European AC Installation Costs Up to 1,500 Euros: Buy It but Can't Afford to Install
Blue Whale News, June 29 - Recent extreme heatwaves have swept across Europe, with Germany, the UK, France and other countries continuously breaking high temperature records, prompting heat warnings in multiple nations.
Against this backdrop, Chinese-made air conditioners and other cooling appliances have become hot products locally. On e-commerce platforms, monthly sales exceed 10,000 units, and offline stores even face shortages.
Over 40°C Heatwaves Continue; Multiple Countries Issue Heat Alerts
According to CCTV News, a World Meteorological Organization official said that the heatwave sweeping western Europe and breaking multiple temperature records will continue to spread eastward, affecting the entire continent.
Data shows that France has experienced consecutive days of heatwave, with temperatures in western France rising to 43 degrees Celsius, the highest June temperature on record. The UK's high temperature records were broken for three consecutive days from June 24-26, reaching 37.3 degrees Celsius on the 26th. Over a thousand schools in England and Wales fully or partially closed on the 26th. Germany's Mücken-Drewitz region recorded 41.5 degrees Celsius on the 27th, breaking the highest temperature record. Persistent high temperatures in Germany have caused damage to highway surfaces on multiple routes, leading to closures or speed limits, and railway authorities called on the public to reduce long-distance travel. The Italian government has issued red heat alerts for 18 cities including Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan.
Despite record-breaking temperatures, Europe's air conditioning penetration rate remains far lower than other major economies, with only about 20% of households equipped with cooling appliances.
Reasons are multi-faceted. In the past, prolonged high temperatures were not frequent in European summers, especially in the north, so there was less demand for AC installation. At the same time, Europe has set green development goals to address climate change, and some countries have implemented policies restricting AC usage. For example, Spain introduced a regulation in 2022 that air conditioning in public places should not be set below 27 degrees Celsius.
Chinese ACs Gain Foothold on Price-Performance: E-commerce Monthly Sales Exceed 10,000
Under the scorching heat, demand for home cooling has surged sharply.
In France, the price range for ordinary mobile air conditioners is 200 to 500 euros, while split-type ACs are about 500 to 1,200 euros.
A Blue Whale reporter checked Amazon France and found that the top two bestsellers are both Midea air conditioners. One had over 10,000 customer purchases in the past month, priced at 166 euros; another had over 7,000 orders, priced at 459 euros.
In this heatwave, Chinese brand air conditioners have stood out with their cost-performance advantage, becoming the first choice for many local consumers. A Chinese expatriate interviewed said that in France, brands like Midea, Haier, and Gree are all available, and domestic brands are usually cheaper than European, American, and Japanese brands under the same configuration.
According to CCTV News, in the first five months of 2026, China's household air conditioner exports to Western European countries increased by 9.7% year-on-year; among them, mobile ACs saw a particularly strong growth, up over 70%. Many companies reported that consumers in multiple Western European markets were queuing to buy machines, offline stores were out of stock, and supply could not meet demand.
Affordable to Buy, Expensive to Install and Use: Installation Costs Up to 1,500 Euros
It is worth noting that buying an air conditioner in Europe is not the hardest part; the real deterrent for consumers is the installation process. Installation costs for a split AC typically range from 300 to 1,500 euros per unit, with the highest quote even exceeding the price of the AC itself.
Reasons for high installation costs include: most buildings in Paris city center are decades or even centuries old, with thick walls, making drilling much more difficult than in modern buildings. Installation of outdoor units in high-rise buildings involves high-risk work at height. Moreover, many apartments require prior application to the property management and approval from the owners' committee before installation can proceed, a cumbersome process.
In addition, local installation workers' hourly rates are relatively high. With multiple cost factors combined, split-type ACs have become a 'buy-it-but-can't-install-it' appliance locally.
Therefore, portable mobile air conditioners have become the cooling choice of choice for local residents, especially renters.
To address Europe's external facade protection restrictions and high installation costs, Chinese companies have launched customized products. For example, the 'Midea U-Shape Smart Inverter Window AC' with monthly sales of over 7,000 uses a U-shaped hollow design that can be inserted into the window gap for fixing, allowing limited window opening after installation. It avoids Europe's high split AC labor costs, property approvals, and the difficulty of drilling old walls, making it a popular model in the overseas rental market.
Electricity Bills Also Significant: Increase of 30-80 Euros Per Month
Purchasing an AC is only the first step; subsequent electricity bills should not be underestimated. Local Chinese residents reported that based on daily usage of 6-8 hours, a split AC adds 30-80 euros to monthly electricity bills; a less efficient mobile AC may add 50-100 euros per month.
As a result, energy efficiency has become a core consideration for local consumers when choosing air conditioners. On e-commerce platforms, Chinese brands' high-efficiency energy-saving models have also seen stronger sales.
