How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Dishwasher?

A new dishwasher installed costs $1,200 to $1,360 on average, with most homeowners paying $540 to $2,175 (ConsumerAffairs) — Forbes Home puts the national average lower, at $970, with a range of $250 to $2,000-plus. The unit itself runs $380 to $2,300 for models Consumer Reports has actually purchased and tested; labor for a straightforward swap is $150 to $300.

This is for replacing a dishwasher you already have, reusing the water line, drain, and outlet that are already there. Adding a dishwasher where one has never been installed costs more — see the "what pushes the price up" section below.

How much does it cost to replace a dishwasher?

$540 to $2,175 installed, averaging $1,200 to $1,360. The unit is most of that:

Sources: ConsumerAffairs, Consumer Reports. Forbes Home's separate estimate lands lower on average ($970) but within the same overall range — installers and regions price this job differently enough that two reputable sources land $230-$390 apart on the average, which is worth knowing before you treat any single number as gospel.

What does the dishwasher itself cost?

$380 to $2,300, and it is not a straight line from price to quality. Consumer Reports has tested dishwashers across that whole range and rates several models at $500 or under highly for cleaning performance — two examples it names, the LG LDF5545ST and GE GDF630PSMSS, both list around $530. Above roughly $1,200, the money buys quieter operation, more wash-cycle options, and panel-ready models that hide behind a cabinet front matching the rest of the kitchen, rather than dramatically better cleaning.

If your current dishwasher is dying rather than merely dated, check its age first — dishwashers have the shortest service life of any major kitchen appliance, so the "is it worth fixing" math resolves faster here than it does for a fridge or washer.

What does installation cost?

$150 to $300 for a standard swap (ConsumerAffairs), or $100 to $450, averaging $190 for a basic job (Forbes Home). That covers disconnecting the old unit, connecting the new one to the existing water line, drain, and outlet, and leveling and securing it under the counter.

What can push the price up?

The base numbers assume a dishwasher is already there and everything under the counter is reusable. The job costs more when it is not:

Adding a dishwasher where there has never been one is the biggest jump — cutting a cabinet opening, running a new water line and drain, and adding an outlet easily pushes a job from a few hundred dollars in labor to $1,000 or more.

Repair or replace — which is cheaper?

Dishwashers wear out faster than any other major kitchen appliance — 7 to 12 years, averaging about 9 — so the point where a repair stops making sense arrives sooner than it does for a fridge or washer. Apply the 50% rule harder here: a repair quote approaching half the price of a new unit is rarely worth paying past year 8, because the average service life is only 9 and a big repair buys a short extension rather than a fresh start. Two faults are not worth repairing at any age — visible rust on the tub floor, and a door that still leaks after a new gasket — because both mean the enclosure itself is failing.

How to keep the cost down

• Buy during appliance sales windows — Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Black Friday typically see the deepest discounts on major appliances.
• Match the width before you shop. Standard is 24 inches; compact and drawer-style units run narrower and often cost more per unit of capacity.
• Keep the existing hookups if they are sound. Reusing the water line, drain, and outlet is most of the difference between a $300 install and a $1,000-plus one.
• Don't chase price at the very bottom. Consumer Reports' testing shows several sub-$600 models clean as well as units twice the price — the premium above $1,200 buys quiet operation and features, not necessarily cleaner dishes.
• Budget for it before it fails. A dishwasher is a when-not-if expense — the maintenance budget calculator folds a replacement like this into a yearly figure.