Real installed prices for 6.6kW, 10kW, and 13kW solar systems across three cities. Wide ranges because the market is wide. What's actually moving the price in 2026, and which panels we're installing right now.
'Just tell me what it costs.' That's what I hear before we've even talked panels or inverters. Fair enough. The problem is most of the price guides out there either quote sticker prices before the rebate, bundle in a battery to inflate the number, or give you one figure that doesn't apply to anyone in particular. So here's what I actually see across the market in 2026, broken down by city and system size. Wide ranges, because the market is wide. But at least you'll have a real starting point.
There's a government rebate scheme called STCs. It's baked into every quote you get, so you'll never see it as a line item. What most people don't know is that the value of those certificates depends on your climate zone. Melbourne is zone 4. Sydney and Adelaide are zone 3. Zone 3 gets more certificates, which means a bigger discount baked in. On a 6.6kW system that's a few hundred dollars. On a 13kW system it can be $500 to $700 extra in your favour if you're not in Melbourne.
But honestly? That's not what drives the real price differences. The bigger gap is in what's actually being installed. A 6.6kW system with Aiko panels and a Fronius inverter costs more than a 6.6kW system with tier-2 panels and a budget inverter, and that's true everywhere in Australia. That quality gap is bigger than any zone difference.
Six-and-a-half kilowatts is still the most common size we install. For most households (family of three or four, reasonable daytime usage, no battery yet) it's the right starting point. It covers most of your daytime consumption without over-capitalising on a roof that isn't ideal. If your roof is partially shaded, or the house is empty most weekdays, I'd want to talk through the size before settling on 6.6kW. But for the typical home, this is where I'd start.
Wide range: $4,500 to $8,500 installed, after the federal rebate.
The lower end gets you a tier-2 panel and a reliable string inverter from a CEC-accredited installer. Not necessarily bad gear. But something has been squeezed to hit that price, and it's usually the panel quality, occasionally the inverter, sometimes both. The honest middle of the Melbourne market sits around $5,500 to $7,000. That's where you start seeing genuine N-type panels (Jinko Tiger Neo, LONGi Hi-MO X10, Aiko Neostar) paired with a proper Sungrow or Fronius inverter. Above $7,000 you're in premium territory: better panels, better inverter, possibly a more experienced installation team on a complicated roof.
One Melbourne-specific thing worth knowing: terracotta tile roofs are common across the inner and middle suburbs and they're slower to work on than metal roofing. If you're on tile, expect a small premium compared to a Colorbond roof of the same pitch.
Wide range: $4,200 to $8,200 installed, after the federal rebate.
Honestly, the numbers sit close to Melbourne. The STC zone advantage is real but it's modest on a 6.6kW system. What Sydney does have is more metal roofing, particularly Colorbond, across the western and outer suburbs. Colorbond is faster to work on than terracotta tile, which can keep quotes a bit leaner. The installer market is just as competitive. Get at least three quotes before you commit to anything.
Wide range: $4,000 to $8,000 installed, after the federal rebate.
Adelaide is consistently the most competitive market I quote in. Zone 3 helps, but honestly it's the depth of the installer market that keeps prices honest. South Australia adopted rooftop solar earlier and harder than anywhere else in the country. They've been at it for well over a decade, and it shows. There are experienced installers at every price point. You'll find more genuine options at the affordable end here than you will in Melbourne or Sydney.
If you're getting quoted above $8,000 for a 6.6kW system in Adelaide, push back. Ask exactly what's in that price.
Want a real price for 6.6kW?We install 6.6kW systems across Victoria every week. Tell us a bit about your home and we'll put together an actual quote: panels, inverter, everything included. No obligation, no hard sell.Ten kilowatts is where I see the bigger households land, and anyone thinking ahead to a battery or an EV charger. The jump from 6.6kW isn't just more panels. You're often looking at a higher-spec inverter too, and that's where a good chunk of the extra cost comes from. Worth doing once and doing it right.
Wide range: $7,000 to $13,000 installed, after the federal rebate.
At 10kW the inverter becomes a bigger piece of the total bill. A proper 10kW inverter (Fronius Primo, Sungrow SH10RT, something in that class) is a genuine step up from the 6.6kW equivalent, and going cheap here tends to come back as call-out costs a few years down the track. I've seen it enough times. The competitive middle of the Melbourne 10kW market sits around $9,000 to $11,500. At that price you should be getting solid N-type panels and a proper inverter with real Australian support.
