Quick answer: a low-cost kitchen makeover that keeps your existing cabinets typically costs $5,000–$15,000. A budget replacement kitchen with flat-pack cabinets and laminate benchtops costs about $10,000–$25,000 for a medium kitchen. Keeping the layout is the single biggest saving.
This guide brings together our budget kitchen guides for Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast. For full renovation prices, see our kitchen renovation cost guide, or get a quick estimate with our kitchen renovation cost calculator.
Makeover or replacement?
Makeover ($5,000–$15,000): keep the cabinet boxes and layout; repaint or reface doors, replace benchtops with laminate, update the splashback, tapware, handles and lighting.
Budget replacement ($10,000–$25,000): new flat-pack or semi-custom cabinets, laminate benchtops and entry-level appliances, with plumbing and electrical in the same positions.
Where a $10,000 makeover goes
- Cabinet repainting or refacing: $2,000–$3,500
- Laminate benchtops or resurfacing: $1,500–$2,500
- Flooring refresh (vinyl or hybrid): $1,500–$2,800
- Labour for the jobs you don’t do yourself: $2,000–$4,000
- Lighting upgrades: $500–$1,000
- Painting walls and ceiling: $600–$1,200
- Splashback update: $400–$800
- Tap and sink: $400–$800
- Handles and hardware: $300–$600
Budget kitchen cost by city
Budget replacement kitchen (flat-pack, laminate, same layout), medium size:
| City | Budget kitchen |
|---|---|
| Sydney | $11,000–$27,500 |
| Darwin | $11,000–$27,500 |
| Melbourne | $10,500–$26,000 |
| Canberra | $10,500–$26,000 |
| Brisbane | $10,000–$25,000 |
| Perth | $10,000–$25,000 |
| Gold Coast | $10,000–$25,000 |
| Adelaide | $9,500–$24,000 |
| Hobart | $9,500–$24,000 |
Cost-saving strategies that work
- Keep the layout. Moving plumbing, gas or electrical is where costs escalate fastest.
- Keep the cabinet boxes. Repainting (roughly $800–$1,500 DIY or $2,000–$3,500 professionally), refacing, or replacing only doors and drawer fronts costs far less than new cabinetry.
- Choose laminate benchtops. Modern laminates look far better than they used to and cost a fraction of stone.
- Time your purchases. Hardware and flat-pack retailers run regular sales, and clearance centres and marketplace listings often have unused fittings from abandoned projects.
- Spend where you touch. Put money into tapware, drawers and hinges you use daily; save on things you only look at.
High-impact updates under $5,000
- Paint ($1,200–$1,800): cabinets, walls and ceiling; two-tone cabinetry looks designer for little cost.
- Handles and hinges ($300–$600): new hardware and soft-close hinges modernise old cabinets.
- Lighting ($800–$1,500): LED downlights and under-cabinet strips.
- Open shelving ($400–$800): remove a few upper doors or add timber shelves.
- Tap and sink ($500–$1,200): one of the most noticeable upgrades.
DIY vs professional: where to draw the line
Good DIY jobs: painting, replacing handles, fitting peel-and-stick splashbacks, installing floating shelves and laying click-lock flooring.
Leave to licensed trades: gas appliance connection, electrical work beyond simple like-for-like swaps, plumbing changes, benchtop cutting and rangehood ducting. Licensed gas, electrical and plumbing work is required in every state, and unlicensed work can void insurance and cause problems when you sell.
Three example budgets
$5,000 — cosmetic refresh. Paint the cabinets, walls and ceiling yourself; new handles and soft-close hinges; LED downlights; a new mixer tap. Everything else stays. Best when the cabinets are solid and the layout works.
$12,000 — makeover. Professionally refaced or replaced doors and drawer fronts, new laminate benchtops, a new sink and tap, a tiled or glass splashback, better lighting and fresh paint. Cabinet boxes, appliances and layout stay.
$20,000 — budget replacement. New flat-pack cabinets installed professionally, laminate benchtops, splashback, sink and tapware, with a licensed plumber and electrician reconnecting everything in the same positions. Keep the existing appliances if they’re in good shape, or add entry-level ones as budget allows.
Mistakes that blow a budget kitchen
- Moving the sink “just a little”. Any move means new waste and water runs; decide on the layout before buying anything.
- Buying before measuring. Flat-pack cabinets and appliances that don’t fit the space or openings are costly to return.
- Skipping prep on painted cabinets. Without cleaning, sanding and the right primer, paint peels within months.
- Recirculating rangehoods. They’re cheaper up front but leave grease and moisture in the kitchen; duct outside if you can.
- No contingency. Keep 10% aside for rotten boards, old wiring or surprises behind the cabinets.
Local tips
Sydney and Melbourne: higher trade rates make DIY prep and painting worth more; apartment buildings may restrict work hours. Perth: keep the sink and cooktop where they are, as moving services on a slab is expensive. Gold Coast: in humid conditions, choose moisture-resistant cabinet board and a ducted rangehood rather than recirculating.
FAQ
Can you renovate a kitchen for $10,000?
Yes, as a makeover: keep the cabinet boxes and layout, repaint or reface, and swap to laminate benchtops, new tapware and lighting.
Is flat-pack worth it?
For most budget renovations, yes. Flat-pack carcasses are durable; spend the savings on better doors, drawers and hardware.
What should I never cut corners on?
Licensed gas, electrical and plumbing work, and a properly ducted rangehood.