AC Installation in Israel: What It Costs and What’s Included

Standard installation of a wall-mounted split costs about ₪⁦800–1,400⁩ up to 1.5 HP, and about ₪⁦1,200–1,800⁩ for ⁦2–4⁩ HP. That’s according to pro.co.il’s price list, including VAT.

Ranges by installation type:

• Wall split up to 1.5 HP: about ₪⁦800–1,400.⁩ This is the range in pro.co.il’s table. The text on the same page gives a wider range, up to ₪1,800.
• Wall split of ⁦2–4⁩ HP: about ₪⁦1,200–1,800.⁩ The units are heavier, and sometimes an extra worker is needed.
• Mini-central AC of ⁦3.5–7⁩ HP: about ₪⁦4,000–5,500⁩ for installing the unit, per pro.co.il.
• Mini-central AC with ducts, drywall and diffusers: per a pro.co.il guide, a 130 m² (1,400 sq ft) apartment with a 3.5 HP AC, 4 outlets and a basic dropped ceiling costs about ₪⁦15,000–⁦20,000. W⁩⁩ith a 5 HP AC and a more designed finish, about ₪⁦18,000–24,000.⁩

pro.co.il states that the ranges are updated monthly, but the page shows no update date.

Adding the AC price and installation together, a 1 HP AC with standard installation usually costs about ₪⁦1,800–3,300,⁩ and a 2 HP AC about ₪⁦3,400–5,200.⁩ Models and prices are detailed in our 1 HP and 2 HP air conditioner guides.

Standard installation usually includes mounting the indoor and outdoor units, copper piping up to about 3 meters, a short drain hose and connection to an existing electrical point. Everything else is priced separately.

What the sources say:

• pro.co.il, price list: the base price includes standard installation and full copper piping 3 meters long.
• pro.co.il, cost guide: basic installation includes ⁦2–3⁩ meters of piping at no extra charge, and a standard 2-meter drain hose.
• pro.co.il, add-ons guide: standard piping is “between ⁦2–5⁩ meters at most”, and longer piping costs money and can affect cooling.
• Tadiran: Tadiran’s guide says a standard piping length is included in the price, without stating the length.

What’s usually not included, and worth asking about: drilling through concrete, a new electrical line or outlet, hiding piping in the wall or a trunking channel, a crane, bars for the outdoor unit, and removing and disposing of the old AC.

In an “AC including installation” deal, the definition of “standard” determines the final price. Ask for the definition in writing: how many meters, which wall, and which electrical connection.

Most of the differences between quotes come from the extras. Here are the published ranges, item by item.

Piping and drainage:

• Extra meter of piping: about ₪140 plus VAT (pro.co.il price list). Another guide on the site: ₪120 per meter for ACs up to 2 HP, and ₪150 per meter for larger units. Per Tadiran, about ₪⁦100–200⁩ per meter, depending on capacity and system type.
• Extending the drain hose: about ₪⁦10–15⁩ per meter per Tadiran. Per pro.co.il, about ₪100 on average, mainly on high floors.
• Hiding piping: chiseling into a block wall about ₪80 per meter, into a concrete wall about ₪120 per meter. A PVC trunking channel is cheaper and adds a few tens of shekels (pro.co.il).

Electrical:

• Dedicated outlet: about ₪⁦300–1,000⁩ per Tadiran, when there’s no suitable infrastructure.
• Separate electrician: about ₪⁦500–600⁩ per pro.co.il, when several connections or complex wiring are needed.

Drilling and access:

• Drilling through a concrete wall: about ₪⁦300–400⁩ (pro.co.il).
• Drilling in a mamad or thick wall: about ₪⁦600–900⁩ per pro.co.il, and about ₪⁦500–1,500⁩ per Tadiran.
• Crane: about ₪⁦300–500⁩ per pro.co.il’s price list, or about ₪250 per hour per the site’s guide.
• Carrying without an elevator: about ₪200 per floor (pro.co.il).

Security: bars or a lock for the outdoor unit, about ₪⁦150–300⁩ per Tadiran.

The AC’s size determines the electrical line. A small AC usually does fine on a 10-amp line, a living-room AC needs 16 amps, and 3.5 HP needs 20 amps. That’s according to the spec sheets we checked.

