How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in Queensland?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at QLD's 2026–27 electricity prices, by city, unit size and efficiency, in Australian dollars.
By Mark Curant·Updated
Quick answer
At the Default Market Offer (south-east) and QCA notified prices (regional) usage charge of 27.97¢ per kWh (Energex network, which covers Brisbane), a typical 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) inverter split system, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity an hour, costs about A$0.20 an hour to run, or A$47 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about A$176 in Brisbane, and from A$81 in Toowoomba to A$405 in Cairns. In U.S. terms the price is about 19.47¢/kWh, 6% more than the U.S. average.
Per hour
A$0.20
3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) split, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
A$47
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Brisbane
A$176
900 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in Queensland
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
A$294/yr
A$0.33/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
A$176/yr
A$0.20/hr
You would save
A$117/yr
A$1,410 over 12 years
Efficiency = kW of cooling per kW of electricity over a season (our assumption for a typical new split is 5.0). Hours start at our estimate for Brisbane and the price at the Energex usage charge; change them for your home and your bill.
Yearly cost by city
How long the AC runs matters as much as the price of power, and that varies hugely across Queensland. This table is for one 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU, about 1 ton) inverter split system, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity for each hour it runs. Hours per year is our estimate of how long it runs at full power in each city's climate. Cost per year is those hours × 0.70 kWh × the usage charge on that city's network.
| City | Network | Usage charge per kWh | Hours the AC runs per year | Cost per year, 3.5 kW split | Cost per year, portable unit (same hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | Ergon Energy | 28.89¢ | 2,000 | A$405 | A$578 |
| Townsville | Ergon Energy | 28.89¢ | 2,000 | A$405 | A$578 |
| Rockhampton | Ergon Energy | 28.89¢ | 1,500 | A$303 | A$433 |
| Brisbane | Energex | 27.97¢ | 900 | A$176 | A$252 |
| Gold Coast | Energex | 27.97¢ | 750 | A$147 | A$210 |
| Sunshine Coast | Energex | 27.97¢ | 700 | A$137 | A$196 |
| Toowoomba | Ergon Energy | 28.89¢ | 400 | A$81 | A$116 |
Cooling hours are our estimate of full-load hours for each city's climate, for one unit in the main living area. A home cooling several rooms, or with a ducted system, uses more. The portable column assumes a typical unit drawing about 1 kW.
Prices by network
What this table shows
- Usage charge: what each kWh costs on the flat (single-rate) tariff under the Default Market Offer (south-east) and QCA notified prices (regional), July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, GST included. This is what running the air conditioner adds to the bill.
- Daily supply charge: a fixed amount for every day of the bill, whether the AC runs or not, so it isn't part of the running costs on this page.
- Cost per hour: one 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) split running for an hour at full power (0.70 kWh × the usage charge).
| Network | Area covered | Usage charge per kWh | Daily supply charge | Cost per hour of ACone 3.5 kW split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energex (Default Market Offer) | south-east Queensland: Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich | 27.97¢ | A$1.92 a day | A$0.20 |
| Ergon Energy (QCA Tariff 11) | regional Queensland, from Toowoomba to Cairns and Mount Isa | 28.89¢ | A$1.81 a day | A$0.20 |
Cost by unit size
Split systems in Australia are sold by how much cooling they put out, in kW (the BTU size is in brackets). A bigger unit cools a bigger space but uses more electricity. All at a seasonal efficiency of 5.0 (our assumption for a typical new inverter split) and 27.97¢/kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Brisbane (900 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom or study | A$0.14 | A$34 | A$126 |
| 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or small living room | A$0.20 | A$47 | A$176 |
| 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | living room | A$0.28 | A$67 | A$252 |
| 7.1 kW (24,000 BTU) | large or open-plan living area | A$0.40 | A$95 | A$358 |
| 14 kW ducted | whole home | A$1.12 | A$269 | A$1,007 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | A$0.28 | A$67 | A$252 |
The ducted row assumes the whole system runs at full power for the same hours, at an efficiency of 3.5 (ducts lose some cooling). Zoning, or closing off unused rooms, cuts that cost a lot.
