How Much Does Artificial Grass Cost in Australia 2026
Thinking about ditching the mower and laying synthetic turf? The first question every homeowner asks is a fair one: how much does artificial grass actually cost? In most of Australia in 2026 you're looking at roughly $70 to $120 per square metre fully installed, though a small tidy-up job or a big premium lawn can land well outside that band.
This guide breaks down the real numbers — supply-only rates, installation labour, and what a typical Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane backyard ends up costing once the job's done. We'll show you what drives the price up, where you can save, and how to get a ballpark for your own lawn in about 30 seconds using the free artificial grass cost calculator.
Whether you're doing a 15 m² courtyard in Bondi or a 120 m² backyard on the Gold Coast, the same cost drivers apply — you just scale them up.
Last updated: July 2026.
Key takeaways
- Fully installed artificial grass costs roughly $70–$120 per m² in Australia in 2026, with budget jobs from about $50/m² and premium landscape-grade turf up to $150/m².
- Supply-only turf runs $20–$70 per m²; professional installation adds another $30–$60 per m² on top.
- Ground preparation is the biggest hidden cost — excavation, road base and compaction can be a third of the total.
- A typical 50 m² backyard lands around $4,000–$7,500 installed; a small 20 m² courtyard is closer to $1,500–$3,000.
- The cheapest lever is doing your own base prep or choosing a mid-range pile height instead of the top-shelf product.
What this guide covers
- Average artificial grass cost per square metre in 2026
- Cost by lawn size (courtyard, backyard, large lawn)
- What drives the price up or down
- Supply-only vs fully installed
- DIY vs hiring a professional
- Ongoing and maintenance costs
- Frequently asked questions
Artificial grass cost per square metre in 2026
Artificial grass costs between $70 and $120 per square metre fully installed in Australia in 2026, depending on turf quality, base preparation and access. The table below shows the typical installed ranges by job type — these are indicative figures based on estimates generated through Leadkit's artificial grass cost calculator using current Australian landscaping rates.
| Job type | Turf grade | Typical installed cost (per m²) | Example area | Total range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget courtyard | Entry-level, 20–25 mm pile | $50–$75 | 20 m² | $1,000–$1,500 |
| Standard backyard | Mid-range, 30–37 mm pile | $80–$110 | 50 m² | $4,000–$5,500 |
| Premium lawn | Landscape-grade, 40 mm+ pile | $110–$150 | 100 m² | $11,000–$15,000 |
| Supply only (no install) | Any grade | $20–$70 | Per m² | — |
This is a price indication only. Your tradie will confirm the final price after assessing the job.
These ranges assume a reasonably flat, accessible site with a standard base build-up. Steep blocks, poor drainage or tricky access (carrying materials through a narrow side gate, for instance) push the labour component higher. For a figure matched to your actual measurements, plug them into the artificial grass cost calculator rather than working off an average.
How much does artificial grass cost by lawn size
The total cost scales almost directly with area, because most of the price is per-square-metre turf plus labour. Here's what different-sized jobs typically cost fully installed in 2026:
- Small courtyard or verge (10–20 m²): $1,000–$3,000. Common for terrace houses in inner Sydney and Melbourne where the "lawn" is really a paved-in pocket.
- Standard backyard (40–60 m²): $3,500–$7,500. The most common residential job — a family backyard swap from tired buffalo grass to low-maintenance synthetic.
- Large lawn (80–120 m²): $7,000–$15,000. Bigger suburban blocks in Perth, Adelaide and the outer growth corridors.
- Around a pool or on a rooftop: add 15–25% for edging, drainage detailing and safe fixings.
Across the artificial grass jobs quoted through Leadkit, the two numbers that move a homeowner's total the most are the area and the base prep — not the turf brand. Get those measured accurately and your quote gets a lot more honest. You can sense-check a landscaping-wide budget against our Sydney landscaping cost guide if artificial grass is part of a bigger yard makeover.
What drives artificial grass prices up or down
Turf quality, ground preparation and site access are the three biggest levers on the final price. Understanding each one tells you exactly where your money's going.
Pile height and turf grade. Pile height is the length of the synthetic blades in millimetres — entry-level turf sits around 20–25 mm, mid-range 30–37 mm, and premium landscape lawns run 40 mm and up. Taller, denser pile with a realistic thatch layer looks and feels better underfoot but costs more per metre. A higher face weight (grams of yarn per square metre) also signals a longer-lasting product.
Ground preparation. This is the hidden cost that catches people out. A proper install means excavating the existing lawn, laying and compacting a road base sub-base (crushed rock that gives a stable, free-draining foundation), then a screeded layer of crusher dust before the turf goes down. On a lawn with poor drainage or lots of tree roots, prep alone can be a third of the total.
Infill and weed matting. Infill — usually kiln-dried silica sand brushed into the pile — keeps the blades upright and weighs the turf down. A geotextile weed mat under the base stops weeds pushing through. Both are cheap in isolation but standard on any quality job.
Access and edging. Wheelbarrowing road base through a single-width side gate takes far longer than a driveway drop. Timber, aluminium or concrete edging to hold the turf also adds up on jobs with long perimeters.
Supply-only vs fully installed
Supply-only artificial grass costs $20–$70 per square metre; a full professional installation typically doubles that once labour and base materials are included. Buying the roll yourself from a turf supplier or Bunnings and laying it over an existing hard surface is the cheapest route — but it only works well on a small, already-flat, well-drained area like a balcony or courtyard.
