Chippendale vs Surry Hills, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Chippendale and Surry Hills are both Sydney rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 2.1 km and 1.9 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Surry Hills runs $417 a year cheaper than Chippendale, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,781.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,800, about $9 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Surry Hills
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Chippendale | Surry Hills | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $924 | $924 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $715 | $648 | +$67 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $1,920 | $1,920 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $1,500 | +$350 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $3,500 | $3,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $5,037 | $4,620 | +$417 |
| Total (public transport) | $6,242 | $5,892 | +$350 |
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 | Chippendale | Surry Hills | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,342 | $2,342 | - |
| Unit | $1,909 | $1,909 | - |
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, Chippendale vs Surry Hills (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Chippendale and Surry Hills differ by $417 a year by car, but $350 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 $67, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $350 per year. Chippendale carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $350 per year, $6,242 from Chippendale versus $5,892 from Surry Hills.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $924 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Surry Hills by $67 a year, $648 against $715.
- Building insurance favours Surry Hills by $350 a year, $1,500 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 commute distance and the insurance band.
Flood risk is rated medium in Chippendale against low in Surry Hills, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 8.4 in Surry Hills against 5.6 in Chippendale, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Chippendale cumulative | Surry Hills cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $5,037 | $4,620 | $417 |
| Year 3 | $15,569 | $14,280 | $1,289 |
| Year 5 | $26,742 | $24,528 | $2,214 |
| Year 10 | $57,744 | $52,963 | $4,781 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chippendale or Surry Hills cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Chippendale runs $5,037 a year by car and Surry Hills $4,620, but most of the $417 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $67. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Chippendale and Surry Hills?
Annual council rates for a house are $924 in Chippendale (Sydney rates (OLG) and $924 in Surry Hills (Sydney rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Chippendale and $1,548 in Surry Hills. 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 Chippendale and Surry Hills?
Annual driving commute costs are $715 from Chippendale and $648 from Surry Hills to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $1,920 from Chippendale and $1,920 from Surry Hills.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Chippendale and Surry Hills?
At 3% annual cost growth, Chippendale costs a cumulative $57,744 and Surry Hills costs $52,963 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,781 in favour of Surry Hills. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Chippendale and Surry Hills suits you better?
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Sources: Sydney rates (OLG and Sydney 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.