Examples from the spec sheets:

• ⁦1–1.25⁩ HP: the Tadiran Air One INV 140 and 180, and the Tadiran Solo 140 INV, work with a 10-amp fuse. The Electra Relax Inverter 140 with a 1X10A breaker.
• ⁦2–2.5⁩ HP: the Tadiran Air One INV 240 and 340, and the Tadiran Alpha Pro INV 340N, with a 16C fuse. The Electra Platinum INV 250 with a 16A type C.
• 3.5 HP: the Tadiran Air One INV 370 with a 20C fuse. The Electra A Inverter 390 with 1X20A.
• Mini-central: there are three-phase models and single-phase models, such as the Tornado SLIM SQ PRO INV 40 X 1PH, whose running current is about 16.6 amps.

What this means for the quote: if there’s already a suitable dedicated line, there’s no extra. If you need a new line from the panel, per Tadiran it’s about ₪⁦300–1,000.⁩ For a large AC, ask an electrician to also check the cable gauge and the home connection. A larger breaker on a thin cable is a hazard. Don’t agree to that to save money. (Israel runs on 230V/50Hz, so ACs brought from the US on 110V or 60Hz aren’t suitable.)

Removing an old AC adds a few hundred shekels to the quote, per pro.co.il. Some installers don’t do removals, and some don’t take the old unit out of the apartment, so agree on it in advance.

When replacing an AC, there are a few more questions:

• Reusing existing piping: per Tadiran, existing piping can sometimes be reused depending on its condition, and it’s recommended that a professional inspect it. This can save the cost of new piping and the need to open walls, but only if the diameter suits the new AC.
• Electrical: if the new AC is larger, for example 2.5 HP instead of 1.5 HP, the old line may not be suitable. Per the spec sheets we checked, ⁦2–2.5⁩ HP needs a 16-amp breaker and 3.5 HP a 20-amp breaker.
• Outdoor unit location: a larger outdoor unit may not fit in the existing AC niche (mistor).
• Disposal: ask what will happen to the old unit, who removes it and whether there’s a charge.

In replacement deals, ask the installer to itemize in the quote: removal, disposal, reuse of existing piping or new piping, and an electrical check.

Installing a mini-central AC involves much more than hanging a unit: ducts, a plenum box, diffusers, a return-air opening, and usually a dropped drywall ceiling. Per pro.co.il, a typical apartment installation takes about three working days, plus about two more if the ducts are hidden in drywall.

Components and prices per pro.co.il’s installation guide, including VAT:

• Ducts: about ₪⁦100–150⁩ per meter.
• Central plenum box: about ₪⁦1,000–1,500.⁩
• Return-air opening: about ₪⁦1,000–1,500.⁩
• Additional service opening, beyond 4 outlets: about ₪⁦400–500⁩ each.
• Diffusers: slot about ₪⁦300–500,⁩ decorative about ₪⁦200–300,⁩ linear about ₪⁦400–600.⁩ A simple plastic diffuser is included.
• Dampers: 2 smart dampers about ₪⁦2,500–3,000,⁩ and 4 simple dampers at least ₪2,000.
• Electrical: per pro.co.il, a three-phase panel, a dedicated breaker and an isolator switch next to the outdoor unit are required. An outside electrician costs about ₪⁦600–800.⁩ Note that there are also single-phase models, such as the Tornado SLIM SQ PRO INV 40 X 1PH.

The packages in the guide: a 130 m² apartment with a 3.5 HP AC and 4 outlets, about ₪⁦15,000–20,000.⁩ A 5 HP AC with 4 outlets and two designer slot diffusers, about ₪⁦18,000–24,000.⁩ Models and considerations are covered in our mini-central AC guide.

Compare quotes only after every installer has answered the same questions. A cheap quote with lots of “not included” can end up more expensive.

Question list:

• Piping: how many meters are included? What’s the price per extra meter? Full copper?
• Drainage: where does the drain hose go, and what does an extension cost?
• Drilling: is there drilling through concrete, and is it included? In a mamad, what’s the price?
• Electrical: is there a suitable outlet? Who does the electrical work, and is the electrician licensed?
• Outdoor unit: where will it be installed, on what, and is a crane or carrying needed?
• Removal: are removal and disposal of the old AC included?
• Warranty: how many years of warranty on the installation? Per Tadiran, it comes from the installer and is separate from the importer’s warranty.
• Activating the importer’s warranty: who registers it? Per the importers, it must be activated within ⁦30–60⁩ days.

Good planning also saves money. Per Tadiran, place the outdoor unit where there’s good airflow, keep the distance between the units short, and plan a slope for drainage. Every meter of piping saved is worth about ₪⁦100–200.⁩

After installation, keep the invoice and warranty certificate in one place. In the first season, check there’s no dripping indoors. If there is, contact the installer first. Instructions for checking are in our AC cleaning guide.