Bonny Hills vs Grants Beach, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Bonny Hills and Grants Beach are both Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 19.5 km and 22.4 km from Port Macquarie CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Bonny Hills runs $1,033 a year cheaper than Grants Beach, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $11,842.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $11,800, about $23 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Grants Beach
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Bonny Hills | Grants Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,370 | $1,370 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,153 | $5,636 | -$483 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,153 | $5,636 | -$483 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,550 | $3,100 | -$550 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $10,373 | $11,406 | -$1,033 |
| Total (public transport) | $10,373 | $11,406 | -$1,033 |
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 | Bonny Hills | Grants Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,827 | $2,827 | - |
| Unit | $2,369 | $2,369 | - |
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, Bonny Hills vs Grants Beach (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Bonny Hills and Grants Beach differ by $1,033 a year by car, but $550 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 $483, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $550 per year. Grants Beach carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $1,033 per year, $10,373 from Bonny Hills versus $11,406 from Grants Beach.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,370 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Bonny Hills by $483 a year, $5,153 against $5,636.
- Building insurance favours Bonny Hills by $550 a year, $2,550 against $3,100.
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 Grants Beach against medium in Bonny Hills, which feeds the insurance estimate.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Bonny Hills cumulative | Grants Beach cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $10,373 | $11,406 | $1,033 |
| Year 3 | $32,062 | $35,255 | $3,193 |
| Year 5 | $55,072 | $60,556 | $5,484 |
| Year 10 | $118,915 | $130,757 | $11,842 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bonny Hills or Grants Beach cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Bonny Hills runs $10,373 a year by car and Grants Beach $11,406, but most of the $1,033 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $483. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Bonny Hills and Grants Beach?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,370 in Bonny Hills (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG) and $1,370 in Grants Beach (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Bonny Hills and $1,300 in Grants Beach. 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 Bonny Hills and Grants Beach?
Annual driving commute costs are $5,153 from Bonny Hills and $5,636 from Grants Beach to Port Macquarie CBD (ATO 91c/km). No daily public transport commute is assumed from either suburb, so both are costed by car.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Bonny Hills and Grants Beach?
At 3% annual cost growth, Bonny Hills costs a cumulative $118,915 and Grants Beach costs $130,757 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $11,842 in favour of Bonny Hills. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Bonny Hills and Grants Beach suits you better?
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Sources: Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG and Port Macquarie-Hastings 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.