How Much Does a Kitchen Island Cost to Install?

Reviewed by Cristina Miguelez remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

Installing a kitchen island costs an average of $5,000, and prices typically fall somewhere between $1,500 and $8,000, depending on the materials you choose and the size of your island. 

You could pay as little as $150 for a rolling cart that acts as storage and a temporary or portable island, and prices can go up to $15,000 or more for a large kitchen island with high-end materials that houses a seating area, prep space, appliances, a sink, and more.

Quick Takeaways

• Kitchen island installation averages around $5,000 for a 40-inch by 80-inch island with stock cabinetry and a mid-grade countertop material.

• Expect costs to average around $8,000 if you want your island to include plumbed-in appliances or sinks, electrical outlets, and a seating area.

• The ideal size of a kitchen island is based on your kitchen size and dimensions — not your budget. Make sure you have room in your budget to cover what your kitchen demands.

Kitchen Island Costs

Kitchen Island Cost by Size

As you’ll see throughout this cost guide, virtually every aspect of your kitchen island installation will have costs based on a per-square-foot or per-linear-foot basis, which means larger kitchen islands will always cost more while keeping materials and quality similar. 

You can use the average cost per square foot for a kitchen island — around $200 — to get an idea of what your installation costs will be without using a kitchen island cost calculator.

Keep in mind that your kitchen island dimensions should be based on your kitchen size and layout, so be sure to come up with adequate measurements before estimating your island installation cost.

New Kitchen Island Cost by Fabrication Method

Kitchen cabinetry is often one of the most expensive parts of kitchen remodeling costs, and that’s true for kitchen island costs as well. Unless you’re going with a rolling cart for portability, you have three options for the cabinets: stock, semi-custom, and fully custom.

Stock cabinets come in predetermined dimensions and are already built and finished when you order them. They offer very little in the way of customization, but they’re also the fastest to deliver and the most affordable. Stock cabinets cost between $100 and $300 per linear foot (at 24 inches deep), so stock cabinets for the average kitchen island size will cost between $2,400 and $7,200.

Semi-custom options are ordered from the cabinet company directly. This allows you to change the color and some of the door and drawer styles, but the main box of the cabinets and island remain the same. These require professional installation. While some come with a stock countertop, you usually need to order the countertop separately. Semi-custom cabinets for a standard kitchen island will cost between $3,600 and $9,600.

Custom cabinets and islands are built specifically for you. You can customize them to the inch and include many details and accessories. They’re the best cabinet option, so naturally, they also cost the most, take the longest to deliver, and require you to get a separate countertop measured and installed to fit after the island is installed. Custom cabinets under a standard-size kitchen island cost between $4,800 and $12,000.

Kitchen Island Prices by Type

Kitchen design professionals often describe islands using terms associated with their function. There are prep and wash islands, seating, cooking, and more. There are models with open shelving on one side and seating on the other. Some have cabinetry, bookshelves, or wine storage.

Your options are more limited with prefabricated islands, which usually won’t accommodate a sink, cooking, or seating. They do have counter space for prepping, and some may have shelves for extra storage space.

If you want a more specialized island, you must order one made for you. These can be semi-custom or custom. Both have a much wider range of options for accessories, layout, and design. Ideally, you should know what you want to use it for before planning your kitchen remodeling project. This way, the designer can include the components to make it work for you.

Kitchen Island Cost by Countertop Material

While cabinetry makes up the bulk of the cost to install a kitchen island, the countertop will also play an important role. If you go with a material like laminate, you could pay as little as $8 per square foot or an average of $160 total. Upgrading to a higher-quality countertop material like marble could push your cost to $190 per square foot or $4,500 total for a standard 24-square-foot kitchen island.

Labor Costs to Install a Kitchen Island

On average, labor will account for around 50% of the total cost to install a kitchen island, or an average of $2,500. Labor costs will increase if you’re choosing custom kitchen island cabinetry, a ceramic tile countertop, and other labor-intensive materials. You’ll pay the least for labor if you pick a ready-made kitchen island, can DIY the installation, and don’t need a plumber or electrician to run plumbing or electrical wires to it.

Below are some additional labor charges homeowners may want to consider, depending on what they want installed on the kitchen island.

• Cost to run plumbing lines: $200 to $1,000

• Cost to install a sink: $400 to $1,000

• Cost to install a dishwasher: $700 to $1,970, including the cost of the appliance

• Cost to install a cooktop: $500 to $1,000

• Cost to run a new gas line: $500 to $2,000

• Cost to install GFCI outlets: $50 to $150 each.

Cost to Replace a Kitchen Island

If your current kitchen island is no longer working for your needs, you may want to consider replacing it. Replacement involves removing the old island before installing the new one. 

This adds a cost of $300 to $500 to the project, and that could climb higher if you need to remove plumbing and electrical lines. You can add another $100 to this cost if your countertop is particularly large or heavy, such as a slab of granite.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

A kitchen island will add tons of utility and functionality to your kitchen space, in addition to providing a fresh look for the room. You can get even more value from your kitchen island by considering the cost of kitchen island add-on options and enhancements.

• Cost to install a kitchen island with a sink and dishwasher: $6,500 to $8,000

• Cost to install kitchen island with seating: $5,500 to $7,000

• Cost to install a range hood: $500 to $1,000

• Cost to install a hanging pot rack: $150 to $300

• Cost to install a kitchen island with an oven/cooktop: $6,500 to $8,000

• Cost to install a kitchen island with a sink, dishwasher, and cooktop: $7,250 to $9,200

FAQ: Kitchen Island Cost