Balgownie vs Mount Pleasant, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Balgownie and Mount Pleasant are both Wollongong rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 65.4 km and 66.3 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Mount Pleasant runs $502 a year cheaper than Balgownie, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $5,754.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $5,800, about $11 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Mount Pleasant
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Balgownie | Mount Pleasant | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,819 | $1,819 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $4,170 | $3,968 | +$202 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,600 | $1,300 | +$300 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,137 | $8,635 | +$502 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,367 | $7,067 | +$300 |
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 | Balgownie | Mount Pleasant | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,442 | $2,442 | - |
| Unit | $2,001 | $2,001 | - |
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, Balgownie vs Mount Pleasant (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Balgownie and Mount Pleasant differ by $502 a year by car, but $300 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 $202, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $300 per year. Balgownie carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $300 per year, $7,367 from Balgownie versus $7,067 from Mount Pleasant.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,819 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Mount Pleasant by $202 a year, $3,968 against $4,170.
- Building insurance favours Mount Pleasant by $300 a year, $1,300 against $1,600.
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 medium in Balgownie against low in Mount Pleasant, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 9.2 in Mount Pleasant against 7.9 in Balgownie, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Balgownie cumulative | Mount Pleasant cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,137 | $8,635 | $502 |
| Year 3 | $28,242 | $26,690 | $1,552 |
| Year 5 | $48,510 | $45,844 | $2,666 |
| Year 10 | $104,745 | $98,991 | $5,754 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Balgownie or Mount Pleasant cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Balgownie runs $9,137 a year by car and Mount Pleasant $8,635, but most of the $502 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $202. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Balgownie and Mount Pleasant?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,819 in Balgownie (Wollongong rates (OLG) and $1,819 in Mount Pleasant (Wollongong rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Balgownie and $1,548 in Mount Pleasant. 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 Balgownie and Mount Pleasant?
Annual driving commute costs are $4,170 from Balgownie and $3,968 from Mount Pleasant to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Balgownie and $2,400 from Mount Pleasant.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Balgownie and Mount Pleasant?
At 3% annual cost growth, Balgownie costs a cumulative $104,745 and Mount Pleasant costs $98,991 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $5,754 in favour of Mount Pleasant. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Balgownie and Mount Pleasant suits you better?
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Sources: Wollongong rates (OLG and Wollongong 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.