Commercial Office Cleaning Costs in Melbourne: What to Expect
Ask five cleaning companies for a quote and you’ll often get five different-looking numbers, one hourly, one per square metre, one a flat monthly figure. None of them are wrong, they’re just different ways of presenting the same underlying cost, and knowing how to compare them properly is the difference between a genuinely fair quote and a nasty surprise a few months in.
Here’s the short version. Commercial office cleaning in Melbour ne is typically priced one of three ways: hourly, commonly $35 to $65 per hour, with Melbourne often sitting toward the upper end of that range; per square metre, generally $2 to $6 for standard cleaning, rising toward $8 for higher-complexity sites; or a fixed monthly contract, which is the most common arrangement for ongoing office cleaning and gives you budget certainty. This guide breaks down what those numbers actually mean for an office your size, and what genuinely drives the price up or down.
The three pricing models, and when each makes sense
Hourly pricing is straightforward and transparent, and it’s commonly used for smaller offices, one-off or ad-hoc cleans, and new client relationships where the full scope hasn’t been confirmed yet. The trade-off is that it can be harder to budget precisely, since the final cost depends on how long the job actually takes.
Per-square-metre pricing works well for larger, open-plan sites where cleaning time scales fairly predictably with floor area. It’s less useful for smaller or more partitioned offices, since cleaning time doesn’t always scale neatly with square metres once you factor in fixed setup time, kitchens, and bathrooms.
Fixed monthly contracts are the most popular arrangement for ongoing commercial cleaning. A provider assesses your site once, agrees a defined scope of work, and then charges a consistent monthly fee regardless of exactly how long each visit takes. This is usually the easiest option to budget against.
Typical costs by office size
As a general guide to what Melbourne businesses are commonly paying for regular commercial cleaning, before specialised extras like carpet steam cleaning or window cleaning:
Small offices (under 100 square metres): commonly around $200 to $500 per month for a regular service of two to three cleans a week.
Medium offices (100 to 300 square metres): commonly around $600 to $1,200 per month, depending on frequency and scope.
Larger sites (500 square metres and above): typically quoted individually based on a site assessment rather than a standard rate, since layout, density and specialised areas vary enormously at this scale. Weekly figures in the region of $400 to $1,200 aren’t unusual for mid-to-large sites, scaling with complexity.
These are typical market ranges, not a quote for your specific office. The only way to get an accurate figure is a proper site assessment against your actual space and requirements.
What actually drives the price up or down
A handful of factors explain why two offices of a similar size can end up with quite different quotes.
Cleaning frequency. Daily cleaning costs more in total than three-times-weekly, which costs more than weekly, though the per-visit rate often drops as frequency increases due to efficiency gains.
Kitchens and bathrooms. Wet areas take disproportionately more time and specialised products than open floor space, so a site with several bathrooms and a well-used kitchen costs more to clean than the square metreage alone would suggest.
Layout and density. An open-plan office is generally faster to clean than one with the same floor area split across many individual offices, since partitions, doors and more surfaces all add time.
Timing. After-hours and weekend cleaning, the most common arrangement for CBD offices wanting minimal disruption to the working day, typically attracts a premium over standard daytime rates, sometimes considerably more for weekend or public holiday work.
Specialised services. Carpet steam cleaning, window cleaning, and periodic deep cleans usually sit outside a standard regular cleaning contract and are priced separately.
Industry and compliance requirements. Medical clinics and similar sites generally cost more to clean than a standard office, due to stricter hygiene and disinfection requirements.
Why a suspiciously cheap quote is worth questioning
This is worth understanding properly before you sign anything. Legitimate commercial cleaning labour costs have a real floor, cleaners are covered under the Cleaning Services Award, and a compliant employer also carries superannuation, insurance and other on-costs on top of wages. A quote priced well below what those costs would reasonably support often means something’s being cut, fewer service hours than the job actually needs, underpaid or uninsured staff, or high turnover from a business that can’t retain people at the rate it’s charging.
We’ve written in more detail about exactly how to evaluate a quote properly, not just on price, in our guide on how to choose a commercial cleaner, which covers what to ask about consumables, supervision and quality checks.
Getting an accurate quote for your office
The single best way to get a genuinely accurate price is a proper site inspection rather than a rough estimate over the phone. A provider who walks your space, asks about your traffic levels, access requirements and priorities, and then explains what’s included at each visit is giving you something you can actually rely on. Once you have a quote, it’s worth understanding exactly what a proper commercial cleaning contract should specify, scope, frequency, consumables, and what happens if the standard slips, which we’ve covered fully in our commercial cleaning contract guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does commercial office cleaning cost in Melbourne?
Commercial office cleaning in Melbourne is commonly priced at $35 to $65 per hour, or $2 to $6 per square metre for standard service, with Melbourne generally sitting toward the upper end of national ranges. As a typical monthly guide, small offices under 100 square metres often pay $200 to $500 a month, and medium offices between 100 and 300 square metres often pay $600 to $1,200 a month for regular service, though the exact figure depends on frequency and scope.
Is it cheaper to pay hourly or per square metre for office cleaning?
Neither model is inherently cheaper, they’re just different ways of presenting the same underlying cost. Hourly pricing tends to suit smaller offices or one-off cleans, while per-square-metre pricing tends to suit larger, open-plan sites where cleaning time scales more predictably with floor area. Most ongoing arrangements end up as a fixed monthly contract regardless of which model was used to calculate it.
Why do office cleaning quotes vary so much between companies?
The main drivers are cleaning frequency, the number of kitchens and bathrooms, office layout and density, whether cleaning happens after hours or on weekends, and what’s actually included in the quote. A very low quote compared to others is worth questioning rather than automatically accepted, since legitimate compliant labour costs have a real floor.
Does office cleaning cost more after hours?
Generally yes. After-hours and weekend cleaning, which is the most common arrangement for CBD offices wanting no disruption to the working day, typically attracts a premium over standard daytime rates. If your office can accommodate cleaning during business hours, that can be a genuine way to reduce cost.
What’s usually not included in a standard office cleaning quote?
Specialised services like carpet steam cleaning, window cleaning at height, and periodic deep cleans are usually priced separately from a regular cleaning contract. It’s worth confirming exactly what’s included in any quote you receive, since a cheaper-looking price sometimes reflects a narrower scope rather than better value.
How do I get an accurate quote for my office?
Request an on-site inspection rather than a phone estimate, since an experienced provider needs to see your actual traffic levels, layout and priorities to quote accurately. Ask whether the price is fixed or hourly, what’s included at each visit, and what would trigger extra charges, so you’re comparing quotes on a like-for-like basis rather than just the headline number.
Get a clear quote for your office
The figures here give you a realistic starting budget, but the only way to know your exact cost is a proper look at your specific space.
Office Cleaning Solutions has been providing commercial cleaning across Melbourne for over 30 years, working with corporate offices and medical clinics with flexible, after-hours scheduling to avoid disrupting your business. Get in touch for a free quote or explore our office cleaning services or more detail.
Prices in this guide are typical Melbourne market ranges current at the time of writing and are provided as a general guide only, they are not a quote. Actual costs depend on your specific site and requirements. Contact us for a fixed price.