Data studies on suburb running costs
The real annual cost of owning a home across Queensland and New South Wales, worked out from council rates, water, commute and insurance instead of the sticker price. Find the cheapest and priciest suburbs to run in Brisbane and Sydney, whether driving or the train wins your commute, and how flood and bushfire risk moves the insurance. Every figure comes from the same government-sourced data behind the SuburbCost tool, updated for 2026.
Want the list for your own budget, household and commute? Find the Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne suburbs that fit →
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Data study
If fuel rises another 30c, here's what you'll pay per month
Petrol prices in Sydney and fuel prices in Brisbane as a commute cost for 1,203 suburbs. Another 30c adds $511 a year in Sydney and $430 in Brisbane. The rise since June already added $1,439.
Brisbane data study
The best suburbs in Brisbane, 432 ranked on six measures
Auchenflower scores 89.4 out of 100, the highest of 432 suburbs scored on running cost, catchment schools, recorded crime, flood and fire risk, transport and everyday amenities. Published weights, no property prices.
Brisbane guide
What a $1m Brisbane house costs to live in each year
Three scenarios on a $1 million house in North Lakes, Redcliffe and Cleveland cost $73,411 to $74,878 a year all in. $14,364 to $15,831 of that is rates, water, power, insurance and the commute.
Sydney data study
What a $50m Point Piper house costs to live in each year
A hypothetical $50 million harbourside house costs about $2,967,368 a year to live in. Council rates on an assumed $15m land value are $5,679, the lowest rate in the dollar of the NSW councils we hold.
Sydney guide
What a $1.5m Sydney house costs to live in each year
Three scenarios on a $1.5 million house in Miranda, Hornsby and Blacktown cost $102,270 to $102,690 a year all in. $13,700 to $14,120 of that is rates, water, power, insurance and the commute.
Queensland data study
Top 10 most expensive council rates in Queensland 2026-27
Sunshine Coast sets the highest minimum residential general rate in Queensland at $1,771. Brisbane sets the lowest at $950. All 22 councils ranked on one basis, with the reason the largest council sits at the bottom.
Queensland data study
What each Queensland council charges per dollar of land
The rate in the dollar runs 7.4 times across Queensland, from 0.2001c to 1.4832c, and a high rate usually means cheap land rather than an expensive council. 18 councils with worked figures.
Hunter data study
Hunter running costs 2026, all 286 suburbs ranked
Newcastle City charges $1,858 in rates, more than three of the five Hunter councils, and still has the cheapest suburbs to run at a $7,714 median against Maitland's $12,770. The commute moves the total three times as hard as the rates bill.
Sydney data study
Sydney suburbs sit 34% further from the CBD by road
We pinned driving routes for 794 Sydney suburbs. The median is 34% further by road than the straight line says. Wagstaffe is 40.3km out and 96.7km by road. Bundeena doubles because the road goes around the national park.
Brisbane data study
Brisbane suburbs sit 29% further from the CBD by road
We pinned driving routes for 473 Brisbane suburbs. Bulimba is 4.1km from the city in a straight line and 9.0km by road, because the river loops around it. The median suburb is 27% further than listed.
Illawarra data study
Illawarra running costs 2026, all 105 suburbs ranked
All 105 Illawarra suburbs cost less by train than by car, the only region we rank where that holds everywhere. Cordeaux Heights runs $8,564 a year, Stanwell Park $13,888, and the whole region fits inside a $5,324 spread.
NSW guide
NSW's hidden cost of living, the $4,907 rates gap
Every one of the 54 Northern Beaches suburbs pays the same council rate. Total running cost still ranges $8,116 to $13,023. Council rates average just 15.1% of the real cost of a Sydney suburb; commute averages 44.8%.
Brisbane rankings
Brisbane suburbs that cost less to run for their distance
Rocklea and Nathan sit 9.3km and 9.2km from the CBD, practically the same distance. Rocklea costs $2,726 a year more to run. Suburbs within 40km only, why flood risk beats distance.
Sydney rankings
Sydney suburbs that cost less to run for their distance
Huntleys Point and Dover Heights sit exactly 6.7km from the CBD, the same distance. Huntleys Point costs $2,202 a year more to run. Suburbs within 40km only, council area beats distance.
