Short answer: In 2026 a single-room wall-mounted air conditioner typically costs £1,150–£2,450 fitted including VAT, a two-to-four-room multi-split £2,450–£6,950, and a concealed ducted system £5,450–£12,950. London sits roughly a third above the UK middle and the South East about a fifth above, while Scotland, Wales and the North East sit a little below it.
What you get for the money
Every fixed system has the same building blocks: an outdoor unit, one or more indoor units, insulated copper pipes, a condensate drain, a power supply, and labour to pressure test, vacuum and commission it. The unit itself is often less than half the price. Pipe length, access, the number of rooms and any electrical work make up the rest.
Typical 2026 prices
Our guide ranges include VAT at 20% and assume a normal installation with a 3–5 m pipe run. Single-room wall-mounted: £1,150–£2,950, with most between £1,150 and £2,450. Floor console: £1,350–£2,950. Twin multi-split: £2,450–£3,950. Triple multi-split: £3,350–£5,450. Ducted: £5,450–£14,950, with most between £5,450 and £12,950. Design-led or very slim units: £1,850–£3,650 per room. Annual service: £95–£185 per system.
What pushes the price up
Long or concealed pipe runs (trade rates for extra pipework are commonly £30–£60 per metre), high-level outdoor brackets needing access equipment, a new electrical circuit or consumer unit upgrade, condensate pumps where gravity drainage is not possible, and premium or very quiet models.
How regions compare
Independent 2026 data from 519 towns shows a single-room split starting around £1,500 in London, about £1,390 in the South East and around £940–£1,060 across the Midlands, the North, Wales and Scotland. Labour rates drive most of the gap. Our local pages apply a regional factor to the national ranges so you can see a realistic figure for your area.
Getting an accurate price
A written quote after a survey is the only reliable number, because the survey reveals pipe routes, wall construction and electrics. Our survey and written quote are free for new installations on the UK mainland, and the price is fixed in writing once the specification is agreed.
Related services
Sources
- Bestbuilders: Air Conditioning Installation Cost Index 2026
- Trade2Base: Air conditioning installation costs UK (June 2026)
More guides
- How much does air conditioning cost to run?
- What size air conditioner do I need?
- Fixed split or portable air conditioning?
- Do you need planning permission for air conditioning?
- The £2,500 grant for air-to-air heat pumps explained
- F-gas rules: what homeowners need to know
- R32, R410A and R22: refrigerants explained
- Is air conditioning the same as a heat pump?
- What happens on air conditioning installation day
- Air conditioning noise and your neighbours
- Looking after your air conditioning: an owner's checklist
- Can you fit air conditioning in a listed building?
- Air conditioning in a flat: leases, freeholders and planning
- Keeping a home cool in a heatwave
- Multi-split or separate single systems?
Reviewed October 2026. Rules and prices change; check the date and ask us if anything is unclear.