Cost guides › Interior painting
Australia
Interior painting cost
Repainting the walls and ceilings of a home with 80 m² of floor area typically costs $6,500 including GST, with most quotes between $5,050 and $8,450. A quick job in basic flat paint with minimal prep is around $3,750, while a full skim coat for a smooth premium finish brings it to about $14,200.
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Cost by region
| Location | Basic | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $4,100 | $7,050 | $15,500 |
| Western Australia | $3,900 | $6,750 | $14,800 |
| Northern Territory | $3,850 | $6,650 | $14,500 |
| New South Wales | $3,800 | $6,600 | $14,300 |
| Queensland | $3,750 | $6,450 | $14,000 |
| Victoria | $3,700 | $6,400 | $14,000 |
| South Australia | $3,500 | $6,050 | $13,200 |
| Tasmania | $3,350 | $5,800 | $12,500 |
What's included
Mid-range
- Walls and ceilings throughout, with ceilings up to about 3 m
- Prep on about half the surface: scraping flaking paint, sanding and filling small holes and dents
- One coat of sealer/undercoat
- Two top coats of washable interior acrylic
- Labour and materials for rooms in ordinary, sound condition
What affects the cost
Surface condition
Prep often costs more than the paint. Flaking paint, cracked cornice joints, nail pops and patched plasterboard all take time to fix before the first coat goes on.
Paint quality and sheen
Washable low-sheen acrylic costs more than flat ceiling paint but wipes clean in hallways, kids' rooms and living areas. Big colour changes, especially dark to light, can need an extra coat.
Ceiling height and stairwells
Standard 2.4–2.7 m ceilings are done from a ladder or small platform. Raked ceilings, void areas and stairwells need planks or scaffolding and slow the job down.
Doors, trims and skirting
Doors, architraves, skirting boards and window frames are not in this estimate. Enamel on woodwork is slow brush work and can add a large amount if the whole house is done.
Furnished or empty
An empty house between tenants or before moving in is quickest. In a lived-in home the painters move and cover furniture and work around you, which takes more hours.
How to save
- Move furniture, take down pictures and clear shelves yourself before the painters start.
- Keep ceilings and most rooms in the same light colour to cut down on coats and cutting in.
- Paint the high-use rooms now and leave spare rooms and robes for later.
- Get a whole-house price rather than room by room, and ask what prep is included.
Grants, tax and rules
GST
Quotes to households include 10% GST, and so do our figures.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint a house interior in Australia?
For a home with 80 m² of floor area, painting all walls and ceilings costs about $6,500 including GST. The paintable surface is roughly three and a half times the floor area once walls and ceilings are counted.
Does the quote include doors and skirting boards?
Not in this estimate, which covers walls and ceilings. Doors, architraves, skirting and window frames are usually priced separately.
How many coats of paint do walls need?
A sealer or undercoat plus two top coats is the standard for a durable finish, and that's what the estimate assumes. A same-colour refresh on good walls may get by with one top coat.
How long does it take to paint a house inside?
A small crew usually needs about a week for an average home, depending on prep and furniture. A single room can often be done in a day.
Low sheen or flat: which is better for walls?
Flat hides imperfections and suits ceilings, but marks easily. Low sheen can be wiped down, which makes it the usual choice for living areas, hallways and kids' rooms.
How this estimate is calculated
Work hours: 95.1 · Labour: $5,108 · Materials: $803
Sources: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia; Regione Toscana, Prezzario dei Lavori 2026 (CC BY 4.0); ECB exchange rates.