All articles
Units data study
House or unit, the levy that decides which costs less to run
A unit saves a house's building insurance and some power. The body corporate levy has to stay under a median $2,459 a year in Greater Brisbane, $2,283 in Sydney and $2,192 in Melbourne for the unit to cost less to run.
Singles data study
The singles tax on owning a home in Brisbane and Sydney
A house costs $265 a month more to run alone in Greater Brisbane and $241 in Greater Sydney. Add an average new mortgage and the gap is $2,565 and $2,820 a month.
First home data study
First home costs after settlement, house vs unit
Rates, water, insurance, strata and the commute for a first home, house against unit, in the lowest running cost suburbs at each distance from the CBD. Brisbane median house $9,436 and unit $10,334 a year, estimates included.
Queensland data study
Queensland home insurance estimates, tested against real premiums
SuburbCost estimates building insurance on the same $600,000 house from ACCC rates, a median $2,150 a year in the low cyclone risk south and $3,600 in the north. Tested against what households pay in 73 Queensland areas.
Queensland data study
Queensland electricity bills by household size
A two person house is estimated at $2,135 a year in Brisbane and $2,373 in Townsville or Cairns on the 2026-27 regulated flat rate. Every Queensland suburb, by household size and climate zone.
Brisbane data study
Every Brisbane suburb ranked by school catchment
All 443 suburbs by catchment ICSEA. Red Hill and Wilston top it at 10 out of 10. The score correlates -0.60 with distance from the city, because ICSEA measures family background rather than teaching.
Sydney data study
Every Sydney suburb ranked by school catchment
All 760 suburbs by catchment ICSEA. 50 share a perfect 10. Unlike Brisbane, 71 suburbs beyond 20km still score 8.5 or above, so the distance rule breaks in the north and the Hills.
Brisbane data study
Safe suburbs in Brisbane, and where they actually are
36 of 432 Brisbane suburbs rate Low on both police crime measures, and only 8 of those sit within 20 km of the CBD. They run about $1,874 a year dearer, almost all of it commute.
Sydney data study
Best suburbs to live in Sydney 2026, 598 ranked
Wollstonecraft scores 95.6 of 100, ahead of Kurraba Point and Willoughby, on running cost, schools, crime per resident, flood and fire, transport and amenities. CSV included.
Sydney data study
Safest suburbs in Sydney 2026, by recorded crime rate
105 of 598 Sydney suburbs are in the lowest quarter for both property and violent crime per resident. 55 are within 20 km of the CBD, the closest Kurraba Point. CSV included.
Moreton Bay
The cheapest suburbs to run in Moreton Bay, 2026
All 91 suburbs pay the same council rate and the same water charge, yet running cost spans $4,726, from Everton Hills at $9,515 to Beachmere at $14,241.
Queensland data study
Every Moreton Bay suburb ranked by what it costs to run
All 91 suburbs, not a top ten. The median costs $12,774 a year to run, from $9,515 in Everton Hills to $14,241 in Beachmere. Commute drives 82 per cent of the gap.
Council rates
How much are council rates in Australia?
The median NSW council charges $1,282 and the median Queensland council $1,369. In Queensland the median is a decent estimate. In NSW only 36% of councils sit within $200 of it, so it barely helps.
Water
Most expensive water rates in QLD and NSW, 2026
Every one of the 10 Queensland water providers charges more than either NSW utility. Redland bills $2,308 a year against Hunter Water's $1,377. Unlike council rates, water compares cleanly between the states.
Gold Coast
The most expensive Gold Coast suburbs to run in 2026
One council, one water utility, identical rates for all 80 suburbs. Running cost still spans $8,660, from Ashmore at $6,476 to Currumbin Valley at $15,136.
Queensland data study
Every Gold Coast suburb ranked by what it costs to run
All 80 suburbs, not a top ten. The median costs $10,786 a year to run, from $6,476 in Ashmore to $15,136 in Currumbin Valley. Commute drives 71 per cent of the gap.
