8kW split systems, compared by what they cost to run
Every 8kW 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 $176 a year apart.
Every 8kW 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1Rinnai PB Series 8kWHSNRP80B | 7.8 kW cooling8.3 kW heating | 3.5 cooling2.5 heating | 65 dB inside67 dB outside | $542$200 cooling, $342 heating | |
 2=ActronAir Serene 8kWWRE‑080DS | 8.0 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3.5 cooling2.5 heating | 68 dB inside68 dB outside | $556$197 cooling, $359 heating | |
 2=Carrier Indigo 8kW42QAG080N8 / 38QAG080N8 | 8.0 kW cooling8.2 kW heating | 3 cooling2.5 heating | 65 dB inside67 dB outside | $556$214 cooling, $342 heating | |
 4Panasonic Z Series 8kWCS‑Z80YKR | 8.0 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3.5 cooling2.5 heating | 67 dB inside69 dB outside | $557$207 cooling, $350 heating | |
 5TCL BreezeIN 2.0 8.2kWTAC‑28CHSD/VEIH | 8.2 kW cooling8.4 kW heating | 3 cooling2.5 heating | 65 dB inside67 dB outside | $565$224 cooling, $341 heating | |
 6Panasonic RZ 8kWCS‑RZ80XKR / CU‑RZ80XKR | 8.0 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3.5 cooling2.5 heating | No figure | $574$211 cooling, $363 heating | |
 7MHI Bronte 8kWDXK28ZRA‑WF1 | 8.0 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3.5 cooling2.5 heating | 58 dB inside68 dB outside | $580$212 cooling, $368 heating | |
 8Hisense J-Series 8kWHAWJ28KR | 8.0 kW cooling8.0 kW heating | 3 cooling2.5 heating | 68 dB inside68 dB outside | $583$237 cooling, $346 heating | |
 9Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AP 8kWMSZ‑AP80VGKD2 | 7.8 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3 cooling2.5 heating | 62 dB inside65 dB outside | $601$219 cooling, $382 heating | |
 10LG DUALCOOL AI 8.5kWWH30SRN‑18/WH30SRU‑18 | 8.5 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3 cooling2.5 heating | 69 dB inside65 dB outside | $630$253 cooling, $377 heating | |
 11=Samsung Aero 8kWAR30DXFZCWKNSA / AR30DXFZCWKXSA | 8.0 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3 cooling2 heating | 64 dB inside70 dB outside | $651$233 cooling, $418 heating | |
 11=Samsung AI Smart AIRISE WindFree 8kWAR30BXECNWKNSA | 8.0 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 3 cooling2 heating | 64 dB inside70 dB outside | $651$237 cooling, $414 heating | |
 13Fujitsu Lifestyle 8.5kWASTG30KMTC | 8.5 kW cooling9.0 kW heating | 2.5 cooling2 heating | 64 dB inside66 dB outside | $667$259 cooling, $408 heating | |
 14Daikin Skywall 8.5kWFTXC85A | 8.5 kW cooling10.0 kW heating | 2.5 cooling2.5 heating | 65 dB inside71 dB outside | $718$266 cooling, $452 heating | |
 Rinnai T Series 8kWHINRT80B / HONRT80B | 8 kW | Not rated | No figure | No figure |
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. A unit with no figure is not yet in the government register under the model number we install. Mitsubishi Electric makes the MSZ-AP. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI in the table) makes the Bronte. They are two different companies.
What the numbers mean
More heating output, more energy a year
Heating output here runs from 8.0 to 10.0 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 58 to 69 decibels and the outdoor units from 65 to 71. 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 70c to 82c an hour to cool and 71c to 96c 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 $523 to $692 a year there, in the same order.
An 8kW cools up to about 57 to 67 m²
That is a large open-plan living, dining and kitchen area: up to 67 m² if the room faces north and 57 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 smaller room, compare 7kW split systems.
Prefer nothing on the wall? We also install 7 ducted systems and 2 cassette systems 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 13 of these 15 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.
8kW split systems, answered
How much does an 8kW split system cost to run in Sydney?
An 8kW split system here costs $542 to $718 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 Rinnai PB Series 8kW. Your own bill depends on how many hours you use it and on your power plan.
Is an 8.2 or 8.5 kW split system the same as an 8kW?
Yes, for choosing a size. 8 of the 12 brands here call their unit 8 kW. The others call it 8.2 or 8.5 kW, and this page lists them all.
What size room will an 8kW air conditioner cool?
Up to about 67 m² in an insulated room that faces north, or 57 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 an 8kW split system?
On the energy label, the indoor units here range from 58 to 69 decibels and the outdoor units from 65 to 71. Lower is quieter. The quietest indoor unit is the MHI Bronte 8kW.
How much does an 8kW 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.