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How much does Drug Rehab Cost in Australia?
2026 prices by substance

A full explanation of what is and is not covered by Medicare for rehab treatment

Look. Most articles about drug rehab cost in Australia treat all drugs the same: $25,000 to $50,000 for 28 days, done. That's technically true on average but practically misleading. The substance you're dependent on actually changes the cost in important ways, you know, because it changes the clinical model, the programme length you genuinely need, and the medical complexity of the detox phase.

Methamphetamine has a 4 to 8 week post-acute withdrawal window that 28-day programmes barely cover. Long-term heavy alcohol has a similar window. Opioid dependence often involves replacement therapy that costs almost nothing per month but requires ongoing structured support. Cocaine is increasingly common but fits a different clinical profile. This guide breaks down what each substance type actually costs to treat properly in Australia in 2026, and why.

The honest breakdown
Substance changes the cost

Standard 28-day private runs $25k–$35k regardless of substance, but for ice / meth and long-term heavy alcohol, 60- to 90-day programmes (~$45k–$70k) produce materially better long-term outcomes. Opioid replacement therapy is heavily PBS-subsidised at $30/month plus dispensing. Cocaine and polysubstance cases sit in the standard private band but often need stronger trauma-informed components.

$25–55k
Standard 28-day
60–90d
Best for stim/heavy ETOH
$30/mo
Opioid replacement
100%
Public covered free

Cost by substance type, the 2026 reality

The substance you're dependent on changes the right-sized programme. Here's the clinical-and-financial reality across the most common categories:

SubstanceRecommended programme lengthTypical Australian costWhy
Methamphetamine / ice60 to 90 days$45k–$70k private; or charity 12+ week stayPost-acute withdrawal runs 4–8 weeks; 28 days inadequate
Long-term heavy alcohol60 to 90 days$45k–$70k private; or charity 12+ week stayPost-acute withdrawal mirrors stimulants; sleep and mood take 6+ weeks
Cocaine28 to 60 days$25k–$50k privateLighter post-acute window but high relapse triggers; trauma work matters
Opioids (heroin, oxy)Variable, often replacement therapy ongoing$30/mo PBS replacement + $25k+ residentialLong-term replacement therapy is the gold standard
Cannabis (heavy daily use)28 days residential or outpatient$25k–$35k privateNo medical detox needed; psychological dependency the focus
Benzodiazepines28 to 60 days; medical taper essential$30k–$50k privateMedical taper non-negotiable; abrupt cessation dangerous
Polysubstance60 to 90 days$45k–$70k privateMultiple substances mean multiple withdrawal patterns; longer integration
Prescription medication28 to 60 days$30k–$45k privateOften opioids + benzos + alcohol stacked; medical complexity high
Gambling / behavioural28 days residential or outpatient$25k–$35k privateNo detox; CBT-focused programmes; some specialist behavioural-only providers
On stimulants and post-acute withdrawal

Methamphetamine / ice and long-term heavy alcohol both have a 4 to 8 week post-acute withdrawal phase: poor sleep, irritability, anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), persistent craving. 28-day programmes barely cover the acute phase. Most relapses for these substance types happen in weeks 5 to 10 post-discharge, when the post-acute symptoms are at their worst and structured support has tapered. 60- to 90-day programmes fully cover this window, which is why the outcome difference is so stark.

Why substance type changes the cost

Same headline price, very different real costs once you account for what each substance type clinically requires. The variables that actually change with substance:

Post-acute withdrawal window lengthMajor
85%
Medical detox complexitySignificant
70%
Specialised therapy requiredSignificant
60%
Programme length neededMajor
80%
Aftercare intensitySignificant
65%
Medication ongoing (eg. ORT)Variable
30%
Family / relationship work neededModerate
55%
Trauma-informed therapy accessSignificant
70%

The detox phase, by substance

The medical detox phase is the highest-risk and (in private) the highest-cost-per-day phase of any rehabilitation programme. Cost varies sharply by substance because the medical complexity does:

Severity 1

Cannabis, behavioural addictions

$0 (no medical detox needed)

No physical withdrawal requiring medical management. The work is entirely psychological. Outpatient or residential without detox unit. Cheapest end of the spectrum on detox.

No detoxPsychological focus
Severity 2

Cocaine, mild stimulant use

$2k–$5k inpatient or outpatient

Mild physical withdrawal (fatigue, low mood, sleep disruption). Outpatient detox usually sufficient. Some clients prefer inpatient for structure.

Outpatient OK5–10 days
Severity 3

Methamphetamine / ice, heavy alcohol, opioids

$5k–$15k inpatient

Significant physical withdrawal. Medical management important. Residential detox unit with 24/7 medical cover. Public hospitals do this free; private $5k–$15k.

