Barrack Heights vs Blackbutt, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Barrack Heights and Blackbutt are both Shellharbour rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 83.7 km and 85.1 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Blackbutt runs $538 a year cheaper than Barrack Heights, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $6,167.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $6,200, about $12 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Blackbutt
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Barrack Heights | Blackbutt | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,865 | $1,865 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $3,656 | $3,718 | -$62 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,100 | $1,500 | +$600 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,169 | $8,631 | +$538 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,913 | $7,313 | +$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 | Barrack Heights | Blackbutt | 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, Barrack Heights vs Blackbutt (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Barrack Heights and Blackbutt differ by $538 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 $62, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $600 per year. Barrack Heights carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $600 per year, $7,913 from Barrack Heights versus $7,313 from Blackbutt.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,865 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Barrack Heights by $62 a year, $3,656 against $3,718.
- Building insurance favours Blackbutt by $600 a year, $1,500 against $2,100.
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 Barrack Heights against low in Blackbutt, which feeds the insurance estimate. Fire risk is rated medium in Blackbutt against low in Barrack Heights, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 4.4 in Barrack Heights against 2.8 in Blackbutt, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Barrack Heights cumulative | Blackbutt cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,169 | $8,631 | $538 |
| Year 3 | $28,340 | $26,678 | $1,662 |
| Year 5 | $48,679 | $45,823 | $2,856 |
| Year 10 | $105,112 | $98,945 | $6,167 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Barrack Heights or Blackbutt cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Barrack Heights runs $9,169 a year by car and Blackbutt $8,631, but most of the $538 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $62. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Barrack Heights and Blackbutt?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,865 in Barrack Heights (Shellharbour rates (OLG) and $1,865 in Blackbutt (Shellharbour rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Barrack Heights and $1,548 in Blackbutt. 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 Barrack Heights and Blackbutt?
Annual driving commute costs are $3,656 from Barrack Heights and $3,718 from Blackbutt to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Barrack Heights and $2,400 from Blackbutt.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Barrack Heights and Blackbutt?
At 3% annual cost growth, Barrack Heights costs a cumulative $105,112 and Blackbutt costs $98,945 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $6,167 in favour of Blackbutt. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Barrack Heights and Blackbutt suits you better?
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Sources: Shellharbour rates (OLG and Shellharbour 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.