How much does a cafe fitout cost in Sydney?
A cafe fitout in Sydney costs between about $2,500 and $5,500 per square metre in 2026, excluding GST, kitchen equipment and base-building work. Hospitality is the dearest fitout per square metre because the kitchen, exhaust, grease trap, hydraulics and the council food-premises requirements all come with it — and none of them scale down for a small shop.
Cafe fitout rates by level of finish
| Level of finish | $ per m² | Program on site |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2,500–3,200 | 6–9 weeks |
| Mid | 3,200–4,000 | 9–13 weeks |
| Premium | 4,000–5,500 | 12–18 weeks |
Per m² of floor area, design and construct, excluding GST, equipment and base-building work. Under 80 m² add about 15%.
Basic
Existing services and exhaust kept, new counter and back-bar joinery, paint, floor, seating, basic lighting. Only possible where the last tenant was food.
Mid
New counter and servery joinery, new lighting, kitchen re-fit behind an existing exhaust, banquette seating, feature finishes, some hydraulic work.
Premium
Full design, new exhaust canopy and duct, new grease trap and hydraulics, bespoke joinery throughout, feature ceiling, acoustic treatment, new mechanical.
Worked examples
| Floor area | Basic | Mid | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m² | $144,000 – $184,000 | $184,000 – $230,000 | $230,000 – $316,000 |
| 90 m² | $225,000 – $288,000 | $288,000 – $360,000 | $360,000 – $495,000 |
| 150 m² | $375,000 – $480,000 | $480,000 – $600,000 | $600,000 – $825,000 |
All-in design-and-construct ranges from the September 2026 rates. Run your own floor area through the calculator.
What drives the number
- A new kitchen exhaust — canopy, duct run, fan and the roof or wall penetration — is the single biggest item and roughly doubles a hospitality budget against a shop.
- A grease arrestor is a Sydney Water requirement for a commercial kitchen; where none exists, allow $15,000–$35,000 including trade waste approval.
- The espresso machine, ovens, fridges and dishwasher are equipment, not fitout — budget $40,000–$120,000 on top.
- Council food-premises registration and a Food Safety Supervisor are needed before trading, whatever the approval path.
Approvals
A cafe replacing a cafe is often complying development through a private certifier. A shop becoming a cafe is a change of use and goes as complying development or a DA depending on the council, the zoning and whether outdoor seating or late trading is involved. Sydney Water trade waste and council food-premises registration are separate approvals and run in parallel.
What these spaces look like
Get a fixed price for your cafe fitout
Send the floor area, the address and a few photos. Republic Design Build walks the site and comes back with one fixed price for design, construction and approvals.
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