How Much Does a Heat Pump Cost in Ireland?
A heat pump costs €9,000–€14,000 fully installed in Ireland in 2026. That covers the most common system — an air to water heat pump — including the unit, installation labour, hot water cylinder, and typical radiator upgrades. Ground source systems cost €14,000–€18,000.
The SEAI grant of up to €12,500 (from 3 February 2026) changes the maths completely: the net cost for many homes falls to €1,500–€6,000. This guide breaks down every cost line so you know what a fair quote looks like.
Last updated August 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Quick Answer
A heat pump costs €9,000–€14,000 fully installed in Ireland: €4,000–€7,000 for the air to water unit, €3,000–€5,000 for installation and labour, €800–€1,500 for a hot water cylinder, and €1,000–€3,000 for radiator upgrades if needed. The SEAI grant covers up to €12,500 (€6,500 unit + €2,000 heating system upgrade + €4,000 renewable heat bonus), bringing the net cost to €1,500–€6,000 for most homes. Running costs are €600–€1,000 a year, roughly half the cost of oil heating.
Heat pump cost breakdown: where the money goes
A heat pump quote is more than the unit itself. For a typical air to water installation in an Irish 3-bed home, the full price splits like this:
| Cost Item | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air to water heat pump unit | €4,000–€7,000 | Daikin, Mitsubishi, Grant, Nibe, Samsung, Vaillant |
| Installation & labour | €3,000–€5,000 | 2–3 days for air source |
| Hot water cylinder | €800–€1,500 | Usually replaced; heat pumps need a compatible cylinder |
| Radiator upgrades | €1,000–€3,000 | Only if existing radiators are undersized |
| BER assessments (before & after) | €300–€500 | Required for the SEAI grant |
| Total before grant | €9,000–€14,000 | |
| SEAI grant (up to) | −€12,500 | From 3 February 2026 |
| Net cost after grant | €1,500–€6,000 | Depends on grant components you qualify for |
Quotes vary between installers for the same house — always compare at least three. Prices assume a home with reasonable insulation; poorly insulated homes may need insulation work first, which is not included above.
Heat pump prices by system type
| System Type | Installed Cost | SEAI Grant | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air to water | €9,000–€14,000 | Up to €12,500 | Most Irish homes (~90% of installations) |
| Ground source (ground to water) | €14,000–€18,000 | Up to €12,500 | Rural homes with garden space |
| Exhaust air | €7,000–€10,000 | Up to €12,500 | New builds, compact spaces |
| Air to air | €3,000–€5,000 | Not eligible | Single rooms, supplementary heating |
Air to water heat pump cost
Air to water is the standard choice for Irish homes and the price most people mean when they ask what a heat pump costs. A fully installed air to water system runs €9,000–€14,000 depending on house size, whether your cylinder and radiators need replacing, and the brand. It heats both your radiators (or underfloor heating) and your hot water, and qualifies for the full SEAI grant.
Air to air heat pump cost
Air to air units cost €3,000–€5,000 installed but only heat individual rooms and do not produce hot water. They are not eligible for the SEAI heat pump grant, so the headline price gap versus air to water narrows a lot once the grant is applied.
Heat pump cost by house size
The bigger the home, the bigger the heat pump (and the more radiators that may need upgrading). Typical installed prices before the grant:
| Home | Typical Heat Pump Size | Installed Cost (before grant) |
|---|---|---|
| 2-bed terrace or apartment | 5–8 kW | €8,000–€11,000 |
| 3-bed semi-detached | 8–11 kW | €9,000–€13,000 |
| 4-bed detached | 11–14 kW | €11,000–€15,000 |
| 5-bed+ large detached | 14–16 kW | €13,000–€18,000 |
Sizing is based on a heat loss calculation your installer performs during the survey — an oversized heat pump costs more upfront and cycles inefficiently, so a proper survey matters more than the headline kW figure.
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Installation and labour accounts for €3,000–€5,000 of the total price. An air to water installation takes 2–3 days and covers mounting the outdoor unit, plumbing it to your heating circuit and cylinder, electrical work, commissioning, and system balancing. Ground source installations cost more because of the groundworks — trenching for horizontal loops or drilling boreholes can add €3,000–€6,000 on its own.
Factors that push installation cost up:
- Replacing an old gravity-fed system with a pressurised one
- Long pipe runs between the outdoor unit and cylinder
- Switching from a back boiler or solid fuel system
- Upgrading several undersized radiators at once
- Electrical consumer unit upgrades in older homes
To claim the SEAI grant, the installation must be carried out by an SEAI-registered contractor. Browse heat pump installers by county to compare local options.
