Localized for 1,000+ U.S. cities — adjusted for local labor, climate & permits

HVAC · cost by city

Central AC Installation cost (2026)

Installing a central air conditioning system — condenser, evaporator coil and labor. Pick your city for an estimate localized to local labor rates, climate and permit fees.

National average · 2026
$5,500 $12,000

Most homeowners pay around $8,750 nationally — your city moves this.

$5,500typical $8,750$12,000
Typical range
$5,500–$12,000
Most affordable
Omaha, NE
$8,100
Most expensive
Honolulu, HI
$10,450
Cities covered
1000+
By type

Central AC Installation cost by type

National ranges by option. Localize any of these to your city below.

TypeNational 2026 range
2–3 ton (small home)$5,000 $8,000
3.5–4 ton (mid home)$7,000 $11,000
5 ton (large home)$9,000 $16,000
By city

Central AC Installation cost in every city

Sorted most affordable first — tap a city for the full local breakdown.

CityTypical 2026 range
Omaha, NE$5,150 $11,050
Toledo, OH$5,150 $11,000
Lincoln, NE$5,150 $11,050
Fort Wayne, IN$5,150 $11,050
Des Moines, IA$5,150 $11,050
Akron, OH$5,150 $11,050
Cleveland, OH$5,200 $11,100
Indianapolis, IN$5,250 $11,200
Columbus, OH$5,250 $11,200
Milwaukee, WI$5,250 $11,250
Pittsburgh, PA$5,250 $11,200
Cincinnati, OH$5,250 $11,200
Buffalo, NY$5,250 $11,200
Boise City, ID$5,250 $11,200
Rochester, NY$5,250 $11,250
Detroit, MI$5,300 $11,350
Madison, WI$5,300 $11,350
Colorado Springs, CO$5,350 $11,400
Wichita, KS$5,350 $11,400
Little Rock, AR$5,350 $11,400
Oklahoma City, OK$5,400 $11,550
Tulsa, OK$5,400 $11,550
Lexington-Fayette, KY$5,400 $11,550
Memphis, TN$5,450 $11,600
Louisville, KY$5,450 $11,600
Kansas City, MO$5,450 $11,600
Greensboro, NC$5,450 $11,600
Winston-Salem, NC$5,450 $11,600
Fayetteville, NC$5,450 $11,600
Philadelphia, PA$5,500 $11,700
Albuquerque, NM$5,450 $11,700
Minneapolis, MN$5,550 $11,850
Anchorage, AK$5,550 $11,850
St. Paul, MN$5,550 $11,850
Chicago, IL$5,650 $12,050
Charlotte, NC$5,650 $12,000
Nashville, TN$5,650 $12,000
St. Louis, MO$5,650 $12,000
Durham, NC$5,650 $12,000
Aurora, IL$5,650 $12,050
Denver, CO$5,650 $12,100
Virginia Beach, VA$5,650 $12,100
Raleigh, NC$5,650 $12,100
Aurora, CO$5,650 $12,100
Norfolk, VA$5,650 $12,100
Chesapeake, VA$5,650 $12,100
Richmond, VA$5,650 $12,100
Plano, TX$5,700 $12,150
Columbus, GA$5,750 $12,300
Shreveport, LA$5,750 $12,300
Baltimore, MD$5,800 $12,350
Laredo, TX$5,800 $12,400
Montgomery, AL$5,800 $12,400
El Paso, TX$5,800 $12,450
Boston, MA$5,850 $12,450
Lubbock, TX$5,800 $12,450
Birmingham, AL$5,800 $12,450
Spokane, WA$5,800 $12,450
Bakersfield, CA$5,850 $12,500
Baton Rouge, LA$5,850 $12,550
Augusta-Richmond County, GA$5,850 $12,550
Amarillo, TX$5,850 $12,550
New York, NY$5,900 $12,550
Fresno, CA$5,900 $12,600
Corpus Christi, TX$5,900 $12,600
Yonkers, NY$5,900 $12,550
Modesto, CA$5,900 $12,650
San Antonio, TX$5,950 $12,750
Tucson, AZ$5,950 $12,700
New Orleans, LA$5,950 $12,700
Riverside, CA$5,950 $12,750
San Bernardino, CA$5,950 $12,750
Fontana, CA$5,950 $12,750
Moreno Valley, CA$5,950 $12,750
Las Vegas, NV$6,000 $12,850
Henderson, NV$6,000 $12,850
North Las Vegas, NV$6,000 $12,850
Portland, OR$6,050 $12,900
Stockton, CA$6,050 $12,900
Sacramento, CA$6,100 $12,950
Jacksonville, FL$6,100 $13,050
Washington, DC$6,100 $13,050
Reno, NV$6,100 $13,050
Houston, TX$6,150 $13,100
Austin, TX$6,150 $13,100
Atlanta, GA$6,150 $13,100
Los Angeles, CA$6,200 $13,200
Long Beach, CA$6,200 $13,200
Tampa, FL$6,150 $13,200
Anaheim, CA$6,200 $13,200
Santa Ana, CA$6,200 $13,200
Newark, NJ$6,200 $13,200
Jersey City, NJ$6,200 $13,200
St. Petersburg, FL$6,150 $13,200
Irvine, CA$6,200 $13,200
Huntington Beach, CA$6,200 $13,200
Seattle, WA$6,200 $13,250
Orlando, FL$6,200 $13,250
Tacoma, WA$6,200 $13,250
Oxnard, CA$6,200 $13,250
San Diego, CA$6,250 $13,350
San Jose, CA$6,250 $13,350
Chula Vista, CA$6,250 $13,350
Dallas, TX$6,250 $13,400
Fort Worth, TX$6,250 $13,400
Arlington, TX$6,250 $13,400
Garland, TX$6,250 $13,400
Irving, TX$6,250 $13,400
Phoenix, AZ$6,300 $13,500
Mesa, AZ$6,300 $13,500
Chandler, AZ$6,300 $13,500
Glendale, AZ$6,300 $13,500
Gilbert, AZ$6,300 $13,500
Scottsdale, AZ$6,300 $13,500
San Francisco, CA$6,350 $13,550
Oakland, CA$6,350 $13,550
Fremont, CA$6,350 $13,550
Miami, FL$6,600 $14,150
Hialeah, FL$6,600 $14,150
Honolulu, HI$6,650 $14,200

Showing the 120 largest cities. 1000+ cities covered.