Chillingham vs Upper Crystal Creek, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek are both Tweed rates (OLG suburbs, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Chillingham runs $300 a year cheaper than Upper Crystal Creek, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $3,439.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $3,400, about $7 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Upper Crystal Creek
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Chillingham | Upper Crystal Creek | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,799 | $1,799 | - |
| 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 | $1,550 | $1,850 | -$300 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $22,849 | $23,149 | -$300 |
| Total (public transport) | $22,849 | $23,149 | -$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 | Chillingham | Upper Crystal Creek | 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, Chillingham vs Upper Crystal Creek (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek differ by $300 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 $0, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $300 per year.
On public transport the gap is $300 per year, $22,849 from Chillingham versus $23,149 from Upper Crystal Creek.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,799 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute is identical at $18,200 a year.
- Building insurance favours Chillingham by $300 a year, $1,550 against $1,850.
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.
Fire risk is rated high in Upper Crystal Creek against medium in Chillingham, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 6.1 in Chillingham against 4.5 in Upper Crystal Creek, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Chillingham cumulative | Upper Crystal Creek cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $22,849 | $23,149 | $300 |
| Year 3 | $70,624 | $71,551 | $927 |
| Year 5 | $121,308 | $122,901 | $1,593 |
| Year 10 | $261,938 | $265,377 | $3,439 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chillingham or Upper Crystal Creek cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Chillingham runs $22,849 a year by car and Upper Crystal Creek $23,149, but most of the $300 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 Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,799 in Chillingham (Tweed rates (OLG) and $1,799 in Upper Crystal Creek (Tweed rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Chillingham and $1,300 in Upper Crystal Creek. 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 Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek?
Chillingham 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. Upper Crystal Creek 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 Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek?
At 3% annual cost growth, Chillingham costs a cumulative $261,938 and Upper Crystal Creek costs $265,377 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $3,439 in favour of Chillingham. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek suits you better?
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Sources: Tweed rates (OLG and Tweed 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.