How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Cairns?
Hiring kitchen renovators in Cairns starts with one thing: cabinetry grade, benchtop material and whether services move set most of a kitchen budget. 36.1% of Cairns homes are rented, above the Queensland figure of 33.1% (ABS 2021), so many jobs start with a property manager's approval. Flats and apartments are 17.0% of local dwellings, more than the state's 12.5% (ABS 2021), which changes access and approvals. The table below prices 23 kitchen renovation jobs for Cairns, with low, typical and high figures, followed by local notes on timing, rules and suburbs.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Kitchen renovation cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Kitchen Renovation Cost in Cairns 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh (reface + paint) | $8,650total | $15,100 | $21,600 |
| Budget renovation (flat-pack) | $12,950total | $19,450 | $27,000 |
| Mid-range renovation | $27,000total | $37,800 | $48,600 |
| Premium renovation | $48,600total | $64,800 | $86,400 |
| Luxury / high-end | $75,600total | $108,000 | $162,000 |
| Custom cabinetry (cabinet maker) | $12,950total | $20,500 | $37,800 |
| Benchtop — laminate | $865total | $1,725 | $2,700 |
| Benchtop — stone | $2,700total | $5,200 | $9,700 |
| Splashback (tiled) | $430total | $865 | $2,700 |
| Splashback (glass) | $865total | $1,500 | $1,950 |
| Plumbing rough-in | $1,625total | $3,250 | $5,400 |
| Electrical rough-in | $1,625total | $2,700 | $4,325 |
| Flooring (per sqm) | $43/sqm | $76 | $130 |
| Demolition & disposal | $1,075total | $2,150 | $4,325 |
| Appliance package (oven, cooktop, rangehood, dishwasher) | $3,250total | $6,500 | $10,800 |
| Cabinet respray, wrap or resurfacing (doors and panels only) | $2,150total | $4,850 | $10,800 |
| Small kitchen renovation (galley or U-shape under ~10 m², mid-range) | $21,600total | $30,250 | $37,800 |
| Benchtop — granite (supply + install, per m²) | $650/sqm | $1,075 | $1,500 |
| Benchtop — marble (supply + install, per m²) | $865/sqm | $1,675 | $2,700 |
| Benchtop — porcelain / sintered stone (supply + install, per m²) | $1,025/sqm | $1,350 | $1,675 |
| Benchtop — timber (supply + install, per m²) | $595/sqm | $810 | $1,300 |
| Benchtop — stainless steel (supply + install, per m²) | $755/sqm | $1,200 | $1,625 |
| Benchtop — laminate (supply + install, per m²) | $325/sqm | $475 | $605 |
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Get Cairns quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Cairns metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
Mid-Range Renovation — $27,000–$48,600
Most Cairns kitchen renovations sit in this band. It buys a completely new kitchen: new cabinets (custom, or good flat-pack such as Kaboodle Professional or Freedom Kitchens), porcelain or sintered-stone benchtops ($2,700–$9,700 for the benchtop alone), a mid-to-upper appliance package of oven, cooktop, rangehood and dishwasher ($3,250–$10,800), plus tiling, lighting and paint. In a humid climate, ask for moisture-resistant carcasses and good rangehood extraction.
Towards the top of the band there is room for small layout changes, such as shifting the sink along the same wall or opening a closed kitchen to a breakfast bar. Moving the sink or cooktop to another wall means moving plumbing, gas and power, and in our Cairns table a plumbing rough-in is $1,625–$5,400 and an electrical rough-in $1,625–$4,325.
Where the budget goes: cabinets take the biggest share (custom cabinetry is $12,950–$37,800), then the benchtop, appliances and trades; tapware, splashback, lighting, bins and paint make up the rest.
Premium Custom — $48,600–$86,400
Bespoke joinery built to your exact specifications, premium natural stone benchtops (marble, quartzite, porcelain), fully integrated appliances (hidden behind cabinet panels — Miele, V-ZUG, Gaggenau), structural changes like removing a wall to create open-plan living, custom lighting design, butler's pantry, and designer tapware (Brodware, Sussex, Astra Walker).
At this level you're typically working with a kitchen designer (usually a separate design fee) or an architect if structural walls are involved. Projects take 8–14 weeks from sign-off to completion, and the kitchen will be out of commission for 3–6 weeks during construction.
What Affects Kitchen Renovation Costs in Cairns
Getting rid of the waste
Cairns is in Queensland's regional waste levy zone, $100 a tonne for 2026-27 (Queensland Government). Portsmith Transfer Station takes domestic asbestos only in small, double-wrapped and labelled bundles under 175 kg (Cairns Regional Council), so bigger asbestos loads go through a licensed removalist.
Queensland licensing
In Queensland, building work worth $3,300 or more needs a QBCC licence, and plumbing, drainage and gas work need one at any value; electricians are licensed through the Electrical Safety Office. Check the kitchen renovator's number on the QBCC licensee register before a deposit changes hands.
What Cairns homes look like
Separate houses make up 71.0% of occupied Cairns dwellings, below the 74.8% across Queensland, while flats and apartments are 17.0%, well above the state's 12.5% (ABS 2021 Census). Apartment jobs bring body-corporate rules, lifts and parking into the price; a house brings yards, roof space and longer runs.
How to Save Money on Kitchen Renovation Cost in Cairns
- Ask whether tip fees are in the quote; Cairns pays Queensland's regional levy on every tonne.
- Check the kitchen renovator's licence on the QBCC register before paying a deposit.
- In an apartment, check body-corporate rules, parking and lift bookings before the kitchen renovator arrives.
- Get three written quotes with the same scope, so the Cairns prices line up item by item.
- Ask what the quote leaves out: call-out, disposal, travel past the northern beaches or south of Edmonton.
- Photograph the job and send it with the request so the quote starts closer to the real scope.