The Solar Choice Price Index measures the cost of solar power systems on a dollar per watt ($/W) basis. This pricing metric helps consumers and industry stakeholders understand the average prices of residential solar system installations across different regions in Australia. The price per watt is a key factor in comparing the cost-effectiveness of solar power systems, considering the total cost of installation divided by the system’s capacity in watts. This index can provide insights into trends in solar pricing, influencing decisions for potential solar energy adopters by highlighting the average upfront investment required to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system.
Solar Choice has been publishing the Solar Panel Price Index for residential solar & commercial-scale solar since 2012 and 2014, respectively. We regularly compile pricing & product and warranty information from our pre-vetted network of over 200 installers to produce the Residential Solar PV Price Index and Commercial Solar Price Index. We update this information monthly to help Australians understand – how much do solar panels cost.
Our price index is used frequently as a benchmark to residential customers and businesses as Australia’s best guide on how much solar panels cost and is included in reports derived by industry experts such as UNSW, SunWiz and Bloomberg NEF.
The below table shows the average solar panel cost by city & size of solar panels installed (DC). The prices in all the below tables include the up-front incentive available for small-scale systems through the Renewable Energy Target (i.e. ‘STC discount’) and GST – they represent the total retail price of the system to the customer.
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A commonly sized 6kW Solar PV System would cost between $4,000 and $6,000 in most states in Australia and a 10kW system would cost between $7,500 and $10,500. If you want to use top of the line products – see the premium solar system price table further down this page.
Solar Panel Price by Brand (Per-Panel Estimates 2025)
So, how much does a solar panel cost in Australia? In 2025, the average per-panel solar electricity price is about $80 to $300+, depending on the brand and wattage. Budget solar panels usually cost under $150 each, while premium high-efficiency modules can exceed $250–$300 per panel.
Prices also vary by brand. Manufacturers such as Seraphim, Jinko, Trina, and Aiko typically retail between $80–$150 per panel, while premium options like SunPower, REC, and Tindo sit higher at $250–$300+ each. The table below compares estimated per-panel solar power prices by brand, giving Australians a clearer view of how panel choice can influence the overall cost of going solar.
While these brand-by-brand figures give a sense of the retail cost of individual solar panels, they only represent part of the total system cost. A typical residential system can include 14–28 panels, depending on whether you choose a 6.6 kW or 10 kW setup. That means the difference between budget and premium panels can add several thousand dollars to the hardware component alone.
However, panels are only one element of a complete solar installation. Inverters, mounting equipment, cabling, monitoring, labour, and GST all add to the final bill. This is why the Solar Choice Price Index continues to use $/W installed pricing as the key benchmark — it reflects what Australians actually pay once the entire system is accounted for, not just the panels themselves.
Premium Solar Panel Costs (September 2025)
We ask each installer on the Solar Choice network to put down a standard offer and a premium offer. Solar installers generally have tiers of offers to cater to consumers on a budget, or consumers willing to pay more for higher-quality to products. The Solar Choice Price Index references the standard offer prices are these are most commonly selected by customers.
The average solar panel cost in the below table reflects the premium offers from the Solar Choice installer network. These systems come at a 20-30% higher price than the standard offers based on the higher cost of the underlying equipment.
3kW
4kW
5kW
6kW
7kW
10kW
Adelaide, SA
$4,820
$5,350
$5,820
$6,550
$7,560
$10,140
Brisbane, QLD
$5,030
$5,720
$6,170
$6,640
$7,720
$10,330
Canberra, ACT
$4,600
$5,160
$5,570
$5,980
$7,170
$9,230
Darwin, NT
$5,160
$7,680
$8,740
$10,770
$12,260
$18,330
Hobart, TAS
$5,590
$6,590
$7,770
$8,280
$8,670
$12,390
Melbourne, VIC
$4,810
$5,420
$6,100
$6,610
$7,680
$9,900
Sydney, NSW
$4,480
$4,890
$5,770
$6,200
$7,130
$9,630
Perth, WA
$4,520
$4,940
$5,510
$6,320
$7,340
$10,770
All
$4,880
$5,720
$6,430
$7,170
$8,190
$11,340
To give an idea of what is considered a ‘premium’ solar panel and solar inverter see the below pie charts which display the most popular brand names that installers are selecting for their premium option. Note that the most used premium solar panel or inverter is not necessarily the best quality, it is simply an indicator of market share.
Four important factors that influence the solar panel costs in Australia:
1. Wholesale equipment costs
The wholesale cost of solar equipment has dropped significantly over the past 15 years as manufacturers have reach enormous economies of scale following the global growth of the industry.
The production of solar panels and inverters has mostly shifted to China and other Asian countries and are produced in Gigawatt scale, highly automated manufacturing facilities. The introduction of robotics and AI has also had an material effect on the quality and efficiency of the output of these facilities.
2. The Australian Dollar
Most components for a solar system come from overseas. As the relative price of the Australian Dollar changes, solar equipment manufacturers distributors rapidly change their prices to reflect this.
Most quotes for installing solar are only valid for 7 to 30 days so that solar installers are not forced to wear any underlying changes in cost. In general, an increase in the AUD/USD rate will lower the cost of a solar quote, and vice versa.
3. The Solar Rebates
The federal solar rebate – STC program – winds back each year until it is phased out completely in 2030. This provides upward pressure on solar pricing but has been overshadowed in the early solar years with the cost of solar decreasing.
Since 2021 we have not seen major decreases in the wholesale solar equipment costs and this decreased rebate value has led to the net cost of solar increasing slightly in recent years. This can be seen in the graph at the top of this article.
4. Competition and Cheap Solar Panels
The solar industry is one of Australia’s most competitive markets with over 6,000 contractors accredited by the Clean Energy Council to install solar. As a result, the margins have been forced to be very slim in the market.
