How much does it cost to build apartments in Sydney?
As an indicative 2026 range, an apartment building (three storeys and over) in Sydney costs about $4,200 to $5,000 per m² at standard finish, $4,800 to $5,800 at mid finish and $5,800 to $7,000 at luxury finish, excluding GST.
Price yours in the calculator Get a fixed priceAn apartment building of three storeys or more is a heavy build: concrete structure, full fire protection, a lift, usually basement parking and a sprinkler system. That is why the rate per square metre steps up from a manor house even though the apartments inside may be the same size. The numbers below are for the building; the land, the design team, the approval and the selling costs sit on top, and most projects of this size are financed and run as developments rather than built by an owner.
Sydney rates, 2026
| Finish | Per m² of floor area | For 800 m² | Per home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard project-home specification | $4,200 to $5,000 | $3.36m to $4.00m | $420k to $500k |
| Mid where most owner-occupier work lands | $4,800 to $5,800 | $3.84m to $4.64m | $480k to $580k |
| Luxury architect-detailed, bespoke joinery | $5,800 to $7,000 | $4.64m to $5.60m | $580k to $700k |
Excluding GST. The 800 m² example is 8 homes, gross floor area across all levels, garages and balconies excluded.
What the three levels of finish mean for apartments
Standard
A straightforward three-to-four storey walk-up or small lift building, repeated plans, builder's-range finishes.
Mid
A designed building with a lift and basement, stone and timber inside, good glazing and common areas. Where most small developments land.
Luxury
Architect-designed, large apartments, premium facade and lobby, full basement, high-performance envelope.
Worked examples
| Floor area | Standard | Mid | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m² | $3.36m to $4.00m | $3.84m to $4.64m | $4.64m to $5.60m |
| 1,500 m² | $6.30m to $7.50m | $7.20m to $8.70m | $8.70m to $10.50m |
| 3,000 m² | $12.60m to $15.00m | $14.40m to $17.40m | $17.40m to $21.00m |
Build cost only, excluding GST and the items below. Run your own floor area through the calculator.
What drives the number
- The basement: parking under the building is the single biggest cost after the structure, and the ground conditions decide it.
- Lifts, fire stairs, sprinklers and the fire-rated structure that the code requires from three storeys up.
- Efficiency: the share of the floor that is apartments rather than corridors, lobbies and plant decides what you can sell.
- Scale: a 30-apartment building is cheaper per square metre than an 8-apartment one, because the lift, basement and site set-up are shared by more homes.
On top of the build
- Demolition of the existing house: about $40k to $70k.
- A steep or difficult site: add about 8% to 15%.
- Bushfire construction on bushfire-prone land: add about 3% to 6%.
- Not included: GST, design and council fees, connections and contributions, landscaping, finance and holding costs.
Which kind of apartment building is yours?
No lift, surface or at-grade parking; the cheapest apartment building there is.
A lift, a basement and a small lobby; the usual owner-developer project.
Scale brings the rate down; the planning pathway and the finance set the program.
Large apartments, premium facade, concierge-style lobby.
A retail ground floor, loading and separate fire compartments add to the rate.
What these look like
Design studies, not Estier projects.
Questions people ask
What does a 1,500 m² apartment building cost in Sydney?
About $6.3m to $7.5m at standard finish, $7.2m to $8.7m at mid and $8.7m to $10.5m at luxury in 2026 for the building, excluding GST, land, basement parking (about $70,000 to $110,000 a space), design, approvals and selling costs.
Why do apartments cost more per square metre than a manor house?
Concrete structure, a lift, fire stairs, sprinklers and a basement. A manor house is two storeys of fire-rated timber with cars at the rear; an apartment building is a different class of construction.
How many apartments fit on a block?
It depends on the zoning, the floor space ratio and the height limit, and on the state low and mid-rise rules near centres. Block Checker reads the address against the planning rules.
How long does an apartment building take?
Eighteen to thirty months on site depending on size and the basement, after a design and DA period of a year or more.
Can I build apartments as an owner rather than a developer?
You can, but from three storeys the project needs a builder with the licence class, a certifier, an engineer, a fire engineer and construction finance. Most owners partner with or sell to a developer.
Before you price it
Make sure the block can take it. Check what your block can carry on Block Checker — enter the address and see the lot, the zone and what it can carry under the rules today.
Want the real number?
These are planning ranges, not a quote. Estier designs and builds in Sydney and gives a fixed price against a drawn scheme. Send the brief.
Other Sydney build costs: Duplex · New house · Terraces · Manor house · Granny flat · Renovation
Indicative only. Rates are built off the RLB Riders Digest (Sydney, 2026 edition) and cross-checked against current Sydney builder pricing. They are a planning range, not a quote.