2.5kW split systems, compared by what they cost to run
Every 2.5kW split system we install, from the cheapest to run to the dearest. Each yearly cost is the energy figure on the unit's official label, at the middle price of Sydney power plans (31.79c a kWh, including GST). The cheapest and the dearest are $54 a year apart.
Every 2.5kW split system we install
Yearly cost to cool and heat, at the middle price of Sydney power plans (31.79c a kWh, including GST).
| Model | Size | Stars | Noise | Cost a year | Add to quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1ActronAir Serene 2.6kWWRE‑026DS | 2.63 kW cooling2.7 kW heating | 6.5 cooling3.5 heating | 57 dB inside64 dB outside | $128$42 cooling, $86 heating | |
 2=Carrier Indigo 2.5kW42QAG026N8 / 38QAG026N8 | 2.65 kW cooling2.75 kW heating | 6 cooling3.5 heating | 55 dB inside58 dB outside | $135$46 cooling, $89 heating | |
 2=Rinnai PB Series 2.6kWHSNRP26B | 2.65 kW cooling2.7 kW heating | 5.5 cooling3.5 heating | 55 dB inside58 dB outside | $135$47 cooling, $88 heating | |
 4Daikin Alira X 2.5kWFTXM25AVMA / RXM25AVMA | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 5.5 cooling4 heating | 57 dB inside59 dB outside | $142$44 cooling, $98 heating | |
 5Rinnai T Series 2.5kWHINRT25B / HONRT25B | 2.64 kW cooling2.9 kW heating | 7 cooling3 heating | 54 dB inside59 dB outside | $148$40 cooling, $108 heating | |
 6MHI Avanti Plus 2.5kWSRK25ZSXA‑WF | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4.5 cooling4 heating | 55 dB inside57 dB outside | $155$53 cooling, $102 heating | |
 7=Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-LN 2.5kWMSZ‑LN25VG | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4.5 cooling3.5 heating | 54 dB inside56 dB outside | $157$51 cooling, $106 heating | |
 7=Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AP 2.5kWMSZ‑AP25VGKD2 | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 5.5 cooling3 heating | 56 dB inside56 dB outside | $157$45 cooling, $112 heating | |
 9=Daikin Cora 2.5kWFTXV25WVMA / RXV25WVMA | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 5.5 cooling3 heating | 58 dB inside59 dB outside | $161$46 cooling, $115 heating | |
 9=Fujitsu Lifestyle 2.5kWASTG09KMTC | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 5 cooling3 heating | 55 dB inside55 dB outside | $161$49 cooling, $112 heating | |
 11Panasonic RZ 2.5kWCS‑RZ25XKR / CU‑RZ25XKR | 2.5 kW cooling3.0 kW heating | 4 cooling3 heating | No figure | $168$56 cooling, $112 heating | |
 12Panasonic Z Series 2.5kWCS‑Z25AKRW | 2.5 kW cooling3.0 kW heating | 4 cooling3 heating | 56 dB inside63 dB outside | $170$57 cooling, $113 heating | |
 13MHI Avanti 2.5kWDXK09ZSA‑WF1 | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4 cooling3 heating | 53 dB inside58 dB outside | $171$56 cooling, $115 heating | |
 14LG DUALCOOL AI 2.5kWAS09S0N/AS09S0U | 2.5 kW cooling3.0 kW heating | 4.5 cooling2.5 heating | 59 dB inside56 dB outside | $173$54 cooling, $119 heating | |
 15=Fujitsu Comfort 2.5kWASTH09KNCA | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4.5 cooling3 heating | 59 dB inside62 dB outside | $174$54 cooling, $120 heating | |
 15=Hisense J-Series 2.5kWHAWJ9KR | 2.5 kW cooling3.1 kW heating | 4 cooling3 heating | 59 dB inside60 dB outside | $174$56 cooling, $118 heating | |
 17=Daikin Lite 2.5kWFTXF25WVMA | 2.5 kW cooling3.0 kW heating | 4 cooling2.5 heating | 56 dB inside59 dB outside | $175$56 cooling, $119 heating | |
 17=MHI Ciara 2.5kWDXK09ZTLA‑WF | 2.5 kW cooling3.0 kW heating | 3 cooling3 heating | 55 dB inside58 dB outside | $175$64 cooling, $111 heating | |
 17=Samsung Aero 2.5kWAR09DXFZCWKNSA / AR09DXFZCWKXSA | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4.5 cooling3 heating | 54 dB inside60 dB outside | $175$54 cooling, $121 heating | |
 17=Samsung AI Smart AIRISE WindFree 2.5kWAR09BXECNWKNSA / AR09BXECNWKXSA | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4.5 cooling3 heating | 54 dB inside60 dB outside | $175$54 cooling, $121 heating | |
 21Daikin Zena 2.5kWFTXJ25T2VMAW / FTXJ25T2VMAK | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 3.5 cooling3 heating | 56 dB inside59 dB outside | $179$60 cooling, $119 heating | |
 22TCL BreezeIN 2.0 2.6kWTAC‑10CHSD/VFIH | 2.64 kW cooling3.3 kW heating | 4.5 cooling3 heating | 54 dB inside63 dB outside | $181$56 cooling, $125 heating | |
 23Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-EF 2.5kWMSZ‑EF25VG | 2.5 kW cooling3.2 kW heating | 4 cooling2.5 heating | 53 dB inside55 dB outside | $182$58 cooling, $124 heating |
Source: Australian GEMS registry · median of 170 Sydney residential tariffs, including GST · Refreshed monthly · Last updated September 2026. Stars are for the energy label’s average climate zone, which includes Sydney. Noise is the sound level on the energy label, in decibels. Mitsubishi Electric makes the MSZ-LN, the MSZ-AP and the MSZ-EF. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI in the table) makes the Avanti Plus, the Avanti and the Ciara. They are two different companies.
