Painter Cost Australia 2026
Whether it's a single room or a full exterior repaint, painting costs depend on the size of the job, surface condition, and paint quality.
| City | Typical range | Year on year |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $300–$12,000 | ↑ +4.1% |
| Melbourne | $315–$12,600 | ↑ +3.9% |
| Brisbane | $300–$12,000 | ↑ +4.2% |
| Perth | $315–$12,600 | ↑ +3.5% |
| Adelaide | $275–$11,050 | ↑ +4.6% |
| Gold Coast | $295–$11,750 | ↑ +4.2% |
| Canberra | $300–$12,000 | ↑ +4.0% |
| Hobart | $270–$10,800 | ↑ +4.0% |
| Darwin | $300–$12,000 | ↑ +4.0% |
| Newcastle | $285–$11,400 | ↑ +4.1% |
| Geelong | $280–$11,150 | ↑ +3.9% |
| Sunshine Coast | $290–$11,650 | ↑ +4.2% |
| Townsville | $325–$12,950 | ↑ +4.2% |
| Wollongong | $325–$12,950 | ↑ +4.1% |
| Byron Bay | $315–$12,600 | ↑ +4.1% |
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National Pricing Overview
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painter (hourly rate) | $40/hr | $60 | $100 |
| Single room (walls + ceiling) | $300per room | $650 | $1,000 |
| Whole interior (3-bed house) | $4,000total | $6,500 | $9,500 |
| Whole interior (4-bed house) | $4,500total | $8,000 | $12,000 |
| Exterior (single-storey) | $4,000total | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| Exterior (two-storey) | $7,500total | $13,000 | $18,000 |
| Feature wall | $150per wall | $300 | $500 |
| Ceiling only (per room) | $200per room | $320 | $500 |
| Door (both sides) | $80per door | $130 | $200 |
| Fence painting/staining | $500total | $1,200 | $2,500 |
| Deck staining | $500total | $1,100 | $2,000 |
| Wallpaper removal + repaint | $500per room | $900 | $1,500 |
| Painter day rate | $350per day | $500 | $650 |
| Interior painting per m2 (wall/ceiling surface area) | $20/sqm | $30 | $40 |
| Exterior painting per m2 (wall surface area) | $25/sqm | $40 | $60 |
| Whole interior (2-bed unit / apartment) | $2,500total | $4,200 | $6,500 |
| Exterior (timber weatherboard / Queenslander house, full timber prep) | $9,000total | $15,000 | $24,000 |
| Exterior, large or high-set (two-storey) Queenslander (decorative timber, full timber prep) | $20,000total | $30,000 | $42,000 |
How painter prices compare across 17 cities, the $40–$100 hourly band against every other trade and how they move month to month: Tradie Price Index, October 2026 →
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Painting in Australia costs $40–$100 per hour for a licensed painter, or $300–$1,000 for a single room (walls and ceiling). A whole-house interior repaint for a 3-bedroom costs $4,000–$9,500, while exterior repainting runs $4,000–$10,000.
We've compiled pricing from painters across Australia as of October 2026. All prices include GST.
Painting Costs by Job Type
Painters in Australia typically quote by square metre for large areas or per room for smaller jobs. Here's what common painting jobs cost, including preparation and materials:
| Job | Cost Range | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Single room (walls + ceiling) | $300–$1,000 | Prep, 2 coats, standard paint |
| Full interior (3-bed house) | $4,000–$9,500 | All rooms, hallways, ceilings |
| Full interior (4-bed house) | $4,500–$12,000 | All rooms, hallways, ceilings |
| Exterior — single storey | $4,000–$10,000 | Walls, trim, prep, 2 coats |
| Exterior — double storey | $7,500–$18,000 | Walls, trim, prep, scaffolding |
| Interior doors (per door) | $80–$200 | Sand, prime, 2 coats |
| Kitchen cabinets | $1,500–$4,000 | Sand, prime, spray or brush, 2–3 coats |
| Feature wall / accent colour | $150–$500 | Prep, 2 coats, cut-in edges |
| Ceiling only (per room) | $200–$500 | Prep, 2 coats flat white |
| Fence painting (per lineal metre) | $20–$50 | Stain or paint, both sides |
Preparation work (filling holes, sanding, removing wallpaper, priming) usually makes up 30–50% of the total labour time. Quotes that skip preparation are a red flag — paint won't adhere properly to unprepared surfaces, and the job will fail within 1–2 years.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House in Australia? (2026)
Painting the inside of a 3-bedroom house in Australia costs $4,000–$9,500, and the outside of a single-storey house $4,000–$10,000. A 4-bedroom interior runs $4,500–$12,000, and a two-storey exterior $7,500–$18,000.
| House painting job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior, 2-bed unit or apartment | $2,500 | $4,200 | $6,500 |
| Interior, 3-bed house | $4,000 | $6,500 | $9,500 |
| Interior, 4-bed house | $4,500 | $8,000 | $12,000 |
| Exterior, single-storey | $4,000 | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| Exterior, two-storey | $7,500 | $13,000 | $18,000 |
| Exterior, timber weatherboard or Queenslander | $9,000 | $15,000 | $24,000 |
| Exterior, large or high-set Queenslander | $20,000 | $30,000 | $42,000 |
For smaller jobs, painters price by area or by time: interior walls and ceilings are $20–$40 per m², exterior walls $25–$60 per m², and labour is $40–$100 an hour or $350–$650 a day.
