Google Ads Cost Per Click for Tradies in Australia: 2026 Data by Trade and City
Google Ads cost benchmarks for 15 trades across 5 Australian capitals — plumbers, electricians, builders, handymen, and more. Real top-of-page bid data from Google Keyword Planner, October 2026.
TL;DR: Google Ads costs vary significantly by trade and city. Plumbers in Brisbane face top-of-page bids of $13.14–$66.72, while carpenters in Perth see $2.71–$10.14. "Near me" bids sit above the city average for 8 of the 15 trades, and "emergency plumber near me" has the highest top-of-page bid in the data at $73.06. This guide presents real Google Keyword Planner data from October 2026 so you can budget accurately before launch.
Most tradies considering Google Ads ask the same question: "How much will it cost?" The answer depends on three variables: which trade you're in, which city you're targeting, and whether you're bidding on high-urgency keywords like "near me" and "emergency."
This guide presents top-of-page bid ranges from Google Keyword Planner for 15 trades across five Australian capital cities, pulled on 17 October 2026. The data shows what Google's auction expects you to bid to appear at the top of search results.
Want to know how to set up Google Ads, not just what they cost? See the full how-to guide: Google Ads for Tradies: The How-To Guide That Actually Works.
What This Data Is (and What It Isn't)
Before reading the tables below, understand what you're looking at.
What the top-of-page bid range means:
Google Keyword Planner reports a low and high bid estimate for each keyword. This is Google's estimate of what advertisers bid per click to appear in the top positions (above organic results), from a low figure to a high figure.
What this is NOT:
- Not your actual cost per click (CPC). It is an estimate of what advertisers bid for top-of-page placement, not what any one advertiser pays per click. Your actual CPC depends on the specific auction you enter.
- Not cost per lead. A click is not a lead. To get from clicks to leads you divide by your conversion rate. As an illustration only: at a hypothetical 5% conversion rate, a $10 CPC works out to $200 per lead.
Method:
- Tool: Google Keyword Planner (via Google Ads API)
- Geo: Australia (geoTargetConstants/2036)
- Date pulled: 17 October 2026
- Currency: AUD
- Search volume: Average monthly searches
- Competition: Low (2), Medium (3), High (4) — Google's competition level for the keyword
All figures below are top-of-page bid ranges, not the CPC you will pay.
Cost Per Click by Trade and City (AUD)
The tables below show top-of-page bid ranges (low–high) for 15 trades across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, plus the "near me" variant for each trade.
Plumber
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| plumber sydney | 5,400 | Medium | $8.82–$47.25 |
| plumber melbourne | 4,400 | Medium | $7.73–$49.93 |
| plumber brisbane | 3,600 | High | $13.14–$66.72 |
| plumber perth | 2,900 | High | $10.42–$46.37 |
| plumber adelaide | 4,400 | Medium | $9.47–$52.35 |
| plumber near me | 49,500 | Medium | $13.01–$65.18 |
Brisbane commands the highest top-of-page bid ($66.72), but "near me" has by far the highest search volume (49,500/month) — nearly 10x any single city.
Electrician
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrician sydney | 2,400 | Medium | $5.20–$29.75 |
| electrician melbourne | 1,900 | Medium | $6.97–$32.85 |
| electrician brisbane | 1,900 | Medium | $9.53–$41.03 |
| electrician perth | 3,600 | High | $8.65–$46.97 |
| electrician adelaide | 1,600 | Medium | $9.42–$40.99 |
| electrician near me | 40,500 | Medium | $9.79–$43.91 |
Perth and "near me" sit at the top of the range. Electrician high-end bids run below plumber high-end bids in every city.
Roofer
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| roofer sydney | 1,300 | High | $10.27–$41.77 |
| roofer melbourne | 2,900 | Medium | $3.35–$35.77 |
| roofer brisbane | 1,600 | Medium | $5.54–$33.40 |
| roofer perth | 260 | Medium | $6.68–$63.87 |
| roofer adelaide | 880 | Medium | $6.97–$25.82 |
| roofer near me | 5,400 | Medium | $7.17–$37.90 |
Perth shows the highest top bid ($63.87) despite the lowest search volume (260/month).
Builder
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| builder sydney | 1,600 | High | $5.57–$22.43 |
| builder melbourne | 2,400 | Medium | $3.90–$16.44 |
| builder brisbane | 1,900 | High | $4.30–$16.37 |
| builder perth | 2,400 | High | $4.87–$22.82 |
| builder adelaide | 210 | Medium | $3.44–$20.53 |
| builder near me | 5,400 | Medium | $6.10–$24.57 |
Builders sit in the $3–$6 low range, $16–$24 high range. "Near me" again shows the highest volume.