Melbourne data study
Cheapest suburbs to live in Melbourne 2026-27, ranked
Carlton costs $4,672 a year to run, the lowest of 525 Melbourne suburbs. All 25 of the cheapest are within 4.6 km of the CBD, and on a myki Pass the cheapest move to Greater Dandenong. CSV included.
Melbourne data study
Best suburbs to live in Melbourne 2026, 525 ranked
Caulfield East scores 96.3 of 100, ahead of Glen Huntly and Elsternwick, on running cost, schools, crime, flood and fire, transport and shops, cafes and parks. CSV included.
Rankings
Most expensive council rates in Victoria, all 79 ranked
Nillumbik Shire has the highest average residential rate in Victoria at $2,810, Hindmarsh Shire the lowest at $700. All 79 councils ranked for 2026-27.
Rankings
Average council rates in Melbourne, 31 councils ranked
The median Melbourne council's average residential rate is $1,714, level with the Victorian median. Greater Dandenong City is lowest at $1,063, Nillumbik Shire highest at $2,810.
Rankings
Highest council rates in Australia, 227 councils ranked
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria ranked separately, because the three states publish different statistics and merging them would be wrong. 227 councils.
Rankings
Biggest council rate rises in 2026-27
Sunshine Coast raised its minimum residential rate 11.7% and Mackay 10.4%, against Cairns at 4%. Plus the seven NSW councils approved to rise above the IPART cap.
Rankings
Top 20 most expensive council rates in NSW 2026-27
All 126 councils ranked. Hunters Hill charges $2,446 and Brewarrina $144, a spread of seventeen times. Woollahra and Waverley share a boundary and sit $550 apart.
Electricity
Where the same household pays most for electricity
A two-person house pays $2,135 a year for power in south-east Queensland and $3,257 on the NSW tablelands. Every network and climate zone across 6,158 suburbs.
Rate pegs
NSW rate peg 2027-28, every council's cap
IPART's final rate pegs for 2027-28 run from 3.7% to 6.6%. See each council's cap, what it means for your rates, and the seven councils with special variations.
Rankings
Average council rates in Sydney 2026-27, 32 councils
The median Greater Sydney council charges $1,424 a year and the mean is $1,513, a gap of $89 caused by the top of the table. The City of Sydney charges $924, Hunters Hill $2,446.
Cost of living
Mortgage and home running costs, 2022 vs 2026
On an $800,000 loan, repayments at the average rate are an estimated $1,895 a month higher than in May 2022, counting the November 2026 rate rise. Electricity and water rose too. Sourced line by line.
Rate rises explained
Why your council rates went up in 2026-27
NSW rises are capped by the IPART peg, and your bill can still rise by more than the cap. Queensland has no cap at all, and this year ran from 4% at Cairns to 11.7% at Sunshine Coast.
How rates work
How to calculate council rates in NSW and QLD
Land value times a rate in the dollar, subject to a minimum. Rates are not based on what your house is worth, which is why two very different houses on the same street pay the same amount.
Moving to Brisbane
Moving to Brisbane 2026, running costs by suburb
Across 443 Greater Brisbane suburbs a house runs a median $10,958 a year driving. Against Greater Sydney on water, commute and insurance, Brisbane is $912 dearer by car and $1,456 cheaper on public transport. Council rates are excluded from both, because a Queensland minimum and a New South Wales average are not the same statistic.
Moving to QLD
The real annual running cost of moving to Queensland
A house in Greater Brisbane costs a median $11,687 a year to run. On the Gold Coast it's $10,786. In Cairns and the Far North it's $12,779, and insurance, not council rates, is why. Region-by-region running costs across Queensland.
Sydney data study
The 2026 Greater Sydney Suburb Running Cost Index
A house in Canoelands, 42km from Sydney's CBD, costs $13,705 a year to run; in Surry Hills, $4,970. We ranked 779 suburbs, and found the whole ranking flips if you take the train: Penrith saves $3,944 a year by Opal.
NSW council rates
Which NSW councils went furthest above the cap in 2026-27
The IPART rate peg caps most NSW councils at 2.7% to 5.7%, but 7 were approved to exceed it. Ku-ring-gai and Uralla rose the most by percentage; North Sydney, an affluent harbourside council, rose 23.3%. Full ranked table.