What a more efficient unit saves
Seasonal efficiency is how much cooling a unit delivers for each kW of electricity over a whole season. The higher it is, the less electricity it needs for the same cooling. Yearly cost of one 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) unit in Brisbane (900 hours a year):
| Seasonal efficiency | What it's like | Electricity per hour | Cost per year | Saved per year vs an old 3.0 unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | old fixed-speed unit (pre-2010s) | 1.17 kWh | A$294 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | A$220 | A$73 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | A$176 | A$117 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | A$147 | A$147 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | A$126 | A$168 |
Use the zoned energy rating label
Australian air conditioners carry a zoned energy rating label with separate star ratings, and an estimated yearly energy use, for the hot, average and cold climate zones shown on its map. To compare models, look at the cooling and heating figures for your zone: yearly kWh × 27.97¢ is a quick estimate of that model's running cost.
What to know about electricity prices in Queensland
Queensland has two price systems. In the south-east, retailers compete and the Australian Energy Regulator's Default Market Offer caps the standing offer. In regional Queensland, most homes buy from Ergon Energy Retail at prices the Queensland Competition Authority sets each year, so the price is close to the same from Toowoomba to Cairns.
North Queensland is where Australian air conditioning works hardest outside the Top End: Townsville and Cairns are hot and humid for much of the year, so the AC often runs five times as many hours as in Toowoomba. There, a more efficient unit and good shading pay back fastest.
Many Queensland homes also have a controlled-load tariff for the hot water system, billed at a lower rate. Air conditioners run on the general (flat or time-of-use) tariff, which is the price used here.
Cutting the cost
- Set the thermostat to 25–26°C rather than 21°C, and run a ceiling fan with it.
- Close blinds and curtains on sunny windows before the heat builds, especially west-facing ones.
- With rooftop solar, cool the house in the middle of the day and let it coast into the evening peak.
- Cool the rooms you're using, with doors closed, rather than the whole house.
- Clean the indoor unit's filters every few weeks in summer.
- Compare your plan with the default offer: a cheaper market offer saves on every kWh.
How Queensland compares
SA
41.91¢/kWh
Adelaide · ≈ 29.17¢ US
ACT
36.95¢/kWh
Canberra · ≈ 25.72¢ US
WA
33.26¢/kWh
Perth · ≈ 23.15¢ US
NSW
33.14¢/kWh
Sydney · ≈ 23.06¢ US
NT
31.68¢/kWh
Darwin · ≈ 22.05¢ US
TAS
27.95¢/kWh
Hobart · ≈ 19.46¢ US
VIC
25.96¢/kWh
Melbourne · ≈ 18.07¢ US
Queensland (Brisbane): ≈ 19.47¢ US/kWh. U.S. average: 18.31¢/kWh (July 2026). See costs in every U.S. state.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run air conditioning per hour in Queensland?
About A$0.20 an hour in Brisbane for a typical 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) inverter split system, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity an hour, at the 27.97¢/kWh usage charge. A 7.1 kW unit for a large living area costs about A$0.40 an hour, a 14 kW ducted system about A$1.12, and a portable air conditioner about A$0.28.
How much does air conditioning add to a quarterly bill in Queensland?
Running a 3.5 kW split 8 hours a day uses about 510 kWh over a 91-day quarter, or about A$143 at 27.97¢/kWh. Over a whole year in Brisbane, at our estimate of 900 cooling hours, it comes to about A$176. The daily supply charge is on the bill whether the AC runs or not.
Is a reverse-cycle split cheaper to run than a portable air conditioner?
Yes, by a wide margin. A portable unit draws about 1 kW and cools less well, partly because its exhaust hose pulls warm outside air back into the room. A 3.5 kW split at a seasonal efficiency of 5.0 draws about 0.70 kW on average while putting out more cooling than a typical portable (about 2.6 kW), so for the same amount of cooling it uses about half the electricity.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × usage charge. Prices: AER, Default Market Offer 2026–27 final determination (Energex zone); Queensland Competition Authority, notified prices for regional Queensland 2026–27, Tariff 11 (gazetted June 5, 2026, excluding GST; GST added here). U.S. cents use A$1 = $0.696 (October 2026). Cooling hours are our estimate for each city. To check your own price, look for the usage (or "peak"/"anytime") rate per kWh on your bill.