Painter
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| painter sydney | 390 | Medium | $3.24–$22.95 |
| painter melbourne | 1,000 | High | $3.82–$23.24 |
| painter brisbane | 320 | High | $3.49–$24.03 |
| painter perth | 880 | High | $3.43–$23.25 |
| painter adelaide | 320 | High | $4.03–$25.99 |
| painter near me | 4,400 | Medium | $5.56–$22.59 |
Tight bid range across all cities — painters sit at $3.24–$4.03 on the low end and $22.95–$25.99 on the high end.
Carpenter
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| carpenter sydney | 880 | Medium | $3.43–$12.11 |
| carpenter melbourne | 880 | Medium | $2.66–$10.46 |
| carpenter brisbane | 720 | Medium | $2.93–$12.08 |
| carpenter perth | 720 | Medium | $2.71–$10.14 |
| carpenter adelaide | 590 | Medium | $2.89–$13.65 |
| carpenter near me | 5,400 | Medium | $2.95–$10.42 |
Among the lowest bid ranges in this dataset, at $2.66–$13.65 across all cities and "near me".
Landscaper
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| landscaper sydney | 1,300 | Medium | $3.91–$14.96 |
| landscaper melbourne | 1,600 | Medium | $2.85–$10.08 |
| landscaper brisbane | 1,600 | Medium | $3.40–$12.87 |
| landscaper perth | 720 | High | $2.04–$5.90 |
| landscaper adelaide | 590 | High | $1.93–$7.51 |
| landscaper near me | 2,900 | Medium | $3.31–$12.32 |
Perth and Adelaide show the lowest top-of-page bids in this category. Sydney is the most expensive.
Concreter
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| concreter sydney | 480 | Medium | $2.80–$14.62 |
| concreter melbourne | 720 | Medium | $3.95–$13.75 |
| concreter brisbane | 1,900 | Medium | $3.96–$13.87 |
| concreter perth | 1,000 | Medium | $2.95–$10.12 |
| concreter adelaide | 720 | Medium | $2.40–$8.52 |
| concreter near me | 9,900 | Medium | $3.89–$14.02 |
Concreters see $2.40–$3.96 low and $8.52–$14.62 high across the cities. Brisbane has the highest monthly search volume of the five cities (1,900).
Tiler
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| tiler sydney | 880 | Medium | $4.08–$15.67 |
| tiler melbourne | 480 | Medium | $4.45–$12.78 |
| tiler brisbane | 1,900 | High | $0.82–$6.03 |
| tiler perth | 720 | Medium | $2.81–$11.03 |
| tiler adelaide | 880 | Medium | $4.06–$15.11 |
| tiler near me | 4,400 | High | $3.45–$12.33 |
Brisbane is an outlier — $0.82–$6.03 despite high competition.
Plasterer
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| plasterer sydney | 480 | Medium | $3.72–$11.41 |
| plasterer melbourne | 320 | Medium | $4.22–$13.49 |
| plasterer brisbane | 390 | High | $4.34–$9.89 |
| plasterer perth | 590 | Medium | $2.04–$9.56 |
| plasterer adelaide | 260 | Medium | $3.88–$10.80 |
| plasterer near me | 4,400 | Medium | $3.18–$9.90 |
High-end bids stay between $9.89 and $13.49 across the five cities.
Handyman
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| handyman sydney | 1,000 | Medium | $3.08–$10.87 |
| handyman melbourne | 1,000 | Medium | $2.87–$11.18 |
| handyman brisbane | 1,000 | Medium | $2.77–$10.30 |
| handyman perth | 880 | Medium | $2.16–$9.86 |
| handyman adelaide | 880 | Medium | $2.70–$12.73 |
| handyman near me | 8,100 | Medium | $2.24–$10.05 |
Handymen sit in the $2–$3 low, $10–$13 high range. Volume is significant — 8,100 "near me" searches per month.
Fencer
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| fencer sydney | 880 | High | $2.20–$7.93 |
| fencer melbourne | 1,300 | High | $2.60–$8.13 |
| fencer brisbane | 1,300 | High | $2.10–$8.46 |
| fencer near me | 5,400 | Medium | $2.48–$8.99 |
Perth and Adelaide data unavailable (zero volume). Fencers have the lowest high-end bids in the dataset ($7.93–$8.99).
Locksmith
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| locksmith sydney | 2,900 | Medium | $5.23–$21.27 |
| locksmith melbourne | 1,600 | Medium | $8.01–$60.72 |
| locksmith brisbane | 2,400 | Medium | $6.05–$38.31 |
| locksmith perth | 2,400 | High | $2.42–$7.23 |
| locksmith adelaide | 2,400 | Medium | $6.12–$36.83 |
| locksmith near me | 49,500 | Medium | $4.02–$36.23 |
Melbourne has the highest locksmith top bid ($60.72), while Perth is far lower ($7.23).
