Alexandria vs Eveleigh, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Alexandria and Eveleigh are both Sydney rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 4.5 km and 3.3 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Eveleigh runs $879 a year cheaper than Alexandria, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $10,077.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $10,100, about $19 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Eveleigh
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Alexandria | Eveleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $924 | $924 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $1,484 | $1,105 | +$379 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $1,920 | $1,920 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,350 | $1,850 | +$500 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $3,500 | $3,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $6,306 | $5,427 | +$879 |
| Total (public transport) | $6,742 | $6,242 | +$500 |
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 | Alexandria | Eveleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,342 | $2,342 | - |
| Unit | $1,909 | $1,909 | - |
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, Alexandria vs Eveleigh (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Alexandria and Eveleigh differ by $879 a year by car, but $500 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 $379, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $500 per year. Alexandria carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $500 per year, $6,742 from Alexandria versus $6,242 from Eveleigh.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $924 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Eveleigh by $379 a year, $1,105 against $1,484.
- Building insurance favours Eveleigh by $500 a year, $1,850 against $2,350.
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.
Flood risk is rated high in Alexandria against medium in Eveleigh, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 9.9 in Alexandria against 6.8 in Eveleigh, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Alexandria cumulative | Eveleigh cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $6,306 | $5,427 | $879 |
| Year 3 | $19,491 | $16,774 | $2,717 |
| Year 5 | $33,479 | $28,813 | $4,666 |
| Year 10 | $72,291 | $62,214 | $10,077 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alexandria or Eveleigh cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Alexandria runs $6,306 a year by car and Eveleigh $5,427, but most of the $879 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $379. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Alexandria and Eveleigh?
Annual council rates for a house are $924 in Alexandria (Sydney rates (OLG) and $924 in Eveleigh (Sydney rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Alexandria and $1,548 in Eveleigh. 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 Alexandria and Eveleigh?
Annual driving commute costs are $1,484 from Alexandria and $1,105 from Eveleigh to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $1,920 from Alexandria and $1,920 from Eveleigh.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Alexandria and Eveleigh?
At 3% annual cost growth, Alexandria costs a cumulative $72,291 and Eveleigh costs $62,214 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $10,077 in favour of Eveleigh. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Alexandria and Eveleigh suits you better?
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Sources: Sydney rates (OLG and Sydney 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.