Airds vs Bradbury, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Airds and Bradbury are both Campbelltown rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 42.4 km and 43.3 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Bradbury runs $623 a year cheaper than Airds, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $7,142.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $7,100, about $14 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
Get the free report: 10-year costs, flood & fire risk, crime, schools and overall verdict → Personalise this comparison with your own commute, home type and loan → Neither quite right? Find the Sydney suburbs that fit your budget →Airds
Bradbury
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Airds | Bradbury | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,497 | $1,497 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,964 | $6,941 | +$23 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,200 | $1,600 | +$600 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,100 | $2,100 | - |
| Total (driving) | $12,209 | $11,586 | +$623 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,645 | $7,045 | +$600 |
Totals exclude electricity, estimated separately below. Green = cheaper. Commute: ATO 91c/km, 220 working days. Insurance estimated from ACCC premium rates; actual premiums vary. Council rates: average residential rate (NSW, IPART-uplifted).
| Dwelling | Airds | Bradbury | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,720 | $2,720 | - |
| Unit | $2,209 | $2,209 | - |
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for each suburb's climate zone at 2026-27 regulated prices for each suburb's electricity network, including supply charge (AER Default Market Offer caps, or the QCA price in regional Queensland; unit ≈ 75% of a house). Get the free report for a breakdown by your exact number of occupants.
Cost breakdown chart
Annual cost breakdown, Airds vs Bradbury (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Airds and Bradbury differ by $623 a year by car, but $600 of that is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On the sourced costs, council rates, water and the commute, the gap is $23, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $600 per year.
On public transport the gap is $600 per year, $7,645 from Airds versus $7,045 from Bradbury.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,497 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Bradbury by $23 a year, $6,941 against $6,964.
- Building insurance favours Bradbury by $600 a year, $1,600 against $2,200.
Both suburbs sit in the same council area, so the rates line is identical and none of the difference between them comes from council. What separates them is commute distance and the insurance band.
Fire risk is rated high in Airds against low in Bradbury, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 5.7 in Bradbury against 1.9 in Airds, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Airds cumulative | Bradbury cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $12,209 | $11,586 | $623 |
| Year 3 | $37,737 | $35,811 | $1,926 |
| Year 5 | $64,819 | $61,512 | $3,307 |
| Year 10 | $139,963 | $132,821 | $7,142 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Airds or Bradbury cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Airds runs $12,209 a year by car and Bradbury $11,586, but most of the $623 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $23. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Airds and Bradbury?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,497 in Airds (Campbelltown rates (OLG) and $1,497 in Bradbury (Campbelltown rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Airds and $1,548 in Bradbury. Both figures are the average residential rate reported to the Office of Local Government, uplifted by each council's IPART rate peg.
How does the commute cost compare between Airds and Bradbury?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,964 from Airds and $6,941 from Bradbury to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Airds and $2,400 from Bradbury.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Airds and Bradbury?
At 3% annual cost growth, Airds costs a cumulative $139,963 and Bradbury costs $132,821 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $7,142 in favour of Bradbury. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Airds and Bradbury suits you better?
You've got the costs. Get the free personalised report for the rest: a clear verdict on which suburb wins, the full flood, fire and crime risk profile, nearest schools, estimated electricity cost by number of occupants, and your own loan or rent stress-tested over 10 years. No spam.
Related comparisons
Sources: Campbelltown rates (OLG and Campbelltown rates (OLG rate data, water utility pricing (QLD: Queensland Urban Utilities / Unitywater; NSW: Sydney Water / Hunter Water), ATO 91c/km, and SuburbCost insurance estimates from ACCC premium rates. Data updated July 2026.