How much does a painter cost in Sydney?
Painting in Sydney costs $57–$115 per hour for a licensed painter, or $345–$920 for a single room (walls and ceiling). A whole-house interior repaint for a 3-bedroom costs $3,450–$9,200, while exterior repainting runs $4,600–$11,500.
We've compiled pricing from painters across Sydney, plus hipages, ServiceSeeking, and Airtasker listings as of July 2026. All prices include GST.
Detailed Pricing — Sydney 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painter (hourly rate) | $57/hr | $80 | $115 |
| Single room (walls + ceiling) | $345per room | $575 | $920 |
| Whole interior (3-bed house) | $3,450total | $5,750 | $9,200 |
| Whole interior (4-bed house) | $5,200total | $8,050 | $13,800 |
| Exterior (single-storey) | $4,600total | $7,450 | $11,500 |
| Exterior (two-storey) | $6,900total | $12,650 | $20,700 |
| Feature wall | $170per wall | $345 | $575 |
| Ceiling only (per room) | $230per room | $370 | $575 |
| Door (both sides) | $92per door | $150 | $230 |
| Fence painting/staining | $575total | $1,375 | $2,875 |
| Deck staining | $575total | $1,275 | $2,300 |
| Wallpaper removal + repaint | $575per room | $1,025 | $1,725 |
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Get Sydney quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Sydney metro area, Mar 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
How Painting Costs Vary Across Sydney
Your suburb affects painting costs primarily through property type, access difficulty, and the condition of existing paintwork. Heritage homes cost significantly more than modern builds.
Eastern Suburbs & Inner City
Paddington, Surry Hills, Bondi, Darlinghurst. Victorian terraces with detailed cornices, ceiling roses, picture rails, and skirting boards that require careful cutting-in and often multiple colours. Lead paint is common in pre-1970 homes — testing ($30–$50 per sample) and safe removal adds $2,000–$8,000. High ceilings (3.2m+) require scaffolding inside. Street parking restrictions limit van access and add to setup time. Expect the highest per-metre rates in Sydney.
North Shore & Northern Beaches
Mosman, Manly, Chatswood, Dee Why. Mix of brick veneer, weatherboard, and rendered homes. Coastal suburbs need marine-grade exterior paints with enhanced UV and salt resistance — Dulux Weathershield or equivalent. Multi-storey homes on steep blocks may need exterior scaffolding ($2,000–$6,000). North-facing walls cop the most UV damage and may need repainting sooner than other aspects. High-quality exterior paint is critical in these suburbs — budget brands fade noticeably within 3–5 years.
Western Sydney
Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Liverpool. Predominantly modern homes with standard 2.4–2.7m ceilings, minimal decorative detail, and good access. The most affordable area for painting in Sydney. Flat, uniform walls mean painters can work faster with rollers rather than painstaking brush work. Extreme heat in western suburbs can cause exterior paint to blister if applied in full sun — experienced painters start on the shaded side and follow the shade around the house.
Hills District & Sutherland Shire
Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Cronulla, Miranda. Mid-range pricing for mostly 1980s–2000s homes. Larger homes in the Hills (4–5 bedrooms) may seem expensive in total but often have a lower per-m² rate due to economy of scale. The Shire's coastal influence means exterior paintwork degrades faster than inland suburbs. Consider repainting schedules of 8–10 years for coastal exteriors versus 10–14 years for inland.
What You'll Actually Pay — Real Painting Scenarios
Here's what common painting projects cost in Sydney in 2026. All prices include labour, paint, and standard preparation (cleaning, sanding, filling minor cracks, masking).
Single room repaint — standard bedroom
Walls and ceiling in a standard 3×4m bedroom with 2.4m ceilings. Includes light sanding, gap filling, one coat primer on patched areas, and two coats of top-quality acrylic. Add $100–$200 for painting door frames, skirting, and window trims in a contrasting colour. Most painters have a minimum job charge of $300–$500, so painting a single small room is less cost-effective than bundling multiple rooms.
Full interior repaint — 3-bedroom house
All walls, ceilings, and trims throughout. A standard 120–150m² home takes 3–5 days with a two-person crew. This includes living areas, bedrooms, hallway, kitchen, and bathrooms. Quality painters use different paint types for different areas: low-sheen for living areas and bedrooms, semi-gloss for bathrooms and kitchens (moisture resistance), and gloss for trims and doors (durability). Expect to pay 10–20% more for a home with ornate cornices, high ceilings, or dark-to-light colour changes.
