low-income ACT households may qualify for subsidised reverse-cycle installation; check with Evoenergy and ACT Government for current program availability

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