One thing to sort before you commit: Melbourne's distribution networks vary by suburb. Some outer areas have had export limits applied. Find out what your DNSP allows before you lock in a system size.
Wide range: $6,700 to $12,500 installed, after the federal rebate.
This is the question I get from Sydney customers most often at 10kW: what do I do about Ausgrid's export limits? Single-phase connections in Ausgrid territory are capped at 5kW of export. A 10kW system will push past that at peak. So you need a plan: export limiting on the inverter, three-phase if it's available, or battery to absorb the surplus. If you're already on three-phase, none of this applies and 10kW works cleanly. Sort it before you sign the quote, not after.
Wide range: $6,500 to $12,000 installed, after the federal rebate.
The zone 3 advantage grows with system size. More panels means more STC certificates, which means more off the price. SA Power Networks has its own processes for larger residential systems, but any experienced local installer handles that as part of the job. Worth checking your suburb's network situation before you lock in the size.
Thinking 10kW? Let's talk it through.At 10kW there are more decisions to get right: inverter spec, export limits, whether three-phase makes sense for your place. I'd rather walk you through it properly than have you guess on a $10k purchase. Get in touch.Thirteen kilowatts is for households that are genuinely trying to offset most of what they use. Big family, EV on the driveway, ducted air con running hard, pool heating, and you're thinking about battery down the track. This is where the economics really start stacking up in your favour.
Most roofs can physically fit 13kW. Whether your grid connection can handle it without hitting export limits is a separate question. It's one you need to answer BEFORE you lock in a system size. Get that answer first.
Wide range: $9,500 to $16,500 installed, after the federal rebate.
At this size, the inverter choice matters more. If there's even a chance you're adding battery in the next few years, I'd be specifying a hybrid-capable inverter from day one: Sungrow SH series, Fronius GEN24, something in that class. Retrofitting later costs more than doing it right the first time. The extra cost of going hybrid at install is smaller than most people expect.
The honest middle of the Melbourne 13kW market is roughly $11,500 to $14,000 for a properly specified system. If you're seeing quotes below $9,500, start asking hard questions about what's been cut.
Wide range: $9,000 to $16,000 installed, after the federal rebate.
At 13kW, the Ausgrid single-phase export problem gets serious. A 13kW system at peak will push well over what a single-phase connection can legally send back. You need a plan before you install, not after. The options: upgrade to three-phase if it's available at your property, configure export limiting so the inverter caps what goes to the grid, or add battery so the surplus charges storage instead of hitting the cap. Don't sign a contract for 13kW on single-phase without one of these sorted.
Wide range: $8,500 to $15,000 installed, after the federal rebate.
At this size, Adelaide's better STC zone translates to roughly $500 to $800 more in federal discount compared to Melbourne. That difference flows through to a noticeably lower installed price. SA Power Networks has sign-off requirements for larger residential systems, but any experienced local installer handles that as part of the job. Worth checking your suburb's network situation before you lock in the size.
Going big with 13kW? Start here.Thirteen kilowatts needs proper planning before anything gets ordered: grid connection, phase capacity, inverter choice, battery readiness from day one. Get in touch and we'll work through it with you.A cheap quote usually means something's missing. Could be the panel. Could be the inverter. Rarely is it just a good deal.
We're selective about what goes on roofs. These are the panels we have in stock and actively install. All of them are N-type. All of them come from brands with genuine Australian presence and warranty support.
Solar is a good investment for most homeowners right now across Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide. But not every situation is right for it at this moment.
If you're planning to sell in the next two or three years, run the numbers carefully. In most markets you'll recover the cost on a quality system. But be honest about the timeline and get the suburb-specific data.
If your roof needs work, do that first. Solar goes on after the roof is sorted. Installing panels on a roof that needs replacing in five years means paying to remove and reinstall them.
If you're seriously considering a battery, look at doing both at the same time. Solar and battery together is cheaper than going back a year later, and your installer can plan the inverter choice around both from day one.
And if you're in an area with known export limits, find that out before you commit to a size. It's a five-minute conversation with your installer and it can save you from paying for capacity you can't fully use.
Ready for a real price?These ranges give you a starting point. What you actually pay depends on your home, your roof, and what you're trying to achieve. Get in touch and we'll give you a proper quote for your specific situation.Available times
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