Medical supervised7–14 days
Severity 4

Benzodiazepines, polysubstance

$8k–$20k inpatient with taper

Slow medical taper required. Abrupt cessation can be life-threatening. Specialised inpatient detox unit. Public hospitals manage this free; private $8k–$20k. Never attempt at home unsupervised.

Medical taper14–28 days
Never detox alone from these substances

Alcohol (heavy daily use), benzodiazepines (any regular use), and to a lesser extent opioids can produce life-threatening withdrawal if attempted at home unsupervised. Public hospital detox is fully free under Medicare for all these substances. Don't be the person who tries to save money on detox and ends up in the ED or worse. Call your state intake or go to the nearest hospital ED if you're considering this.

Estimate your cost (substance-aware calculator)

Plug your substance, tier, and programme length below. The output is an estimate, not a binding quote, but it gives you a sense of what to expect when you call facilities for a real number. Note that for ice / heavy alcohol, the calculator factors in the clinical reality that 60+ days produces materially better outcomes.

Substance-aware estimator
Estimate your drug rehab cost
$30,000 to $36,000
Estimate before insurance gap. Get a written, itemised quote.

Substance-specific hidden costs

Beyond the headline rehab fee, certain substance types come with specific extra costs:

  1. Ice / methamphetamine: often dental work post-recovery ("meth mouth") $5k–$30k; extended trauma therapy $200–$400/session for 6+ months; psychiatric medication management for the persistent low mood phase.
  2. Long-term heavy alcohol: liver function workup $300–$800; nutritional rehabilitation (thiamine, B-vitamin replacement); sometimes acamprosate or naltrexone medication ($50–$200/month) for ongoing craving management.
  3. Opioid (heroin, oxy): opioid replacement therapy is the ongoing cost, methadone or buprenorphine $30–$42/month PBS, plus dispensing fees. Cheaper than residential alone, often long-term.
  4. Benzodiazepines: specialised taper supervision adds $2k–$5k vs standard detox. Some clients need 6+ months of slow taper, which means longer total treatment time even if the residential phase is standard length.
  5. Polysubstance: often the most expensive overall, multiple substance withdrawal patterns, longer programme, more complex aftercare. Budget for 60+ days residential plus 12+ months structured aftercare.
  6. Cannabis: usually the cheapest, no medical detox, often outpatient sufficient. The hidden cost is sometimes underlying ADHD or anxiety treatment that emerges once the cannabis is gone.

"I did a 28-day private for ice and relapsed within 6 weeks. I genuinely thought I had failed. Then someone explained the post-acute window thing, that the way ice fucks up your sleep and mood for 6 to 8 weeks after the last hit wasn't weakness, it was clinical. I did 90 days the second time. That was four years ago and I haven't touched it since. Don't let anyone tell you 28 days is enough for ice."

Bali Beginnings client, Perth

Pick the right pathway for your substance

The five-step framework for matching pathway to substance:

  1. Identify your substance category Use the table above. Methamphetamine / ice and long-term heavy alcohol need 60+ days clinically. Cannabis and behavioural rarely need detox. Benzodiazepines need a medical taper. This determines what you're shopping for.
  2. Match the programme length to the substance Don't accept a 28-day programme for ice or long-term heavy alcohol just because it's standard pricing. The 4–8 week post-acute withdrawal window is when relapse risk is highest, and 28 days barely covers it.
  3. Confirm the facility has substance-specific clinical experience Ask explicitly: "How many [ice / heroin / benzo] clients did you treat last year?" A facility that has limited experience in your specific substance category is doing you no favours.
  4. Get the medical detox arrangement clarified upfront Severity 3 and 4 substances (see below) need on-site 24/7 medical or hospital-transfer arrangement. "Self-managed detox" for ice or alcohol is a clinical red flag.
  5. Plan aftercare to match the post-acute window If you're doing 28 days for ice, you need structured weekly aftercare for the next 6–8 weeks at minimum. The post-discharge phase is where most relapses happen, and it costs much less than the residential.
On Bali Beginnings' substance fit

We're biased here, you know. Our 60- and 90-day programmes were structured specifically around the post-acute withdrawal window for ice and long-term heavy alcohol, the two substance types where the standard Australian 28-day model is most often clinically inadequate. The maths often works particularly well for these two: $57,900 for 60 days at Bali Beginnings vs $45k–$60k for 60 days private in Australia, with 24 months of structured aftercare bundled. For other substances (cannabis, behavioural, opioid replacement), Australian options are often a better fit, and we say so.