For anything on soil, the base build-up is where a professional earns their fee. Skipping proper excavation and compaction is the number-one reason DIY lawns end up lumpy, hold water, or grow weeds within a season. If you're comparing this against real grass, our turf installation cost guide shows how the per-metre economics stack up.
Want a quick supply-and-install ballpark? Use the free artificial grass cost calculator — it takes about 30 seconds and there's no signup. Results are an indication only; your installer confirms the final price after seeing the site.
DIY vs hiring a professional installer
A confident DIYer can save 30–50% on labour, but only on small, flat areas with existing drainage. The turf itself is the same price either way — the saving is entirely in the base prep and laying labour.
Where DIY makes sense: a 10–20 m² courtyard, balcony or pet run over pavers or compacted ground. Where it usually doesn't: anything over about 30 m², sloped blocks, or lawns needing new drainage. Hiring a landscaper who does this weekly gets you a flatter finish, proper falls for water runoff, and turf seams you can't see.
Before you hire, get at least three written quotes and check the tradie's licensing and insurance. In New South Wales, landscaping and structural work above set thresholds needs the right credentials — NSW Fair Trading explains when a licence and a written contract are required, and the equivalent bodies (VBA in Victoria, QBCC in Queensland) apply in other states. A calculator estimate is a great way to walk into those quote conversations already knowing the ballpark, so nobody can pad the number.
Ongoing and maintenance costs
Artificial grass has almost no running costs — no watering, no mowing, no fertiliser — which is where it pays you back over 10–15 years. A good synthetic lawn lasts a decade or more, so the upfront spend spreads thin over its lifespan.
Maintenance is minimal: a periodic brush to lift the pile, a hose-off or leaf-blow to clear debris, and topping up infill every few years. Budget maybe $50–$150 a year in odds and ends versus the water, power and weekend hours a real lawn demands. With water usage a live issue in many Australian cities — Sydney Water and other utilities publish current water-wise guidance and restrictions — a lawn that never needs a sprinkler is an easy sell in drought-prone suburbs.
It's worth weighing the switch against keeping natural turf and paying for upkeep. Our lawn mowing cost guide gives you the recurring figure to compare against artificial grass's near-zero running cost. Cost-of-living pressure — tracked by the Australian Bureau of Statistics — is a big reason more homeowners are crunching that maintenance-vs-upfront maths in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much does artificial grass cost per square metre in Australia?
A: Artificial grass costs roughly $70–$120 per square metre fully installed in 2026, though budget jobs start near $50/m² and premium landscape-grade turf can reach $150/m². The turf itself is $20–$70 per m² supply-only, with professional installation adding $30–$60 per m² for excavation, base and laying. The exact figure depends on turf grade, how much ground prep your site needs, and access. The quickest way to get a number for your lawn is to run your measurements through the artificial grass calculator.
Q: Is artificial grass cheaper than real turf?
A: Upfront, artificial grass is more expensive than laying natural turf, which typically costs $10–$30 per m² supplied and rolled out. But synthetic grass has almost no running costs — no water, mowing or fertiliser — so over a 10–15 year lifespan it often works out cheaper overall. If you'd otherwise pay for regular mowing and irrigation, the payback can arrive in five to seven years. Compare the two directly using our turf installation cost guide.
Q: How long does artificial grass last?
A: Quality artificial grass lasts 10–15 years with light maintenance, and many premium products carry a UV-stability warranty of 8–10 years against fading. Lifespan depends on the face weight, foot traffic and whether the base was prepped properly — a poorly compacted sub-base causes dips and premature wear far sooner than the turf itself would fail. Brushing the pile occasionally and keeping the infill topped up gets you the full lifespan.
Q: Does artificial grass add value to a home?
A: A tidy, well-installed synthetic lawn can improve a property's presentation and appeal to buyers who want a low-maintenance yard, especially in water-restricted areas or investment properties. It won't add a fixed dollar value the way a renovation might, but it removes an ongoing chore and keeps the yard looking sharp year-round. Cheap or lumpy DIY turf can have the opposite effect, so the quality of the install matters more than the fact it's synthetic.
Q: What's the cheapest way to install artificial grass?
A: The cheapest route is doing your own base prep and laying on a small, flat, well-drained area — a courtyard or balcony over pavers is ideal. You'll still pay full price for the turf ($20–$70 per m²) but save the $30–$60 per m² labour. For anything over about 30 m² or on soil, hiring a landscaper is usually worth it, because botched drainage and compaction cost more to fix than they save. Get a few quotes and sense-check them against a calculator estimate first.
Q: Do I need council approval to lay artificial grass?
A: For a standard residential lawn at ground level you generally don't need council approval, since it's treated as a landscaping finish rather than a structure. Exceptions can apply for heritage-listed properties, drainage changes, or rooftop and strata installations — always check with your local council or strata scheme first. Your installer will usually flag anything that needs sign-off during the quote.
Getting an accurate quote for your lawn
The fastest way to know what your job will cost is to measure your area and get a real quote rather than working off an average. Averages are a starting point; your actual price hinges on your specific site, turf choice and access.
Measure your lawn length by width in metres to get your area, decide roughly what turf grade you want, and then get an instant ballpark before you call installers. Walking into quote conversations with a figure already in hand means you'll spot an inflated price straight away — and you can browse related tools any time in the Leadkit calculator library.
Want an instant price estimate? Use the free artificial grass cost calculator — takes 30 seconds, no signup. Remember, every estimate is an indication only; your tradie confirms the final price after assessing the job on site.