What the numbers mean
More heating output, more energy a year
Heating output here runs from 2.7 to 3.3 kW. On the energy label, a unit with more output also uses more energy over a year, even when it is just as efficient. To compare efficiency, look at the stars: more stars, less energy for the same job.
How loud they are
Lower is quieter. On the energy label, the indoor units here range from 53 to 59 decibels and the outdoor units from 55 to 64. For the indoor unit, brochures often print a different measure (sound pressure), which reads lower than the label.
Cost for an hour
At the size in the table, these units cost 14c to 20c an hour to cool and 16c to 24c an hour to heat. That is at 31.79c a kWh. For your bill, the yearly figures in the table are the better guide.
Western Sydney and Wollongong
Western Sydney and Wollongong are on a different power network, Endeavour Energy. The middle price there is 30.65c a kWh, including GST. The same units cost $124 to $176 a year there.
A 2.5kW cools up to about 18 to 21 m²
That is a bedroom or a study: up to 21 m² if the room faces north and 18 m² if it faces east, insulated, in the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries sizing chart. West-facing windows, high ceilings and poor insulation mean you need more.
For a bigger room, compare 3.5kW split systems.
Prefer nothing on the wall? We also install 2 cassette systems, 1 bulkhead / slim duct unit and 1 floor console unit in this size.
What sets the installed price
- The length of pipe between the indoor and outdoor units. This changes the price most.
- Access: a second storey, a wall bracket up high, the wall the pipe goes through.
- Your switchboard and power supply.
The government register lists 22 of these 23 units as single-phase and none as three-phase. The installation cost guide covers each item. We give you a fixed price in writing before any work starts.
2.5kW split systems, answered
How much does a 2.5kW split system cost to run in Sydney?
A 2.5kW split system here costs $128 to $182 a year to cool and heat. That is at the middle price of Sydney power plans (31.79c a kWh, including GST). The cheapest to run is the ActronAir Serene 2.6kW. Your own bill depends on how many hours you use it and on your power plan.
Is a 2.6 kW split system the same as a 2.5kW?
Yes, for choosing a size. 20 of the 23 units here are rated 2.5 kW. The other 3 are rated 2.6 kW, and this page lists them all.
What size room will a 2.5kW air conditioner cool?
Up to about 21 m² in an insulated room that faces north, or 18 m² if it faces east, in the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries sizing chart. West-facing windows, high ceilings or poor insulation mean you need more, so size your room before you choose.
How loud is a 2.5kW split system?
On the energy label, the indoor units here range from 53 to 59 decibels and the outdoor units from 55 to 64. Lower is quieter. The quietest indoor units are the MHI Avanti 2.5kW and the Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-EF 2.5kW, both at 53 decibels.
How much does a 2.5kW split system cost installed?
It depends on the job. The length of pipe between the indoor and outdoor units, access (a second storey, a wall bracket up high) and your switchboard all change the price. Our installation cost guide explains each one. Ask for a quote and you get a fixed price in writing first.
Guides & advice
Buying guideWhat size air conditioner do I need? Room size to kW
Air conditioner size is measured in kilowatts, not the physical box on the wall, and getting it right is the difference between a system that quietly keeps up and one that costs more and never feels comfortable. Here is how to go from your room to a sensible kW range, what shifts that number, and how we size it against real systems.
Read
Energy & costsSame size, different bill: what the energy star rating is worth in dollars
At 7 kW, the 2-star and the 4-star wall splits we install are $111 a year apart to run at the Sydney median rate; at 2.5 kW the whole field spans $73. Here is what a star is worth, size by size, from the official figures.
Read
Energy & costsWhat reverse-cycle heating costs in a Sydney winter
In the official Sydney-zone figures, every one of the 276 rated models we install uses more energy heating than cooling. A bedroom split runs $86 to $125 a winter at the Sydney median rate, a 7 kW living-room split $283 to $363, a 14 kW ducted system $528 to $874.
Read
Let’s get your place comfortable.
Free fixed-price quotes in writing before any work starts, and a local team that turns up when they say they will.