Air conditioning cost in Ireland
Air conditioning costs €3,000–€5,000 installed in Ireland for a wall-mounted split system that cools one large room. A multi-room system costs €5,000–€8,000, and a portable unit you plug in yourself costs €300–€700.
Air conditioning prices
| Type | Price | Cools | Also heats? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable air conditioner | €300–€700, no installation | One room, poorly | Rarely |
| Wall-mounted split system, single room | €3,000–€5,000 installed | One large room or open-plan area | Yes |
| Multi-split system, 3 to 5 rooms | €5,000–€8,000 installed | Several rooms from one outdoor unit | Yes |
Air conditioning installation cost
A single-room split system splits into €1,200–€2,500 for the indoor and outdoor units and €1,200–€2,500 for installation. The work takes a day.
Refrigerant work must be done by an F-Gas registered engineer. That is the main reason installed air conditioning costs what it does. These push the price up:
- An indoor unit on an internal wall, which needs a longer pipe run
- Three or more indoor units on one system
- An apartment or protected building, where the outdoor unit may need approval
Should you buy a portable or an installed air conditioner?
| Portable unit | Installed split system | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | €300–€700 | €3,000–€5,000 |
| Cooling | Weak, as the hose leaks heat back in | Holds the room at a set temperature |
| Noise | 50 to 65 dB, in the room | 19 to 30 dB indoors |
| Efficiency | Low, EER about 2.6 | High, SEER 6 to 8.5 |
| Winter heating | No | Yes |
| Grant | None | Up to €9,500 in the right setup |
If you need one bedroom liveable for a few weeks a year, a portable unit is enough. If you want the house comfortable, or you are also thinking about heating costs, the split system is the better spend.
Air conditioning running costs
A single-room split system draws 0.8 to 1 kW while cooling, which costs €0.30–€0.45 an hour at typical Irish electricity rates.
- Per hour: €0.30–€0.45
- A bedroom for 8 hours overnight: €2–€3.50
- A summer of heavy use: rarely more than €60–€100
A portable unit costs slightly more per hour for far less cooling. With solar panels, summer cooling is close to free, because the panels produce most on the afternoons the system works hardest.
Is there a grant for air conditioning?
There is no grant for cooling. But an installed split system is an air to air heat pump, and SEAI pays up to €9,500 when one replaces your main fossil fuel or electric storage heating. See the air to air heat pump grant.