Exterior repaint — single-storey brick veneer
Pressure wash ($300–$800), repair render cracks ($200–$800), prime bare or patched areas, and two coats of premium exterior acrylic. For a standard 3-bedroom single-storey home. Brick homes are generally cheaper to paint than weatherboard because the surface is more uniform. If the existing paint is in good condition, a single coat may suffice at 30–40% less cost. Add $1,500–$3,000 for fascia, gutters, window frames, and eaves.
Exterior repaint — two-storey weatherboard
Scaffolding ($2,000–$5,000), extensive preparation (scraping, sanding, filling gaps between boards), primer where bare timber is exposed, and two coats of premium exterior acrylic. Weatherboard homes are the most labour-intensive exterior paint job — preparation often takes longer than the actual painting. If the house has lead paint (pre-1970), add $3,000–$8,000 for safe lead paint management. The total timeframe is typically 1–2 weeks for a two-person crew.
Pre-sale refresh — interior only, neutral colour
The most cost-effective home improvement before selling. A fresh coat of a neutral colour (Dulux Lexicon Quarter, Natural White, or similar) throughout the interior makes every room look cleaner, bigger, and more inviting. Real estate agents consistently report that a professional repaint adds 2–5% to the sale price — on a $1.5M Sydney home, that's $30,000–$75,000 return on a $5,000 investment. Focus on walls and ceilings in living areas, bedrooms, and hallway. Skip painting inside wardrobes and storage areas to keep costs down.
What Affects Painter Costs in Sydney
Interior vs exterior
Interior painting in Sydney ($3,450–$9,200 for a 3-bed) is generally cheaper than exterior ($4,600–$11,500) due to weather exposure, scaffolding needs, and prep work on external surfaces.
Surface condition
Freshly plastered walls are easy. Older Sydney homes with peeling paint, cracks, or wallpaper removal need extensive prep, adding 30–50% to labour costs.
Number of coats
Two coats over a primer is standard. Dark-to-light colour changes may need 3+ coats. Extra coats add 25–40% to paint costs and labour time.
Ceiling height & access
Standard 2.4m ceilings are straightforward. Higher ceilings in older Sydney homes need scaffolding or platform ladders, increasing cost and time.
Paint quality
Budget paint ($30–$50/tin) vs premium (Dulux Wash & Wear, $70–$100/tin) affects both finish quality and longevity. Most Sydney painters recommend mid-range to premium for interiors.
Trim & detail work
Painting doors, window frames, skirting boards, and architraves is labour-intensive. A feature wall ($230–$575 in Sydney) with a different colour or texture adds cost.
How to Save Money on Painter in Sydney
Finding house painters in Sydney
Once you know the likely cost, the next step is choosing the right painter — and whether you need interior or exterior painters, a residential repaint or commercial work, the same rule applies. Sydney’s coastal and harbour suburbs deal with salt air and humidity that shorten the life of an exterior coat, while inner-city terraces bring heritage trim and render detail, so it pays to compare local, professional painters and painting services that understand those conditions rather than picking on price alone.
In NSW, painters must hold a contractor licence for any residential painting valued over $5,000 in labour and materials (including GST), so for most repaints it’s worth asking to see their NSW Fair Trading licence. Add recent local references, a certificate of currency for public liability insurance, and a written scope — the number of coats, the surface prep, and the products they’ll use.
The fastest way to find the fair price is to get a few quotes side by side and compare them on the same scope, not just the bottom-line number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Methodology
Prices on this page are compiled from publicly available cost guides, leading tradie marketplaces, peak industry body data, and individual tradesperson websites across Australia. We cross-reference ranges from multiple sources and adjust for city-specific cost differences based on advertised rates, salary data, and cost-of-living indicators. Our price guides are produced independently. Pricing is compiled from public quotes, industry rate guides, and marketplace data, and no tradesperson can influence a published figure. All prices are estimates and will vary based on your specific job. Always get multiple quotes. Last reviewed July 2026. Read our full methodology →
Painter costs by Sydney suburb
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