AC replacement cost in Georgia
Data last verified July 24, 2026
Georgia carries a cost index of 0.94, so installed prices typically land a few points below the national baseline. Nationally, a code-minimum 3-ton system runs $5,000 to $11,000 installed — a wide band, and an honest one: 2025-2026 pricing sources split into a low camp and a high camp that disagree by 40-50% at the same tonnage, so we widened the range to cover both and label it an estimate rather than fake precision. Stepping up efficiency multiplies the base: figure 1.15x for 16-17 SEER2 and 1.35x for 18+ SEER2 equipment.
The efficiency floor matters more here than in most of the country. Georgia is in the DOE Southeast region, where split-system air conditioners under 45,000 Btu/hr must be rated at least 14.3 SEER2 (13.8 for larger splits) — and the rule runs on installation date, not manufacture date. A below-minimum unit cannot legally be installed in Georgia even if it was built before 2023.
Budget a small line for the permit. There is no state fee schedule; each county sets its own. Gwinnett County’s verified mechanical-only residential formula is $0.006 times construction value with a $30 minimum, so a $5,000-$15,000 changeout computes to roughly $30-$90.
Rebates claw some of the cost back. Georgia Power’s HEIP pays up to $1,000 for converting to an air-source heat pump and up to $400 for duct sealing done alongside the job; Cobb EMC members can get up to $500 on a qualifying replacement. Check who serves your meter before you sign a quote.
Estimated installed ranges for Georgia
National base × Georgia cost index (0.94). Estimate-grade — method and caveats.
| Size | Code minimum | 16–17 SEER2 (×1.15) | 18+ SEER2 (×1.35) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-ton | $3,750 – $8,000 | $4,300 – $9,200 | $5,100 – $10,800 |
| 2.5-ton | $4,250 – $8,950 | $4,850 – $10,250 | $5,700 – $12,050 |
| 3-ton | $4,700 – $10,350 | $5,400 – $11,900 | $6,350 – $13,950 |
| 3.5-ton | $5,150 – $11,300 | $5,950 – $12,950 | $7,000 – $15,250 |
| 4-ton | $5,650 – $12,700 | $6,500 – $14,600 | $7,600 – $17,150 |
| 5-ton | $6,600 – $14,100 | $7,550 – $16,200 | $8,900 – $19,050 |
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