How much do tradies cost in Cairns?

$130

avg plumber/hr

↑+4.1% year on year

Far North Queensland's tropical city, where Wind Region C, a wet season that peaks in February and a large rental market shape trade prices. Compare Cairns prices across all 41 trades, verified October 2026 with data from 90+ Australian sources.

Cairns Tradie Price Index, October 2026 → hourly rates and headline jobs for every trade, typical prices +8.0% against the national guide.

Population

153k

State

QLD

Cost vs Average

+8% vs national avg

Cairns Trade Cost Guides

Plumber $86–$215 /hr↑+4.1% → Electrician $86–$160 /hr↑+5.3% → Kitchen Renovation $8,650–$21,600 total↑+4.4% → Bathroom Renovation $10,800–$21,600 total↑+4.2% → Painter $43–$110 /hr↑+4.2% → Air Conditioning $1,300–$2,700 installed↑+4.2% → Roofing $215–$540 per visit↑+5.2% → Fencing $86–$205 /m↑+4.7% → Solar $4,325–$9,200 installed↓-1.3% → Landscaping $59–$120 /hr↑+4.2% → Pest Control $160–$405 per visit↑+4.1% → Flooring $49–$120 /sqm↑+3.5% → Tree Removal $270–$865 per tree↑+5.4% → Garage Door $1,300–$3,775 installed↑+5.2% → Pool Maintenance $140–$325 /month↑+4.2% → Concreting $81–$160 /sqm↑+5.6% → Carpet Cleaning $32–$65 /room↑+4.1% → Removalist $130–$240 /hr↑+5.5% → Hot Water System $865–$3,250 installed↑+4.4% → Retaining Wall $215–$485 /lm↑+5.0% → Tiling $43–$97 /sqm↑+3.9% → Rendering $32–$65 /sqm↑+4.7% → Decking $195–$380 /sqm↑+3.7% → House Cleaning $38–$86 /hr↑+4.5% → Handyman $54–$130 /hr↑+4.2% → Lawn Mowing $49–$110 per visit↑+4.2% → Carpenter $59–$140 /hr↑+3.8% → Locksmith $130–$325 per job↑+4.0% → Plastering $54–$130 /hr↑+4.2% → Gutter Cleaning $110–$430 total↑+4.1% → Skip Bin $215–$390 per hire↑+5.6% → Window Cleaning $43–$86 /hr↑+4.1% → Insulation $13–$38 /sqm↑+4.2% → Pressure Washing $43–$110 /hr↑+4.3% → Bricklaying $49–$130 /hr↑+4.6% → Gas Fitting $110–$215 /hr↑+4.2% → Builder $2,500–$5,000 /sqm↑+4.5% → Glazier $300–$800 per window↑+4.2% → Granny Flat $110,000–$210,000 total↑+4.7% → Patio $8,500–$30,000 total↑+5.0% → Pool Construction $50,000–$110,000 total↑+5.0% →

Commercial trade costs in Cairns

Fitting out or maintaining business premises in Cairns? These guides cover commercial rates.

Commercial cost guides in Cairns: asbestos removal · backflow testing · commercial air conditioning · commercial cleaning · commercial electrician · commercial fitout · commercial flooring · commercial garage doors · commercial painting · commercial pest control · commercial plumbing · commercial roofing · commercial security · fire safety compliance · line marking · scaffolding.

About Cairns Trade Costs

Greater Cairns had 153,425 residents at the 2021 Census (ABS), spread from Palm Cove and the northern beaches through the city to Mount Sheridan, Bentley Park and Edmonton in the south. Our Cairns bands sit 8% above the Brisbane baseline; a Cairns plumber's typical rate works out to $130/hr. These are our own city bands, built from pricing_master.json, not an industry survey.

The climate decides the calendar. Cairns Aero averages 2,019.1 mm of rain a year, 436.1 mm of it in February and only 26.9 mm in August (BOM), and the cyclone season runs from November to April. Outdoor trades book up in the dry; plumbers, electricians and roofers take the storm calls in the wet.

Coastal Queensland north of Bundaberg, Cairns included, is Wind Region C, with homes classed C1 to C4 for cyclone gusts of 250 km/h (QRA). Roofs, garage doors, patios, fences and glazing are priced for that rating, and new garage doors have had to meet AS/NZS 4505 since 2015.

Housing is more mixed than in most Queensland cities: separate houses are 71.0% of dwellings against 74.8% statewide, flats and apartments 17.0%, and 36.1% of homes are rented (ABS 2021). Many jobs therefore start with a property manager or a body corporate.

What shapes trade prices in Cairns

Wet tropics weather

Cairns Aero averages 2,019.1 mm of rain a year, and most of it falls from January to March: 404.8 mm, 436.1 mm and 424.3 mm, against 26.9 mm in August (BOM, Cairns Aero). Outdoor trades book up in the dry months from June to October, and wet-season jobs often carry weather allowances.

Cyclone-rated building

Cairns is in Wind Region C, and houses are classed C1 to C4 for cyclonic gusts of up to 250 km/h (QRA cyclone resilience guideline). Roofing, patios, sheds, garage doors and windows are all priced for that wind load, and the cyclone season from November to April affects when outdoor work gets done.

Heat and humidity

The city sits in NCC climate zone 1, hot and humid (ABCB climate zone map), with summer maximums around 31.5 °C. Air conditioning, mould treatment, pest control and exterior painting are all in steady demand, and coatings and fittings near the coast age faster in the salt air.

Homes and households

Cairns had 153,425 people at the 2021 Census. Separate houses make up 71.0% of dwellings and flats or apartments 17.0%, more than the Queensland average of 12.5%, and 36.1% of homes are rented (ABS 2021 Census). Tenants need the owner's approval before booking work, and strata buildings add body-corporate rules to many jobs.

Council rules worth knowing

Cairns Regional Council's water conservation measures set watering days by house number, testable backflow devices must be tested every year with the result lodged with Council (Council), and the CairnsPlan Property Report tool shows flood, coastal and bushfire overlays for any lot.

Licensing & Regulations in QLD

Hiring in Cairns? The QBCC licenses builders, plumbers, drainers and most building trades, so look the contractor up on the QBCC licensee register before you pay a deposit; building work valued at $3,300 or more needs a licence, and plumbing and drainage need one at any value. Electricians are licensed through the Electrical Safety Office. Work done by an unlicensed contractor can leave you without Queensland Home Warranty Scheme cover.

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Compare Other Cities

See how Cairns trade costs compare to other Australian cities:

Melbourne → Brisbane → Perth → Adelaide → Hobart →

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