Pest Control
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| pest control sydney | 8,100 | Medium | $7.94–$24.63 |
| pest control melbourne | 4,400 | Medium | $7.73–$27.29 |
| pest control brisbane | 3,600 | High | $7.66–$21.97 |
| pest control perth | 3,600 | Medium | $6.52–$19.72 |
| pest control adelaide | 2,400 | High | $6.81–$23.64 |
| pest control near me | 14,800 | Medium | $6.73–$22.29 |
Pest control sits at $6.52–$7.94 on the low end and $19.72–$27.29 on the high end. Higher bids than most other trades.
Air Conditioning Installer
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| air conditioning installer sydney | 720 | Medium | $9.25–$38.41 |
| air conditioning installer melbourne | 880 | Medium | $8.12–$30.41 |
| air conditioning installer brisbane | 1,300 | Medium | $7.02–$27.56 |
| air conditioning installer perth | 880 | High | $8.26–$34.31 |
| air conditioning installer near me | 4,400 | High | $7.26–$30.30 |
Adelaide data unavailable. Air conditioning installers see higher bids than most trades.
Trades Ranked by High-End Bid (Most Expensive First)
The table below ranks all 15 trades by their highest top-of-page bid across any city or "near me" variant. This shows which trades face the most expensive auctions.
| Rank | Trade | Highest Top Bid (AUD) | Keyword |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plumber | $66.72 | plumber brisbane |
| 2 | Roofer | $63.87 | roofer perth |
| 3 | Locksmith | $60.72 | locksmith melbourne |
| 4 | Electrician | $46.97 | electrician perth |
| 5 | Air Conditioning Installer | $38.41 | air conditioning installer sydney |
| 6 | Pest Control | $27.29 | pest control melbourne |
| 7 | Painter | $25.99 | painter adelaide |
| 8 | Builder | $24.57 | builder near me |
| 9 | Tiler | $15.67 | tiler sydney |
| 10 | Landscaper | $14.96 | landscaper sydney |
| 11 | Concreter | $14.62 | concreter sydney |
| 12 | Carpenter | $13.65 | carpenter adelaide |
| 13 | Plasterer | $13.49 | plasterer melbourne |
| 14 | Handyman | $12.73 | handyman adelaide |
| 15 | Fencer | $8.99 | fencer near me |
Plumbers, roofers, and locksmiths sit at the top of the cost ladder. Fencers and handymen sit at the bottom.
The "Near Me" Premium
"Near me" high-end bids are above the five-city average for 8 of the 15 trades, and below it for the other 7. Fencer is averaged over three cities and air conditioning installer over four (no data for the rest).
The table below compares the high-end bid for "near me" against the average high-end bid across the five capital cities for each trade.
| Trade | Avg High Bid (Cities) | High Bid (Near Me) | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber | $52.52 | $65.18 | +24% |
| Electrician | $38.32 | $43.91 | +15% |
| Roofer | $40.13 | $37.90 | -6% |
| Builder | $19.72 | $24.57 | +25% |
| Painter | $23.89 | $22.59 | -5% |
| Carpenter | $11.69 | $10.42 | -11% |
| Landscaper | $10.26 | $12.32 | +20% |
| Concreter | $12.18 | $14.02 | +15% |
| Tiler | $12.12 | $12.33 | +2% |
| Plasterer | $11.03 | $9.90 | -10% |
| Handyman | $10.99 | $10.05 | -9% |
| Fencer | $8.17 | $8.99 | +10% |
| Locksmith | $32.87 | $36.23 | +10% |
| Pest Control | $23.45 | $22.29 | -5% |
| Air Conditioning Installer | $32.67 | $30.30 | -7% |
Reading the table:
The premium is largest for builders (+25%), plumbers (+24%) and landscapers (+20%). For carpenters (-11%) and plasterers (-10%), "near me" is actually cheaper than the city average.
The "Emergency" Premium
Emergency keywords — "emergency plumber," "emergency electrician," and their "near me" variants — compared with the standard "near me" keyword for the same trade (high-end bid).
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Competition | Top-of-Page Bid (AUD) | High Bid vs Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| emergency plumber | 3,600 | High | $6.86–$65.27 | +0% vs plumber near me |
| emergency electrician | 2,400 | High | $4.62–$38.55 | -12% vs electrician near me |
| emergency plumber near me | 2,900 | Medium | $13.10–$73.06 | +12% vs plumber near me |
| emergency electrician near me | 1,300 | Medium | $9.57–$47.56 | +8% vs electrician near me |
Emergency plumber near me shows the highest top-of-page bid in this entire dataset ($73.06). Only the two "near me" emergency keywords sit above their standard equivalents (+12% and +8%). The plain "emergency plumber" bid matches "plumber near me", and "emergency electrician" is lower than "electrician near me".
City Comparison: Where Are Google Ads Most Expensive?
