How Much Does it Cost to Install Security Cameras?

Camera Installation Cost Factors

Security cameras have quite a bit of variety, ranging from its power source to the number of cameras. Indoor cameras tend to cost less than outdoor cameras because they’re typically much easier to install. "Security cameras are one of those items that although may be expensive, you certainly will be glad you have them if something happens to your property," says Salvatore Cutrona, Angi Expert Review Board member and founder of Cutrona Electric, LLC, in Sherman, CT.

Check out the various cost factors that will influence your project budget.

Number of Cameras

The cost of each camera ranges from $20 to $250, not including labor. You typically need to install anywhere from 4 to 6 cameras to cover the entirety of the home’s exterior. The number of indoor cameras you need to install throughout your home to maximize coverage will come down to your floor plan.

Types of Cameras

There are several types of surveillance cameras you can use, ranging from a dome camera you can control to maximize coverage to a “dummy” camera, which isn’t a camera but takes on the appearance of one.

Labor

Whether you hire a security camera installation specialist or a professional electrician will help determine the labor fee structure. You can expect the labor charges for this project to account for 50% to 70% of the total cost.

Requesting service from a security camera installation expert will cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per camera to install. Whereas hiring a licensed electrician will cost between $50 to $100 per hour. In some instances, experts will charge a flat fee of about $100 to $200.

Wired or Wireless

The cost of installing a wired surveillance camera will range from $100 to $500 per camera. These cameras are either hardwired into the home's electrical system or use a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) cable to supply electricity and an internet connection to the camera. While they are more difficult to install, they have a higher uptime when it comes to power and the internet.

Wireless surveillance cameras will cost around $100 to $400 per camera. As the name implies, these cameras work off a battery or solar power and don’t require hookup into your home's electrical system. You will need to install this camera type within your home’s wireless internet range. Cameras in home areas without a stable internet connection may lose recording footage or notice an increase in downtimes.

Location of Camera

Outdoor cameras cost about $20 to $55 more to install than indoor surveillance cameras. Outdoor cameras typically cost more than their indoor counterparts because of their higher resolution, wider field of view, and the increased installation difficulty.

Indoor cameras range from a simple standup camera you plug into an outlet to hidden cameras that blend in with the decor throughout the home. Unlike outdoor cameras, indoor cameras don’t need weatherproofing or extremely high definition settings to catch all the details.

Frame Rate (FPS)

The security camera installation cost will vary between $80 to $150 for a 15 frames per second option and $150 to $350 for a 60 frames per second option. The more frames a second a camera uses, the smoother the video quality will appear.

Field of View

A security camera’s field of view (FoV) refers to how wide or large of a viewing distance or range the camera can see. FoV is measured in angle degrees or lens millimeters. When factoring in FoV, you can expect to pay $80 and $1,000 for camera installation.

Generally, the larger the lens of a camera, the smaller the viewing range is, but these cameras have a larger viewing distance. Homeowners will need to determine the best course of action based on their individual home and yard layout.

Note that homeowners typically have the option to install dome cameras that rotate between 180º and 360º, but have a relatively small lens. These cameras will cost anywhere from $200 to $1,000.

Cost of Home Surveillance Camera Installation by Feature

Homeowners value additional security features, such as motion detection and microphones. Extra features often raise the price of each individual camera and the total project price.

Motion Detection

The cost of installing a security camera with motion detection will fall between $40 and $150 extra. Keep in mind that motion detection cameras are not always recording. These cameras will only record when the sensor picks up motion and often send you an alert to your smartphone through an app.

For best results, you can pair up a motion detection camera with an alarm monitoring system. The cost of adding an alarm monitoring system is about $25 to $200 per month. The alarm company will receive the same motion alerts, saving you the time of contacting them if something suspicious is happening.

Facial Recognition

The cost of facial recognition cameras falls between $150 to $250 per camera. Facial recognition is often used to alert you when certain people arrive at your home, such as children getting home from school.

Microphone

The cost of installing a camera with a built-in microphone is around $100 to $200 per camera. With the increase of doorbell surveillance cameras, companies are starting to include this feature in a wide variety of cameras as an extra feature for customers. 

Infrared

Infrared (IR) security cameras cost around $150 to $250 to install. You might want to consider an IR camera if certain spots of your home get too dark for even night vision cameras. IR cameras emit IR light while they’re shooting, allowing the camera to pick up what’s happening while remaining invisible to the outside world.

DIY vs. Professional Camera Installation

Indoor cameras and wireless outdoor cameras are relatively easy to install yourself. The cost of installing a surveillance camera yourself will range from $100 to $300 per camera. Surveillance cameras often come with the materials needed to mount them to the wall or ceiling, so you’ll need the tools to complete the job. Tools you’ll likely need include:

• Drill: $75–$200

• Hammer: $5–$20

• Drill bits that match the material of your home: $3–$15 per bit

If you’re familiar with running Ethernet cables throughout your home, then you may also want to handle external PoE surveillance camera installation yourself. But if you want an electrical connection through wires instead, you should hire an electrician near you.

Keep in mind that outdoor and wired surveillance cameras are much more difficult to install, and you’ll likely need to hire a professional installer to get the job done.

Security Cameras Costs by System Type

While security cameras help monitor real-time footage of the home, you may want to also record the footage to review at a later date. You may want to back up the footage directly to your own storage devices using CCTV or over the internet and into the cloud using IP.

CCTV

The cost of installing a 4-camera CCTV surveillance system is around $1,300 on average. The cameras for a CCTV cost between $75 and $350 per camera. CCTV systems upload directly to a storage device such as a hard drive, SD card, digital video recorder, or tape storage. These systems do not require constant internet access.

IP

The cost of installing a 4-camera IP surveillance system costs between $500 and $1,500. The cameras for an IP system will cost anywhere from $100 to $400 per camera. IP surveillance systems require constant internet access, as they upload footage through ethernet or Wi-Fi to a cloud storage device. Cloud storage will vary from brand to brand.

Cost of Installing Security Cameras by Resolution

The resolution of a security camera determines the size and detail of the video. Generally, the higher the resolution, the higher the cost. Resolutions for cameras are often measured in pixels, so the more pixels, the better the video quality.