How Much Does Car Detailing Cost in Cairns? (2026 Price Guide)
It's the first thing nearly everyone asks before they ring around, and fair enough — you want to know what you're up for. So here it is, plainly, no dancing around it.
What detailing costs in Cairns, service by service
Here's roughly what you'll pay across Cairns in 2026. Prices move a fair bit from one detailer to the next depending on what's included, but most land somewhere in these ranges.
| Service | Typical price in Cairns |
|---|---|
| Maintenance / mini detail (wash, wax, interior tidy) | $150 – $300 |
| Interior detail (extraction, leather, steam) | $250 – $500 |
| Exterior detail (incl. cut & polish) | $300 – $650 |
| Full / "ultimate" detail (the lot) | $500 – $1,000 |
| Ceramic coating | $1,000 – $2,500 |
Where you land in each range comes down to your car's size and how much work it needs — a big 4WD or a neglected interior sits up the top, a tidy little hatch down the bottom. Extras like an engine bay or headlight restoration usually add $100 to $300.
Your car's size moves the price most
If you take one thing from this, take this: the biggest thing setting your price isn't the suburb or the detailer, it's your car. A little hatch and a LandCruiser are two very different afternoons. More panels, more glass, more carpet, more product, more hours — so the same service can sit a few hundred dollars apart at the two ends.
That's why most detailers, us included, price by size rather than throwing out one flat number that's wrong for half the cars on the road. If that makes sense, it's also why anyone quoting you a firm price without asking what you drive is having a guess.
Why one quote is $150 and the next is $600
You'll find someone quoting $150 for a "full detail" and someone else $600 for what sounds like the very same thing. Nine times out of ten they're just not the same job.
A maintenance detail is a proper wash, a wax and a tidy-up inside — lovely for upkeep, and honestly all a lot of cars need. A full detail is a different animal: a machine cut and polish to take the swirls out, a full interior extraction, leather treated, the works steamed. That's hours more work and a fair bit more product, so it costs more. The word "detail" just gets stretched over both. So when you're comparing quotes, the only real question is what's actually included — ask for the list, not just the number.
Mobile usually costs the same or less
People assume that because a detailer comes to you, they must charge more for it. Generally they don't — mobile pricing tends to match a shop, and you save the drive over and the sitting around. The work's in the technique, not the postcode.
The one job that needs a bit of planning is a ceramic coating, because it has to cure undercover for a day or so. If you've got a garage or carport it can be done at yours, and if not, you drop the car in. Everything else comes to your driveway.
When it's worth it — and when it honestly isn't
Up here a car cops it. Salt air off the coast, brutal UV, tree sap, bird mess, and a wet season that grows mould in your carpets. A bit of regular care genuinely holds a car's condition — and its resale — far better than letting it slide and paying for a big rescue job later.
But I'm not going to tell you to book the dearest detail if you don't need it. If it's a work ute that's covered in dust again by tomorrow, a maintenance detail is plenty. If you're selling this week, spend on a pre-sale tidy, not a coating you won't be around to enjoy. The honest answer is to match the job to the car, not the biggest invoice.
So where does Posh Wash sit?
Fair question, since I've just walked you through everyone's pricing. We sit at the quality end of those ranges — not the cheapest in town, and well under what a dealership charges for the same ceramic. But the right number really does depend on your actual car, so rather than throw a figure at you here, we'd rather have a quick look and quote you straight. No "from" price that quietly doubles on the day.
Questions we get asked a lot
How much does car detailing cost in Cairns?
Across Cairns, a maintenance detail runs about $150–$300, a full interior $250–$500, an exterior detail $300–$650, and a full "ultimate" detail $500–$1,000. Ceramic coating starts around $1,000. Where you land depends mostly on your car's size and condition.
Why is one detailer $150 and another $600 for a "full detail"?
Usually because they're not the same job. A $150 detail is a good wash, wax and interior tidy; a $600 one is a cut and polish, deep extraction, leather and steam — hours more work. "Detail" covers both, so always ask what's actually included.
Does my car's size change the price?
More than anything else. A big 4WD, ute or van takes more product and a couple more hours than a small hatch, so the same service runs higher at the large end. That's why most detailers price by size rather than one flat number.
How much is a ceramic coating in Cairns?
Generally $1,000–$2,500, depending on whether the car's new or needs its paint corrected first, and its size. Dealerships often charge around $2,500 for less coverage and a shorter warranty.
Is mobile detailing dearer than a shop?
No — usually the same or a little less, and it saves you the trip. The only job that needs cover is a ceramic coating, which has to cure undercover for a day, so for that you'll want a garage or you drop the car in.
When is a cheap wash actually fine?
If it's a work ute that's filthy again tomorrow, or you're selling this week, don't overspend — a maintenance detail or a good wash is plenty. A good detailer will tell you honestly when that's the better call.
Want a real number for your car?
Send us a photo and we'll come back with a straight quote — no surprises, and we'll tell you honestly if a smaller job will do.
Call 0401 907 474