Frequently asked questions

Standard 28-day private runs $25,000 to $35,000 regardless of substance. The honest answer is that for methamphetamine / ice and long-term heavy alcohol, 60- to 90-day programmes ($45,000 to $70,000) produce materially better long-term outcomes because the post-acute withdrawal window runs 4 to 8 weeks past the last use. For cannabis and behavioural addictions, 28 days is often sufficient. For opioid dependence, replacement therapy ($30/month PBS-subsidised) is the gold standard, often alongside or instead of residential. Public AOD services are free for all substance types.
Three reasons. First, programme length, ice / meth and heavy alcohol need 60+ days clinically; cannabis doesn't. Second, medical detox complexity, benzodiazepines and alcohol can be life-threatening to withdraw from without medical supervision; cannabis can't. Third, specialised therapy, trauma-informed work, stimulant-specific protocols, dual-diagnosis psychiatric care all add cost and clinical time. The headline price you're quoted often doesn't differentiate, so you have to ask the right questions.
A standard 28-day private for ice runs $25,000 to $35,000, but clinically you need 60 to 90 days because methamphetamine has a 4 to 8 week post-acute withdrawal phase that 28-day programmes barely cover. 60-day private runs $45,000 to $60,000; 90-day runs $60,000 to $80,000. Bali Beginnings runs 60-day at $57,900 and 90-day at $79,900 all-inclusive. Public AOD services are free but the wait can be 6 to 12 weeks, which is a long time when you're trying to stop using ice.
Opioid dependence is treated differently from most other drugs. The gold-standard treatment is opioid replacement therapy (ORT), methadone or buprenorphine, which runs $30 to $42 per month PBS-subsidised, often plus a small dispensing fee. ORT can run for years and dramatically reduces overdose risk. Many clients combine ORT with residential rehabilitation ($25,000+ standard) for the psychological work. Public ORT programmes are free; private ones charge a programme fee on top of medication.
Cocaine treatment falls in the standard private range: $25,000 to $35,000 for 28 days mid-tier, $40,000 to $55,000 premium. Cocaine has a lighter post-acute withdrawal window than ice or long-term heavy alcohol, so 28- to 45-day programmes are clinically often sufficient. The main clinical focus tends to be relapse-trigger work and trauma-informed therapy, since cocaine use often correlates with high-pressure professional life and unaddressed underlying issues.
Cannabis rehab costs the same as standard 28-day private ($25,000 to $35,000) but is more often suitable for outpatient or day-programme treatment. There's no physical withdrawal requiring medical management, so the cost focus is psychological work, behavioural change, and addressing underlying anxiety / sleep / motivation issues that often co-occur with heavy daily use. Public outpatient programmes are free; private outpatient runs $200 to $400 per session.
Benzodiazepine treatment is more expensive than most other substances because the medical taper is essential (abrupt cessation can be life-threatening). 28- to 60-day private with specialised benzo-taper capability runs $30,000 to $50,000. Confirm the facility has specific benzo-taper experience, this isn't universal in private rehab. Public hospital benzo-taper is fully free under Medicare.
Polysubstance use (multiple drugs simultaneously) typically costs more because the medical complexity is higher and the programme needs to be longer. 60- to 90-day private runs $45,000 to $80,000. The clinical reality is that multiple substances mean multiple withdrawal patterns and longer psychological integration. Most polysubstance clients we speak to benefit substantially from extended programmes (60+ days) rather than the standard 28-day window.
The headline price for a 28-day programme is the same. The clinical reality is that both ice and long-term heavy alcohol have post-acute withdrawal windows of 4 to 8 weeks, so both benefit from 60- to 90-day programmes. So the "right-sized" cost is similar between the two. What differs is the detox: ice typically has a milder physical withdrawal than alcohol, but a more intense psychological one (low mood, anhedonia, craving). Alcohol has more medical risk during detox (seizures, DTs) but better-known protocols.
Yes. Public AOD services through state health departments treat all substance types free under Medicare, including ice / methamphetamine. The Salvation Army Bridge Program, Odyssey House, and similar charity programmes accept ice clients on a means-tested basis. The trade-off is wait time (6 to 12 weeks) and the practical reality that for ice clients, that wait period often involves continued use that worsens the situation. Crisis pathways move within hours for high-acuity presentations.
Yes. The ATO's early release of super on compassionate grounds covers addiction treatment regardless of substance type. You pay 22% tax on the withdrawal; funds go directly to the facility. For mid-tier private and Bali Beginnings, this is the most common funding pathway. Bali Beginnings works with a dedicated super-funding partner who screens eligibility before lodging and manages the application end-to-end, and the turnaround is usually faster than people expect.
Most mid- to top-tier policies cover residential mental health (which includes drug rehab) under the mental health benefit. The rebate per night is typically $200 to $400 depending on policy; the gap is $80 to $280 per night even with cover. Call your insurer's mental health line specifically and confirm rebates per night, item numbers covered, and any waiting period for psychiatric admissions (often 2 months for new policies). Coverage doesn't differ much by substance type, the same admission codes apply.
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