Unfortunately, this has driven some installers to sacrifice the quality of products and services to offer ‘crazy prices’ and support them with broad-scale marketing efforts to drive high volumes. These tactics have provided downward pricing pressure, but in most cases have not improved the outcome for consumers.
What about solar panel costs in the future?
Many people in the solar industry expect solar panel costs to continue to decline, albeit at a much slower pace. Manufacturers continue to progressively release improvements in cell efficiency and panel designs which are now edging leading Solar Panels towards 1,000W of power.
However, a lot of the early step-change efficiencies of production have already been achieved in robotic-driven factories of enormous scale. Additionally in Australia, the STC rebate reduces each year until it is scheduled to phase out completely in 2030.
In the future, we expect the average cost of solar to increase each year for residential systems.
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Commercial solar panel costs (Price Index)
Since May 2014, Solar Choice has been publishing commercial-scale solar PV system prices for each of Australia’s capital cities across a range of popular system sizes. Solar Choice manages tenders for a wide range of commercial solar projects around Australia. The figures in the tables below are based on data from our extensive network of solar installers, many of which specialize solely in commercial-scale solar projects.
Companies in our network upload their pricing & product information for us to present to our commercial clients in our free & impartial quote comparisons so that the client can make an informed decision about who to pursue further discussion with.
All prices in the tables below include incentives available through the federal Renewable Energy Target (i.e. STCs) as well as GST.
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Average commercial solar panel costs by city & size (August 2025)
10kW
30kW
50kW
70kW
100kW
Adelaide, SA
$8,720
$29,680
$52,660
$72,450
$90,090
Brisbane, QLD
$9,740
$26,770
$46,680
$65,840
$86,130
Canberra, ACT
$9,870
$33,510
$47,550
$61,090
$84,300
Hobart, TAS
$11,910
$28,780
$47,210
$65,390
$77,290
Melbourne, VIC
$9,740
$26,850
$47,660
$62,630
$83,590
Sydney, NSW
$9,310
$25,300
$45,490
$62,290
$81,270
Perth, WA
$12,400
$29,940
$53,660
$69,960
$86,070
All
$10,240
$28,690
$48,700
$65,660
$84,110
Average commercial solar panel costs per watt (August 2025)
Average
10kW
30kW
50kW
70kW
100kW
Adelaide, SA
$0.96
$0.79
$0.98
$1.05
$1.03
$0.90
Brisbane, QLD
$0.89
$0.92
$0.82
$0.92
$0.95
$0.86
Canberra, ACT
$0.94
$0.95
$1.11
$0.95
$0.87
$0.84
Hobart, TAS
$0.90
$1.11
$0.88
$0.87
$0.86
$0.73
Melbourne, VIC
$0.91
$0.95
$0.89
$0.95
$0.89
$0.84
Sydney, NSW
$0.85
$0.84
$0.82
$0.90
$0.87
$0.80
Perth, WA
$0.96
$1.11
$0.91
$0.98
$0.94
$0.84
Average
$0.95
$0.95
$0.92
$0.95
$0.92
$0.83
Historic average commercial solar panel costs (May 2014 – August 2025)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much do solar panels cost in Australia in 2025?
As of September 2025, the average cost of a residential solar system in Australia is around $0.88–$0.95 per watt installed after the federal STC rebate. This means a 6kW system typically costs $4,000–$6,000, while a 10kW system costs $7,500–$10,500. Prices vary by city, with Darwin at the higher end and Perth at the lower end.
What is the average cost per watt of solar in Australia?
In 2025, the national average price per watt ($/W) for residential solar panels ranges from $0.88 to $0.95 fully installed, including GST and the STC rebate. This $/W figure is the industry benchmark used in the Solar Choice Price Index, as it standardises system size differences and reflects the true cost Australians pay.
How much does a 6.6kW solar system cost in 2025?
A 6.6kW solar system in 2025 typically costs between $4,500 and $6,000 in most Australian states, after rebates. City averages range from about $4,750 in Perth to over $9,300 in Darwin. Premium systems using high-efficiency panels and branded inverters generally cost 20–30% more.
How much does a 10kW solar system cost in Australia?
In September 2025, a 10kW residential solar system costs around $7,500–$10,500 depending on city and product quality. Standard packages fall closer to the lower end of that range, while premium systems with panels from SunPower, REC, or Tindo, and higher-end inverters, push prices higher.
What is the cost of premium solar panels compared to standard panels?
Premium solar systems in 2025 cost 20–30% more than standard systems. For example, a 6kW premium system is around $6,500–$8,500, compared to $5,000–$6,000 for a standard setup. Premium pricing reflects higher-efficiency panels (e.g. SunPower, REC, Tindo), stronger warranties, and branded inverters, though standard systems remain the most common choice.
What does a single solar panel cost in Australia?
In 2025, the cost of an individual solar panel in Australia ranges from $80 to over $300 per panel, depending on brand and wattage. Budget panels from Jinko, Trina, or Seraphim retail for under $150 each, while premium modules like SunPower or REC cost $250–$300+. A typical home system uses 14–28 panels.
Will solar power prices go down in the future?
Solar panel prices are expected to decline only gradually in the coming years, as most manufacturing efficiencies have already been achieved. In Australia, the federal STC rebate steps down annually until 2030, which puts upward pressure on prices. The industry expects the net cost of solar to increase slightly year by year.
Jeff has consulted on over 20MW of commercial solar projects, ranging from SMEs to ASX top 100 companies. Jeff has also provided independent advice to 100s of residential solar, battery and EV charging customers across every state in Australia. He holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and is an expert in business strategy and financial analysis.