SEAI grant: what you actually pay
The SEAI heat pump grant increased to a maximum of €12,500 on 3 February 2026. It has three components:
| Grant Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Heat pump unit (air or ground source) | €6,500 |
| Central heating system upgrade | €2,000 |
| Renewable heat bonus (replacing fossil fuel) | €4,000 |
| Maximum total | €12,500 |
Worked example: 3-bed semi replacing an oil boiler
- Air to water heat pump, installed: €12,000
- Heat pump unit grant: −€6,500
- Central heating upgrade grant: −€2,000
- Renewable heat bonus (oil replaced): −€4,000
- Net cost: €1,500 — less than a boiler replacement
Eligibility: home built before 2021, SEAI-registered contractor, approved heat pump model, and BER assessments before and after. Full details in the SEAI grants guide, or check your eligibility.
Heat pump running costs
A heat pump produces 3–4 kWh of heat for every 1 kWh of electricity, which is why running costs undercut oil and gas despite electricity's higher unit price. For an average 3-bed home:
| Heating System | Annual Cost (avg 3-bed) |
|---|---|
| Electric storage heaters | €2,000–€2,800 |
| Oil boiler | €1,800–€2,500 |
| Gas boiler | €1,200–€1,800 |
| Air source heat pump | €600–€1,000 |
A night-rate or smart electricity tariff cuts running costs further, since a heat pump can heat your water and pre-warm the house on cheap overnight rates. Pairing with solar panels can cover 40–60% of the heat pump's electricity use.
Annual servicing adds €100–€200 — cheaper than a boiler service, with no combustion or flue to inspect.
Is a heat pump worth the cost?
Replacing oil heating, a heat pump saves €1,000–€1,500 a year, so a net cost of €1,500–€6,000 after the grant pays back in roughly 2–6 years. Replacing gas, savings are smaller (€500–€900/year) and payback runs 5–10 years. Before the February 2026 grant increase, payback was typically 5–12 years — the €12,500 grant has cut it dramatically.
There's also a property value effect: a heat pump typically lifts your BER by 2–3 grades, and each grade improvement adds roughly €5,000–€10,000 to home value. See the BER guide for details.
For the full technology guide — how they work, types, brands, and installation process — see our main heat pumps Ireland guide.
Heat Pump Cost FAQ
How much does a heat pump cost in Ireland?
A heat pump costs €9,000–€14,000 fully installed in Ireland in 2026. This covers an air to water system including the unit, installation, hot water cylinder, and typical radiator upgrades. After the SEAI grant of up to €12,500, the net cost falls to €1,500–€6,000 for most homes.
How much does heat pump installation cost?
Installation and labour accounts for €3,000–€5,000 of the total price for an air to water system, over 2–3 days of work. Ground source installations cost more because trenching or borehole drilling adds €3,000–€6,000.
How much does an air to water heat pump cost?
An air to water heat pump costs €9,000–€14,000 fully installed: €4,000–€7,000 for the unit, €3,000–€5,000 for installation, plus a cylinder (€800–€1,500) and radiator upgrades (€1,000–€3,000) where needed. It qualifies for the full SEAI grant of up to €12,500.
What does a heat pump cost to run per month?
Around €50–€85 a month averaged across the year for a typical 3-bed home (€600–€1,000 annually). Winter months cost more, summer months much less. That's roughly half the running cost of oil heating.
What is the cheapest way to get a heat pump in Ireland?
Claim the full SEAI grant. If you're replacing an oil, gas, or solid fuel system in a pre-2021 home, you can qualify for up to €12,500 (unit grant + heating upgrade + renewable heat bonus), which can bring a €12,000 installation down to €1,500. Always compare at least three quotes from SEAI-registered installers.
Why do heat pump quotes vary so much?
Quotes for the same house can differ by thousands because installers price radiator upgrades, cylinder replacement, and system complexity differently. Some quote a bare unit swap; others include a full heat loss survey and rebalancing. Compare quotes line by line, not just the total.
Does the cost include insulation upgrades?
No. The €9,000–€14,000 range assumes your home is already reasonably insulated. SEAI requires minimum insulation standards for the grant, so poorly insulated homes may need attic or cavity wall insulation first — though separate SEAI grants cover much of that cost too.
Is a heat pump cheaper than replacing an oil boiler?
After the SEAI grant, often yes. A new oil boiler installation costs €3,000–€4,500 with no grant support. A heat pump replacing oil can net out at €1,500–€6,000 after the €12,500 grant, then saves €1,000–€1,500 a year in fuel.
Find a Heat Pump Installer
Browse SEAI-registered heat pump installers by county. Compare reviews and request free quotes.
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Sources
Last updated: August 2026
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.
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