How Much Does Interior Painting Cost?
Updated August 24, 2026 · every figure is cited to a public source below
Angi puts the average cost to paint a house interior at $2,022, with a total range of $350 to $5,800. The dominant factor is home size: interior painting runs $2 to $6 per square foot of home.[1]
Two rates are quoted for the same job depending on what is in scope. Walls alone average $2.75 per square foot; walls, trim and ceilings together average $4.70. A quote is not comparable to another quote until you know which of those two jobs it describes.[1]
Interior painting is the most labour-dominated project in this library — 75% to 95% of the total is labour, not paint. That is why two bids on the same rooms can differ by thousands without either being wrong about materials, and why prep is where the money quietly goes.[1]
Typical costs at a glance
- National average, whole interiortotal range $350–$5,800
- $2,022[1]
- Per square foot of homethe single biggest driver is home size
- $2–$6[1]
- Walls onlyaverage
- $2.75 /sq ft[1]
- Walls, trim and ceilingsaverage — the same house, a different job
- $4.70 /sq ft[1]
- Labour shareof the total cost
- 75%–95%[1]
- Wall prep (sanding, patching)sometimes bundled into the rate, sometimes not
- $0.50–$0.75 /sq ft[1]
- Drywall repair, when neededaverage add, depending on severity
- ≈$600[1]
- 1,000 sq ft home
- $2,000–$6,000[1]
- 2,500 sq ft home
- $5,000–$15,000[1]
Why two painting quotes are so often incomparable
Painting is quoted three different ways — per square foot of floor area, per room, or as a lump sum for "the interior" — and the same painter will price the same house differently depending on which surfaces are included. Angi quotes $2.75 per square foot for walls and $4.70 with trim and ceilings: a 70% difference on scope alone.[1]
Before comparing, pin down four things in writing: which surfaces (walls, ceilings, trim, doors, closets), how many coats, whether prep and patching are included, and whether the paint is supplied by you or the painter.
Where the money goes
Because labour is 75% to 95% of the bill, paint quality changes the total far less than most people expect, and prep changes it far more. A painter who quotes low and skips patching is selling you a shorter-lived finish, not a cheaper one.[1]
Drywall damage found behind furniture is the classic mid-job surprise, averaging around $600 to repair. Asking a painter to walk the rooms and price repairs before signing turns that surprise into a line item.[1]
Common questions
Is $2 per square foot or $6 per square foot the right number for my house?
Both are published national figures for the same trade — the spread is scope and condition. Walls only, in good repair, sits at the low end. Walls, ceilings and trim, with patching and two coats, sits at the high end.
Why is labour such a large share?
Angi puts labour at 75% to 95% of an interior painting bill. Paint is a small materials cost spread over many hours of masking, prep, cutting in and coating.
Should I buy the paint myself?
It can save the painter’s markup on materials, but materials are the small part of this job. Get both versions quoted before deciding, and make sure the coat count and prep are identical in each.
These figures are published national averages and ranges — context for planning, not a quote. Your project's real cost depends on your area, the site, materials, and scope, and the only way to know it is estimates from pros looking at yourproject. That's what Getstimate is for, and it's free.
Sources
- Angi — How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Interior of a House? [2026 Data] — National averages and per-square-foot rates; page updated Jul 9, 2026 (read Aug 24, 2026)