While a mini-split air conditioner is more affordable than adding central air, there's still a high installation cost. The final cost may depend on size, model, and capacity.
The typical installation costs between $3,150 and $9,000, according to Fixr. Per Carbon Switch, the number of zones in a home will also impact the installation price.
A two-zone setup may cost around $11,749, while a three-zone may command as much as $13,827. Besides zones, technicians will also consider a system's tonnage in pricing.
Tonnage is the unit of measure used to determine the cooling capacity of the AC. For example, a ½-ton unit typically has a single unit, which is good for a single room.
The average one-ton system with 12,000 BTUs has an average installation price of $3,000, whereas you can pay as much as $10,000 for a larger system with 60,000 BTUs.
For choosing the right number of BTUs, consider that 12,000 is ideal for about 500-600 square feet. Additionally, you'll have labor costs from $300 to $3,000 for a single unit.