What does a heat pump cost to install in New Zealand?

EECA puts the average New Zealand heat pump at $4,400 including the unit and installation. Most single split installs land between $2,500 and $6,500, and roughly half of that is the installation rather than the box.

Last reviewed 31 July 2026. These are researched ranges from the sources listed at the foot of this page, not quotes. What you pay depends on the job, the site and who you hire.

What you pay: the unit and the installation

Before comparing quotes, check what each one includes. The heat pump itself is only about half the cost, and a cheap advertised price is often the unit on its own.

Item	Typical	Range	Unit
Heat pump unit, entry level high wall The advertised retail price. It does not include fitting.		$1,500	supply only
Installation, simple back to back Indoor unit on one side of an exterior wall, outdoor unit directly behind.	$1,000	$850 to $2,000	labour only
Extra pipe run beyond a short back to back A 10m run rather than 3m adds roughly $350 to $560.	$65	$50 to $80	per metre

Installed cost by system type

Supplied and installed, including the unit, fitting, electrical connection and commissioning. Single split figures are corroborated by EECA's national average. The multi-split and ducted rows are what New Zealand installers publicly quote. We found no independent source for those, so treat them as observed market pricing rather than a measured figure.

Item	Typical	Range	Unit
Single split, small room to 25m2 Bedroom or small office.	$3,000	$2,500 to $3,500	installed
Single split, living area 25 to 45m2 The most common New Zealand install.	$4,000	$3,200 to $4,800	installed
Single split, large open plan 45m2 plus Sizing matters more than brand here.	$5,500	$4,500 to $6,500	installed
New Zealand average, any type EECA, including purchase price and installation.	$4,400		installed
Floor console Useful where wall height or glazing rules out a high wall unit.	$3,800	$2,800 to $4,800	installed
Multi-split, 2 to 5 indoor units A wide band because head count drives it. A 2 head job is not comparable to a 5 head one.	$8,500	$5,000 to $12,000	installed
Ducted, standard home Around 3 zones in a standard 3 bedroom house.	$12,000	$8,000 to $15,000	installed
Ducted, large home or 5 plus zones Larger floor plans, longer duct runs, premium brands.	$20,000	$15,000 to $25,000	installed

Servicing, cleaning and regas

Servicing is worth doing on running-cost grounds alone: a clogged filter or dirty coil can cut efficiency by 15 to 25 per cent.

Item	Typical	Range	Unit
Annual service, single high wall Filters, coil, drain tray, operating check.	$185	$150 to $220	per visit
Annual service, multi-zone or ducted More indoor units to clean and check.	$320	$250 to $400	per visit

Estimate an installed heat pump

Installed cost, meaning the unit and the installation together, taken from the ranges in the table above. EECA puts the national average at $4,400 installed. Running cost is a separate question, and EECA answer it better than we can.

System type

Brand tier

Installation

Indicative range

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An indication of installed cost only, based on the published ranges above. It is not a quote, and it does not include running cost. Get a written quote, and check whether it is supplied and installed or supply only.

What moves the price

Whether the quote is supplied and installed or supply only. Two quotes can differ by thousands on this alone. Ask which it is before you compare anything else.
Pipe run and siting. EECA suggests keeping the outdoor unit within about 15m of the indoor unit with clear airflow on both sides. Longer runs and awkward siting add labour and materials.
Capacity, not brand. Consumer NZ rates capacity as the most important specification. An undersized unit struggles in a cold snap; an oversized one costs more upfront and runs less efficiently.
Retrofit versus new build. Retrofitting an existing home typically costs 15 to 30 per cent more than the same system in a new build, and more again if the switchboard needs upgrading.
Storey and access. An upstairs install, a tight ceiling cavity or a boundary the outdoor unit cannot easily reach all add labour.
Number of indoor units. On a multi-split, head count drives the price far more than the outdoor unit does.
What the manufacturer warranty does not cover. Mitsubishi Electric warrants the equipment, and excludes pipework, electrical cabling, drainage and ducting. Heat load calculation and installation are the contractor's responsibility, so the quality of the installer carries more risk than the badge on the box.

Find someone to do the work

We assess every business against public ratings and review data using a consistent, published method. No paid placement.

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Sources

Where these figures come from. We link the primary source wherever one exists.

EECA, Choose an efficient heat pump — The $4,400 national average, stated as including purchase price and installation. Also the 15m siting guidance and the roughly 15 year expected life.
EECA, Home Energy Savings Calculator — Running cost by postcode. Models 18 NIWA climate zones and rates from the four major retailers, which is why we link to it rather than estimate running cost ourselves.
EECA home efficiency calculator source data — GST-inclusive electricity tariffs for all 28 electricity distribution regions: 21.0c/kWh in Wellington to 40.5c on the West Coast, median 30.8c.
Consumer NZ, heat pumps buying guide — Capacity is the most important specification. Annual running cost from under $200 for a 2.5kW unit to about $1,000 for 10kW and above.
Electrical Workers Registration Board, about licences — Connecting a heat pump to mains power is prescribed electrical work requiring EWRB registration and a current practising licence, verifiable on the public register.
WorkSafe, hydrocarbon refrigerants — The Hazardous Substances Regulations do not apply to domestic heat pumps or room air conditioners, which follow appliance standard AS/NZS 60335.
MBIE, licensing system for refrigeration, heating and air conditioning technicians — New Zealand has no statutory occupational licence for refrigeration and air conditioning technicians. The proposal to create one is on hold.
Mitsubishi Electric New Zealand, heat pump warranty (PDF, March 2026) — Five year parts and labour. Owner responsibilities are filter cleaning, a clear condensate drain and unobstructed units, with no annual professional service required. Pipework, cabling, drainage and ducting are excluded from manufacturer cover.
Airmax, heat pump prices NZ — Installer pricing: the unit is roughly half the installed total, per-system installed bands, and the cost of extra pipe run. A Waikato heat pump installer, cited for pricing only.