How much does tiling cost in Sydney?
Sydney tilers charge by the square metre for most jobs, $46–$105 to lay a standard floor tile and $46–$115 on a wall, labour only, with the tiles themselves on top. By the hour it is $57–$115, or $575–$920 for a full day. A whole bathroom, floor and walls, is $1,725–$5,200 in labour or $3,225–$8,600 with mid-range tiles supplied. Sydney is Australia's apartment city: 30.7% of dwellings are flats, more than double the 14.2% national share (ABS 2021 Census), and a good slice of the tiling done here happens in a unit bathroom several floors up.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Tiling cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Tiling Cost in Sydney 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor tiling — standard (labour) | $46/sqm | $69 | $105 |
| Floor tiling — large format (labour) | $69/sqm | $98 | $125 |
| Wall tiling — standard (labour) | $46/sqm | $69 | $115 |
| Mosaic / feature tiling (labour) | $92/sqm | $140 | $195 |
| Full bathroom tiling, floor + walls (labour) | $1,725total | $3,450 | $5,200 |
| Outdoor / patio tiling (labour) | $57/sqm | $86 | $125 |
| Tile removal (existing) | $23/sqm | $40 | $63 |
| Waterproofing (wet areas) | $40/sqm | $63 | $92 |
| Floor levelling / prep | $17/sqm | $34 | $57 |
| Tile supply — budget ceramic | $20/sqm | $35 | $55 |
| Tile supply — mid-range porcelain | $50/sqm | $70 | $120 |
| Tile supply — premium natural stone | $100/sqm | $150 | $250 |
| Tiler (hourly rate) | $57/hr | $80 | $115 |
| Tiler day rate | $575per day | $725 | $920 |
| Tile supply — large format porcelain (600×1200 and larger) | $57/sqm | $98 | $185 |
| Tile supply — outdoor / non-slip porcelain (P4–P5, R11+) | $46/sqm | $75 | $140 |
| Tile supply — mosaic sheets | $86/sqm | $170 | $460 |
| Tile supply — subway / splashback ceramic (75×300, 100×300) | $34/sqm | $57 | $115 |
| Natural stone tiling — marble, travertine, limestone (labour) | $80/sqm | $115 | $170 |
| Bathroom tiling, floor + walls (supply + install, standard bathroom, excl. waterproofing) | $3,225total | $5,750 | $8,600 |
| Kitchen splashback tiling (supply + install) | $460total | $920 | $1,375 |
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Get Sydney quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Sydney metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
Cost to tile a floor in Sydney (2026): labour per m², tiles and prep
Tiling a floor in Sydney costs $46–$105 per square metre in labour, with $69/m² typical for standard tiles, plus the tiles themselves at $23–$290/m² depending on what you choose. Large-format tiles (600 × 600 and up) cost more to lay, $69–$125/m², because each tile has to be levelled and the cuts are bigger.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor tiling — standard (labour) | $46/m² | $69 | $105 |
| Floor tiling — large format (labour) | $69/m² | $98 | $125 |
| Tile supply — budget ceramic | $20/m² | $35 | $55 |
| Tile supply — mid-range porcelain | $50/m² | $70 | $120 |
| Tile supply — premium natural stone | $100/m² | $150 | $250 |
| Floor levelling / prep | $17/m² | $34 | $57 |
| Tile removal (existing) | $23/m² | $40 | $63 |
Tile flooring cost, all in: add the labour line to the tile line. Budget ceramic on a standard lay is $46/m² labour plus $23/m² tiles at the low end; mid-range porcelain in large format is $98/m² labour plus $92/m² tiles at typical rates. Removing old tiles ($23–$63/m²) and levelling the slab ($17–$57/m²) come before any of it.
What moves a floor tiling quote in Sydney:
- Tile size and material: large-format, rectified porcelain and natural stone all take longer to lay than standard ceramic.
- Pattern: straight lay is the base; herringbone, diagonal and brick-bond add cuts and time.
- The floor underneath: an uneven slab or old tiles to remove add the prep lines above.
- Room shape: small rooms with many cuts cost more per square metre than one open run.
- Wet areas: bathrooms and laundries need waterproofing first, priced separately.
A tiler in Sydney quotes per square metre for the lay and per square metre for the prep; ask for the two apart so you can compare tile choices on the same labour.
What Affects Tiling Costs in Sydney
Per metre, per hour or per day
The question people type is how much do tilers charge, and the honest answer is that it depends what you are paying for. Per-metre rates ($46–$105) suit a plain floor. Fiddly work gets priced hourly, at $57–$115, or by the day at $575–$920: a splashback, a repair, a small ensuite full of cuts. Ask which basis the quote uses, because a small room can cost more per metre than a big one.
Units, lifts and strata hours
With 30.7% of Sydney's homes in flats (ABS 2021 Census), many tiling jobs start with a lift. Tiles, bedding sand and the old tiles coming out all travel from the loading dock, and building rules commonly restrict noisy work to set hours, so a bathroom that would take three days in a house can stretch to a week. Expect that to show in the labour line, and check what your strata scheme requires before the tiler starts.
Waterproofing comes first, and it's licensed work
Wet areas have to be waterproofed under the National Construction Code before a tile goes down, at $40–$92 a square metre. In NSW, waterproofing valued at more than $5,000 in labour and materials, GST included, needs a contractor licence, and the same $5,000 line applies to the tiling itself. Ask for the licence number, and have the waterproofing itemised on the quote rather than folded into a bathroom total.
The tile is a separate bill
Labour quotes exclude the tile. Budget ceramic is $20–$55, mid-range porcelain $50–$120, large-format porcelain $57–$185 and natural stone $100–$250 a square metre, with mosaic sheets running to $460. Laying changes with the tile too: large format is $69–$125, mosaics $92–$195 and marble or travertine $80–$170.
Pulling up the old floor
Removing existing tiles is $23–$63 a square metre and levelling the slab or boards underneath $17–$57. Neither is optional on an uneven floor, and large-format tiles show every hollow. Two-bedroom homes make up 25.7% of Sydney dwellings against 19.1% nationally (ABS 2021 Census); inside a two-bedroom unit the areas are small enough that prep can be a bigger share of the bill than the laying.
Outside, where it rains
Sydney is a wet city by the numbers: Observatory Hill averages 133.1 mm in June and over 100 mm in every month from January to June (BOM averages). Patio and balcony tiling is $57–$125 a square metre and needs a slip-rated tile, $46–$140, plus falls to a drain. September is the driest month at 68.1 mm, the best window for outdoor work and for a balcony membrane to cure.
Splashbacks and small jobs
A kitchen splashback supplied and installed is $460–$1,375, and subway tiles for it are $34–$115 a square metre. Small jobs like this are often charged a half-day minimum, so pairing the splashback with another job on the same visit, a laundry floor say, uses the tiler's day better than two separate bookings.
How to Save Money on Tiling Cost in Sydney
Frequently Asked Questions — Tiling Cost in Sydney
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →