Split, multi-head or ducted: which actually fits

If the lounge is the only room you sit in after work, buy one good split and stop. That is the sentence that stops people buying a roof full of ducts they will not use.

A quality split, installed in 2026, usually lands between $1,800 and $4,800. A good installer is in and out in a day. You get heat in winter as well if you buy reverse cycle, which you should.

Multi-head is the middle child. One outdoor compressor. Two to five indoor heads. Budget $4,500 to $9,800, more if the pipe run has to sneak through a two storey cavity. It is the right call in double brick or apartments where the roof is not yours to cut.

Ducted reverse cycle is the whole-home job. $9,000 to $17,500 for a typical suburban house. More if the roof is tight or you want serious zoning. It is quieter inside. It is nicer to live with. It is also the only option that replaces gas ducted heating properly, which is why Victoria pays you to do it.

A useful test. If you currently freeze one room and roast another, look at ducted or multi. If you live in the lounge and sleep with a window cracked, buy one excellent split. You can always add a bedroom unit later. You cannot easily unbuy a roof full of ducts.

Want a number for your house? Check the rebate on your postcode. No name required. Check the rebate on your postcode.

Or do the sums yourself first: what size you need and what it costs to run.