Logan
Cheapest suburbs to live in Logan 2026
Underwood runs about $10,645 a year, Monarch Glen $14,036. A $3,391 gap inside one council, and it is commute, not rates. Every Logan suburb ranked by true annual cost.
Brisbane
How much does it cost to live in Brisbane per year, by suburb
Brisbane City runs $5,164 a year, North Ipswich $15,206. The $10,042 spread across 443 suburbs compounds to about $115,120 over a decade, on running costs alone.
Suburb comparison
Ashgrove vs Bardon, which is cheaper to live in
Neither, meaningfully. They cost within $39 a year of each other, with identical rates and water. Here is why running cost will not decide this one, and what should.
QLD council rates
Which QLD councils raised residential rates most in 2026-27
Ten Queensland councils have set 2026-27 budgets. Minimum residential rates rose 4% to 11.7%, averaging about 7%. Sunshine Coast rose most and Cairns least. Full ranked table.
Brisbane vs Sydney
Brisbane vs Sydney running costs, matched suburb by suburb
1,203 suburbs compared. By car, the median Greater Brisbane house costs $491 a year more to run than Greater Sydney's on water, electricity, insurance and commute. On public transport Brisbane is $1,791 cheaper, thanks to its flat 50 cent fare. Council rates are compared separately.
Sydney rankings
The cheapest Sydney suburbs to live in 2026
Surry Hills runs $4,970 a year, the cheapest of 795 Sydney suburbs, because almost nobody living there drives to work. The cheapest to run are inner, not outer.
Commute costs
Sydney suburbs where the train beats driving (2026)
Switching from driving to the train saves the most around Sydney's 35 to 40km mark, about $4,550 a year, not at the edge of the network. Where public transport wins by the biggest margin, and why inner suburbs barely notice.
Sydney rankings
The most expensive Sydney suburbs to run in 2026
Canoelands tops all 795 Sydney suburbs at $13,705 a year, and the drive to work is more than half of it. Council rates vary $1,522 across the city. The commute varies $6,474.
Budget 2026
How the 2026 Queensland Budget changes the cost of living for Brisbane households
The 2026 Queensland Budget freezes water prices for two years, cuts electricity 7 to 10 percent, and locks in 50 cent fares permanently. Here's what it means for Brisbane households, suburb by suburb, plus the first home buyer grant deadline.
Suburb rankings
The cheapest Brisbane suburbs to live in 2026
The cheapest Brisbane suburbs to run a house are all inner BCC: Brisbane City ($5,164/yr), Spring Hill, Kelvin Grove. But the cheapest to run are the most expensive to buy. Full ranked list and the genuinely affordable mid-ring alternatives.
Cost index
The most expensive Brisbane suburbs to run in 2026
North Ipswich costs $15,206 a year against Brisbane City's $5,164. Across 443 Greater Brisbane suburbs, council rates explain under a tenth of the $10,042 gap.
Council rates
Brisbane council rates 2026, what you actually pay by council area
Brisbane City Council residential rates are $950 per year for houses and $1,138 for units in 2026-27. Here's what each council area charges and why rates vary between suburbs.
Commute costs
Drive vs train in Brisbane, annual commute cost by suburb (2026)
Public transport costs $192 a year from any Brisbane suburb. Driving costs about $2,925 from Chermside, climbing to a peak of $6,758 around the 40km mark, then easing off again further out. Full suburb-by-suburb comparison.
Annual costs
True annual running cost of Brisbane suburbs in 2026, inner to outer
A Brisbane house costs $7,625 a year to run in a middle-ring suburb like Chermside. Inner suburbs cost less to commute but carry the same council and water bills. Outer suburbs like North Lakes can cost $3,400+ more in driving alone.
Flood risk
The annual insurance cost penalty in Brisbane flood-risk suburbs (2026)
A low-risk suburb like Chermside carries an estimated annual insurance premium of $1,850. Medium flood risk suburbs add several hundred dollars. High flood risk adds more still.