Prep moves the price most, because filling, sanding and priming are labour the quote has to cover before any paint goes on. Outside, a second storey brings ladders or scaffold, and bare or flaking timber needs scraping and priming, which is why the weatherboard and Queenslander rows sit highest; see two-storey and access painting costs.
Interior vs Exterior Painting: Cost Comparison
Exterior painting generally costs 20–40% more than interior due to scaffolding, weather exposure, and surface preparation requirements. Here's how they compare:
| Factor | Interior | Exterior |
|---|---|---|
| Rate per m² | $20–$40 | $25–$60 |
| Typical 3-bed house | $4,000–$9,500 | $4,000–$10,000 (single storey) |
| Scaffolding | Rarely needed | $1,500–$5,000 for double storey |
| Prep required | Fill, sand, spot-prime | Pressure wash, scrape, sand, prime |
| Paint type | Low VOC acrylic (washable) | Exterior acrylic or membrane |
| Durability | 8–12 years interior | 7–10 years exterior |
| Weather dependency | None | Rain, wind, temperature affect scheduling |
Premium paints (Dulux Wash & Wear, Taubmans Endure) cost $70–$100/L vs budget paints at $30–$50/L, but they cover better, last longer, and require fewer coats. Most professional painters use mid-to-premium ranges — if a quote uses very cheap paint, expect a shorter lifespan.
What Affects Painter Costs in Australia
Interior vs exterior
Interior painting in Australia ($4,000–$9,500 for a 3-bed) is generally cheaper than exterior ($4,000–$10,000) due to weather exposure, scaffolding needs, and prep work on external surfaces.
Surface condition
Freshly plastered walls are easy. Older Australian homes with peeling paint, cracks, or wallpaper removal need extensive prep, which adds to labour costs.
Number of coats
Two coats over a primer is standard. Dark-to-light colour changes may need 3+ coats. Extra coats add to paint costs and labour time.
Ceiling height & access
Standard 2.4m ceilings are straightforward. Higher ceilings in older Australian homes need scaffolding or platform ladders, increasing cost and time.
Paint quality
Budget paint vs premium (for example Dulux Wash & Wear) affects both finish quality and longevity. Most Australian painters recommend mid-range to premium for interiors.
Trim & detail work
Painting doors, window frames, skirting boards, and architraves is labour-intensive. A feature wall ($150–$500 in Australia) with a different colour or texture adds cost.
How to Save Money on Painter Cost in Australia
Painter Cost in Australia by Home Size
Set the rows side by side. Say a 3-bed house has six rooms painted, walls and ceiling, at $300–$1,000 a room. That comes to $1,800–$6,000, against $4,000–$9,500 on the whole-interior row, which takes in the hallways as well as the rooms. Pricing it both ways shows which lines a whole-house figure has folded in.
A single-storey exterior is $4,000–$10,000 and a two-storey exterior $7,500–$18,000, with ladders or scaffold for the upper wall. The 3-bed interior row has a typical figure of $6,500 and the 4-bed row $8,000, so the fourth bedroom's walls, ceiling and door move the job. Bare timber or flaking paint adds scraping and priming to either size.
Painter Cost in Australia: What the Quote Should Include
A painting quote anywhere in Australia is only worth comparing once it lists what is painted and how. The rows on this page give you something to read it against: a single room at $300–$1,000 and a whole 3-bed interior at $4,000–$9,500. Ask every painter for the same list, line by line.
- Each room or outside wall named, with walls, ceiling and trim of every room listed apart, so a room can be added or dropped without redoing the whole sum.
- Small jobs priced item by item: a single room is $300–$1,000 a room, a ceiling alone $200–$500 and a feature wall $150–$500 a wall.
- Doors written as a count at $80–$200 a door for both sides, with frames, skirtings and window sashes either counted or marked as included.
- Preparation shown as its own lines: filling, sanding, washing, spot priming and any mould or flaking-paint treatment, so a low total cannot hide missing prep.
- The coats stated for each surface, primer included, along with an allowance for the extra coat that a dark-to-light colour change calls for.
- The paint product and its grade written in, with the sheen for ceilings, walls and trim, since the grade is where two similar totals part ways.
- On a two-storey house, scaffold or tower access as a line of its own, sitting inside the $7,500–$18,000 exterior row.
- Timber weatherboard or Queenslander work flagged as full timber prep, to match the rows that begin at $9,000 and $20,000.
- Floor and furniture protection, clean-up, start and finish dates, payment stages, GST and the workmanship warranty all set out in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions — Painter Cost in Australia
About This Guide
Our painter cost guides cover 17 major Australian cities with location-adjusted pricing. Updated monthly — last reviewed October 2026.
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