How much does a pharmacy fitout cost in Sydney?
A pharmacy fitout in Sydney costs between about $1,800 and $4,200 per square metre in 2026, excluding GST, stock and dispensing robots. It sits between a shop and a medical fitout: retail shelving and lighting at the front, and at the back a dispensary built to the Pharmacy Council of NSW requirements, a private consultation room, secure storage for scheduled medicines and the security that goes with them.
Pharmacy fitout rates by level of finish
| Level of finish | $ per m² | Program on site |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1,800–2,400 | 4–6 weeks |
| Mid | 2,400–3,200 | 6–8 weeks |
| Premium | 3,200–4,200 | 8–12 weeks |
Per m² of floor area, design and construct, excluding GST, equipment and base-building work. Under 80 m² add about 15%.
Basic
Existing pharmacy refreshed: new gondolas and wall shelving, lighting, floor and paint, dispensary counter re-faced.
Mid
New dispensary and counter joinery, consultation room, new lighting and ceilings, shopfront and signage, security upgrade.
Premium
New pharmacy in a shell: full design, dispensary with robot or automated storage, two consult rooms, feature joinery, new mechanical and electrical.
Worked examples
| Floor area | Basic | Mid | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 m² | $216,000 – $288,000 | $288,000 – $384,000 | $384,000 – $504,000 |
| 200 m² | $360,000 – $480,000 | $480,000 – $640,000 | $640,000 – $840,000 |
| 350 m² | $630,000 – $840,000 | $840,000 – $1,120,000 | $1,120,000 – $1,470,000 |
All-in design-and-construct ranges from the September 2026 rates. Run your own floor area through the calculator.
What drives the number
- The dispensary: joinery, sinks, refrigeration for vaccines and secure storage for Schedule 8 medicines.
- A private consultation room for vaccinations and services, increasingly expected by the Pharmacy Council and the banner group.
- Retail fixtures and lighting across a large floor — gondolas, wall bays and the lighting that sells the front of store.
- Security: alarms, CCTV, a dispensary that can be locked off, and the shopfront.
Approvals
A pharmacy replacing a shop is usually exempt or complying development — retail to retail is not a change of use. A new pharmacy also needs Pharmacy Council of NSW premises registration, and the location rules for a PBS approval are a separate matter for the owner.
Exempt, CDC or DA — the full guide · DA or CDC · Change of use
Where the money goes
| Trade | Share | On a 200 m² mid-finish job |
|---|---|---|
| Dispensary joinery and counters | 20% | $112,000 |
| Retail shelving and gondolas | 16% | $90,000 |
| Lighting and electrical | 14% | $78,000 |
| Shopfront and signage | 12% | $67,000 |
| Consult room, partitions and security | 12% | $67,000 |
| Floors, ceilings and finishes | 12% | $67,000 |
| Design, approvals and preliminaries | 14% | $78,000 |
Typical split of a mid-finish price; the shares move with the building and the brief. Excludes GST.
Which kind of pharmacy fitout is yours?
| Type | Where it sits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh of an existing pharmacy | Basic | Fixtures and finishes, dispensary kept in place; usually done while trading. |
| Banner rebrand | Basic to mid | The banner group's fixtures and graphics; joinery and lighting to their manual. |
| Pharmacy in a former shop | Mid | Dispensary, consult room and security built new; retail to retail, so usually no change of use. |
| Large-format or discount pharmacy | Mid | Large retail floor with gondolas; low cost per m² across a big area. |
| Compounding or clinic pharmacy | Premium | Compounding room, extra consult rooms and hydraulics; closer to a medical fitout. |
What these spaces look like
Questions people ask about pharmacy fitouts
What does a 200 m² pharmacy fitout cost in Sydney?
About $360,000 to $480,000 at basic finish, $480,000 to $640,000 at mid and $640,000 to $840,000 at premium in 2026, excluding GST, stock and dispensing robots.
Do I need a DA for a pharmacy?
Usually not where it replaces a shop, because retail to retail is not a change of use. Internal work is often exempt and a new shopfront can go as complying development.
What does the Pharmacy Council of NSW require?
Premises registration covering the dispensary, secure storage for scheduled medicines, refrigeration and a private area for counselling. Check the current requirements with the Council before design is finalised.
Can a pharmacy stay open during a refit?
Often, by staging the work and doing the dispensary after hours. It adds time and cost but keeps the scripts coming.
How long does a pharmacy fitout take?
Four to six weeks on site for a refresh, six to eight for a mid-finish fitout, eight to twelve for a new premium pharmacy.
Get a fixed price for your pharmacy fitout
Send the floor area, the address and a few photos. City Fitouts walks the site and comes back with one fixed price for design, construction and approvals.
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