CostGuideHQ

Security Camera Installation Cost: $400–$2,040 (Average $830) in 2026

Author: CostGuideHQ Editorial·✓ Fact-checked·Updated July 2026·5 min read·5 sources·US national averages, USD
Quick answerQuick answer: Most homeowners pay $400 to $2,040 to install security cameras, averaging around $830 nationally. Per camera, wired systems run $150 to $500 installed, wireless $130 to $400, and wire-free $70 to $350. Camera count, wiring type, and features drive the final price.
  • The typical security camera installation project costs $400 to $2,040, averaging about $830 nationally (HomeGuide, cross-checked against Fixr, Angi, and HomeAdvisor).
  • Wire-free cameras are the cheapest to install at $70 to $350 per camera, followed by wireless at $130 to $400 and wired at $150 to $500 (HomeGuide).
  • Installation labor makes up 50% to 70% of the total project cost, running $80 to $200 per camera (Angi, HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide, Bob Vila).
  • A wired 4-camera system costs $600 to $2,000 installed, versus $500 to $1,500 for a wireless 4-camera system (Fixr).

How much does security camera installation cost?

National average
$830
total project
Typical range
$400–$2,040
Most projects
High end
$2,040+
Premium / complex
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Cost by material / type

TypeLowHigh
wired$150$500
wireless$130$400
wire-free$70$350
Estimate your cost
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Rough estimate only — get local quotes for exact pricing.

What affects the cost?

  • Wired vs. wireless vs. wire-free — wired cameras run $150-$500 installed per camera versus $130-$400 for wireless and $70-$350 for battery-powered wire-free models (HomeGuide)
  • Number of cameras, which scales roughly per unit — Angi's labor-only table shows 1 camera at $100-$200, 2 at $200-$400, 4 at $400-$800, and 6 at $600-$1,200
  • Installation labor, which makes up 50% to 70% of the total project cost (Angi; Bob Vila), running $80-$200 per camera (HomeAdvisor; HomeGuide; Bob Vila)
  • Camera type and features — basic bullet or box cameras installed run $80-$250, while smart cameras with advanced features run $150-$900 installed (HomeAdvisor; Fixr)
  • System type — a wired/CCTV 4-camera system costs $600-$2,000 installed versus $500-$1,500 for a wireless/IP 4-camera system (Fixr; Angi; HomeGuide)
  • Additional equipment — DVR/NVR, video monitors, hard drive storage, and cabling commonly add $165-$430 to the project (Angi: video monitor $50-$200, hard drive $50-$100, cables $15-$30, software $50-$100)
  • DIY vs. professional installation — doing it yourself can save roughly $150 per camera compared to hiring a pro (Angi)

Why does security camera installation cost so much?

A security camera project is priced almost entirely by how many cameras you need, whether they’re wired or wireless, and how much of the job is labor. Most homeowners land somewhere between $400 and $2,040 for a full installation, averaging around $830 nationally (HomeGuide). Angi and HomeAdvisor — which pull from the same cost-data engine — both peg the average higher, at $1,290, inside a similar $590 to $2,040 range, while Fixr’s typical customer spends less, averaging $600 for a basic setup. Bob Vila’s figures land right in the middle of that spread, averaging between $150 and $2,040 depending on camera count and type. Whichever source you look at, labor is the biggest driver: installation runs $80 to $200 per camera and eats up 50% to 70% of the total bill (Angi; Bob Vila), which is why a DIY install can come in dramatically cheaper than hiring a pro.

What affects the cost?