The table below shows the average high-end bid across the trades with data in each city (14 in Perth, 13 in Adelaide, 15 in the others), ranked from most to least expensive.
| City | Avg High Bid (All Trades) | Most Expensive Trade | Least Expensive Trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | $23.77 | Locksmith ($60.72) | Fencer ($8.13) |
| Perth | $22.94 | Roofer ($63.87) | Landscaper ($5.90) |
| Brisbane | $22.86 | Plumber ($66.72) | Tiler ($6.03) |
| Adelaide | $22.65 | Plumber ($52.35) | Landscaper ($7.51) |
| Sydney | $22.40 | Plumber ($47.25) | Fencer ($7.93) |
Melbourne and Perth are the most expensive cities on average. Sydney is the cheapest, but the gap is small: $22.40 to $23.77 across all five cities.
What This Means for Your Budget
These bid ranges give you a rough guide to what Google Ads will cost in your trade and city. But remember: top-of-page bids are not your actual CPC.
If you're a plumber in Brisbane seeing a $66.72 high bid, you don't need to budget $66 per click. Here's why:
- It is a bid estimate for top-of-page placement. What you actually pay per click depends on the auction each click enters.
- It is one keyword at a time. Each row is a single keyword, so your blended CPC across a campaign will differ.
A realistic budget formula:
Take the low-end and high-end bids for your city + trade and multiply each by 100 clicks. For a handyman in Brisbane ($2.77 low, $10.30 high), that's $277 to $1,030 for 100 clicks. Your actual spend will land somewhere different, because these are bid estimates, not the CPC you pay.
But only if:
- Your landing page converts
- You respond to leads quickly (speed to lead matters)
- You track which keywords produce jobs, not just clicks
See the full setup guide: Google Ads for Tradies: The How-To Guide That Actually Works.
How This Data Compares to the Existing Guide
The Google Ads for Tradies guide published in August 2026 included rough CPC estimates:
- Handyman (regional): $2–$4
- Pest control (general): $8–$15
- Termite/white ant: $15–$30+
How the new data compares:
- Handyman: The guide's $2–$4 range matches the low end of this data ($2.16–$3.08 across cities), but sits well below the high end. The actual top-of-page high bids for handymen range from $9.86 (Perth) to $12.73 (Adelaide). "Handyman near me" sits at $10.05 on the high end.
- Pest control: The guide's $8–$15 range is close on the low end but below the high end. This data shows pest control city lows of $6.52–$7.94 and highs of $19.72–$27.29.
Conclusion: The August guide's rough estimates sit near the low end of this data and below the high end. This October data is the deeper reference for the range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these CPCs or cost per lead?
These are top-of-page bid estimates per click, not the CPC you pay and not a cost per lead. To get cost per lead, divide your actual CPC by your conversion rate. Illustration only: a $10 CPC ÷ a hypothetical 5% conversion rate = $200 per lead.
Why is my actual CPC different from these ranges?
Google's figures are an estimate of top-of-page bids for one keyword. What you actually pay depends on the auctions your ads enter, so your real CPC will differ from these ranges. These figures are a starting point, not a guarantee.
Should I bid on "near me" keywords?
In the data above, "near me" has the highest search volume for every trade. In the regional handyman accounts we've managed, "near me" queries accounted for 21–37% of all clicks (source: Google Ads for Tradies guide). Their bids sit above the city average for some trades and below it for others, so check your own trade in the table above.
Should I bid on "emergency" keywords?
If your trade handles emergency callouts, it is worth testing. "Emergency plumber near me" has the highest top bid in the data ($73.06), so watch the cost against the jobs it produces.
How much should I budget per month?
As a rough sizing exercise, price 100–200 clicks at the low-end bid. For a handyman in Brisbane ($2.77 low bid), that's $277–$554. For a plumber in Brisbane ($13.14 low bid), that's $1,314–$2,628. Your actual CPC will differ. Track conversions and scale once you know your cost per job.
See the full budgeting guide: Tradie Marketing Budget: How Much Should You Spend?.
Which city is cheapest for Google Ads?
Sydney shows the lowest average high-end bid ($22.40) across the trades, but only just: Melbourne is highest at $23.77. Melbourne and Perth are the most expensive on average.
Why is tiler brisbane so cheap ($0.82–$6.03)?
This is an outlier. Google rates Brisbane tiler competition as high, but the top-of-page bid is far lower than in the other cities. The data doesn't say why.
Most tradies budget for Google Ads based on guesswork. This data gives you the real starting point — but the actual cost per job depends on what happens after the click. Book a free strategy call and we'll build a budget model based on your trade, city, and conversion funnel.
-- Lachy, Founder @ ClearScale
Founder & Systems Architect, ClearScale
Lachlan builds the websites, automations, and AI systems that get local service businesses more calls, more reviews, and more booked jobs. More about ClearScale →
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