Billinudgel vs Yelgun, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Billinudgel and Yelgun are both Byron rates (OLG suburbs, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Yelgun runs $450 a year cheaper than Billinudgel, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $5,159.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $5,200, about $10 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Yelgun
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Billinudgel | Yelgun | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,649 | $1,649 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $18,200 | $18,200 | - |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $18,200 | $18,200 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,150 | $1,700 | +$450 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $23,299 | $22,849 | +$450 |
| Total (public transport) | $23,299 | $22,849 | +$450 |
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 | Billinudgel | Yelgun | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,774 | $2,774 | - |
| Unit | $2,329 | $2,329 | - |
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, Billinudgel vs Yelgun (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Billinudgel and Yelgun differ by $450 a year by car, but $450 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 $0, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $450 per year. Billinudgel carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $450 per year, $23,299 from Billinudgel versus $22,849 from Yelgun.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,649 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute is identical at $18,200 a year.
- Building insurance favours Yelgun by $450 a year, $1,700 against $2,150.
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 the insurance band.
Flood risk is rated high in Billinudgel against medium in Yelgun, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 7.3 in Billinudgel against 5.6 in Yelgun, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Billinudgel cumulative | Yelgun cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $23,299 | $22,849 | $450 |
| Year 3 | $72,015 | $70,624 | $1,391 |
| Year 5 | $123,698 | $121,308 | $2,390 |
| Year 10 | $267,097 | $261,938 | $5,159 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Billinudgel or Yelgun cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Billinudgel runs $23,299 a year by car and Yelgun $22,849, but most of the $450 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $0. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Billinudgel and Yelgun?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,649 in Billinudgel (Byron rates (OLG) and $1,649 in Yelgun (Byron rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Billinudgel and $1,300 in Yelgun. 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 Billinudgel and Yelgun?
Billinudgel carries a flat regional driving allowance of $18,200, about 20,000 km of household driving a year, because it is more than 100 km from Sydney CBD. Yelgun carries a flat regional driving allowance of $18,200, about 20,000 km of household driving a year, because it is more than 100 km from Sydney CBD. No daily public transport commute is assumed from either suburb, so both are costed by car.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Billinudgel and Yelgun?
At 3% annual cost growth, Billinudgel costs a cumulative $267,097 and Yelgun costs $261,938 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $5,159 in favour of Yelgun. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Billinudgel and Yelgun suits you better?
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Sources: Byron rates (OLG and Byron 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.