A few factors explain most of the gap between a $400 job and a $2,000+ one:

  • Wiring type. Wire-free, battery-powered cameras cost $70 to $350 installed per camera, wireless (Wi-Fi) cameras run $130 to $400, and wired cameras — which need cable run through walls — cost the most at $150 to $500 per camera (HomeGuide).
  • Number of cameras. Cost scales with camera count. Angi’s labor-only breakdown shows roughly $100 to $200 for a single camera, $200 to $400 for two, $400 to $800 for four, and $600 to $1,200 for six.
  • System type. A wired/CCTV 4-camera system costs $600 to $2,000 installed, compared to $500 to $650 for a wireless/IP 4-camera system (Fixr).
  • Camera features. A basic bullet or box camera installs for $80 to $250, while a smart camera with app integration and advanced detection can run $150 to $900 installed (HomeAdvisor; Fixr).
  • Installation labor. Professional labor makes up 50% to 70% of the total project cost and runs $80 to $200 per camera regardless of type (HomeAdvisor; HomeGuide; Bob Vila).
  • Extra equipment. A DVR ($100–$300), NVR ($150–$500), video monitor ($50–$200), hard drive storage, and cabling commonly add $165 to $430 on top of the camera and labor cost (Angi).

How to lower your security camera installation cost

  • Choose wireless or wire-free over wired unless you specifically need the reliability of a hardwired connection — wiring type alone can be the difference between $70 and $500 per camera installed (HomeGuide).
  • Install fewer, better-placed cameras instead of covering every angle. Since cost scales roughly per camera, cutting from six cameras to four can save several hundred dollars in labor alone (Angi).
  • Do it yourself if you’re comfortable with basic tools. DIY installation can save around $150 per camera compared to hiring a pro, since labor is 50% to 70% of a professional job (Angi).
  • Skip premium smart features you won’t use. A basic bullet or box camera installs for a fraction of what a feature-loaded smart camera costs — $80 to $250 versus $150 to $900 (HomeAdvisor; Fixr).
  • Ask what’s included in a quote. DVRs, NVRs, video monitors, and cabling are often billed separately from the base installation, so confirm what’s bundled before comparing bids (Angi).

Prices vary by region, home size, and the mix of camera types you choose, so treat the figures above as a planning budget. Get two or three local quotes, and confirm whether hardware, cabling, and any monitoring subscription are included before signing off on a final number.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to install security cameras on an average home?
Most homeowners pay $400 to $2,040 for a full installation, averaging about $830 nationally (HomeGuide). Angi and HomeAdvisor both report a higher average of $1,290 with a similar $590 to $2,040 range, while Fixr puts the national average at $600.
What's the cheapest type of security camera to install?
Wire-free, battery-powered cameras are the least expensive to install at $70 to $350 per camera, compared to $130 to $400 for wireless and $150 to $500 for wired cameras (HomeGuide).
How much does it cost to install a 4-camera security system?
A wired/CCTV 4-camera system runs $600 to $2,000 installed, while a wireless/IP 4-camera system costs $500 to $650 (Fixr). HomeGuide puts a 4-camera CCTV or IP system at $500 to $1,600 including setup and labor.
How much of the cost is labor versus the cameras themselves?
Installation labor accounts for 50% to 70% of the total project cost (Angi, Bob Vila), typically running $80 to $200 per camera regardless of camera type (HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide, Bob Vila).
Can I save money installing security cameras myself?
Yes. DIY installation can save roughly $150 per camera compared to hiring a pro (Angi), since labor is the single biggest line item in a professional job.
Does the price include a DVR, NVR, or video monitor?
Usually not — those are commonly quoted as separate line items. A DVR runs $100 to $300 and an NVR runs $150 to $500, and a video monitor adds $50 to $200 (Angi, HomeAdvisor).
Why do security camera cost estimates vary so much between sources?
National averages range from $600 (Fixr) to $1,290 (Angi and HomeAdvisor, which share the same underlying cost-data engine), with HomeGuide landing in between at $830. The spread mostly comes down to how many cameras, what wiring type, and what extra equipment each source bundles into its 'typical' project.

Sources

Figures synthesized and cross-checked across these sources (retrieved 2026-07-28):

  • Angi — Professional security camera installation costs between $590 and $2,040 for a home project, averaging $1,290 (low end $125, high end $3,500). CCTV system with 4 cameras: $600-$1,600; surveillance (IP) system with 4 cameras: $500-$1,500. Wireless cameras $25-$35 per camera (basic) up to $250+ for sophisticated models; wired cameras $150-$500+ each. Installation labor for wired systems runs $80-$200 per camera and accounts for 50%-70% of the total budget. Cameras by count (labor only): 1 camera $100-$200, 2 cameras $200-$400, 4 cameras $400-$800, 6 cameras $600-$1,200. Add-ons: video monitor $50-$200, hard drive storage $50-$100, cables $15-$30, surveillance software $50-$100. Whole-home security system with cameras, sensors, and alarm: $208-$1,090.
  • HomeAdvisor — Average cost to install security cameras is $1,290, ranging between $590 and $2,040 (basic installs as low as $125, high-end systems can exceed $3,500). Per camera: $25-$500 for the camera; labor $80-$200 per camera or $50-$100 per hour. Analog CCTV 4-camera system averages $1,300 (individual cameras $75-$350). Wired IP 4-camera system: $500-$1,500 (per camera $100-$500). Wireless IP averages $100-$250 per camera. Installed cost by camera type: smart $150-$900, bullet $100-$250, dome $100-$270, hidden/mini $100-$400, box $100-$500, floodlight/spotlight $250-$600, doorbell $100-$300. DVR $100-$300, NVR $150-$500, cloud storage $0-$100 per month, monitoring $100-$600 per year.
  • Fixr — National average $600 to install video surveillance cameras, average range $400-$800 (low-end $150 for a single doorbell camera install, high-end $2,000 for 12+ wired cameras with premium features and a year of professional monitoring). 4-camera system installed: wireless (IP) $500-$650, wired (CCTV) $600-$2,000. Per-camera installed cost by type: bullet $80-$180, PoE $100-$180, box $100-$200, hidden $100-$400, doorbell $125-$300, dome $130-$270, smart $150-$900, C-mount $200-$400, outdoor $250-$600, license plate capture $350-$800, PTZ $450-$900.
  • HomeGuide — National average cost to install security cameras is $830 (minimum $100, maximum $4,000; average range $500 to $1,600). Cost per camera installed: $125-$450. A 4-camera CCTV/IP system costs $500-$1,600 for full setup and labor; an 8-camera system runs $1,000-$2,500. Cost by system type per camera, installed: wired $150-$500 (4-camera system $600-$2,000), wireless $130-$400 (4-camera system $500-$1,500), wire-free $70-$350 (4-camera system $250-$1,200). Installation labor alone runs $80-$200 per camera.
  • Bob Vila — The cost to have security cameras installed averages between $150 and $2,040, depending on the type and number of cameras to be connected. Installation cost averages around $100 to $200 per camera. Labor costs make up approximately 50% to 70% of the total cost to install security cameras.

Three genuinely independent national averages disagree meaningfully: Fixr's $600 (average range $400-$800) is the low outlier, likely reflecting mostly basic wireless setups; HomeGuide's $830 (average range $500-$1,600, absolute min $100/max $4,000) sits in the middle; and Angi and HomeAdvisor both report an identical $1,290 average with an identical $590-$2,040 typical range and identical $125 low-end/$3,500 high-end figures — Angi and HomeAdvisor share a parent company and cost-data engine, so this is effectively one data source appearing twice, not two independent confirmations. Bob Vila's stated range ($150-$2,040) tracks the Angi/HomeAdvisor upper bound closely. national_average_usd ($830) is the median of the three genuinely independent averages (Fixr $600, HomeGuide $830, Angi/HomeAdvisor $1,290) and happens to equal HomeGuide's own figure. range_low_usd ($400) is anchored to Fixr's average-range low; range_high_usd ($2,040) is the three-way consensus figure shared verbatim by Angi, HomeAdvisor, and Bob Vila — together these represent the realistic spread from a small basic wireless job to a larger wired multi-camera install. by_type figures (per camera, installed) come from HomeGuide's wired/wireless/wire-free breakdown, which is corroborated by similar per-camera ranges in HomeAdvisor's and Fixr's camera-type tables. Figures generally include the camera unit and standard installation labor; ongoing monitoring subscriptions, cloud storage fees, and DVR/NVR hardware are commonly quoted as separate line items.