Cleveland vs Dapto, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Cleveland and Dapto are both Wollongong rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 81.3 km and 79.2 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Dapto runs $342 a year cheaper than Cleveland, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $3,920.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $3,900, about $8 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Dapto
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Cleveland | Dapto | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,819 | $1,819 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $3,551 | $3,459 | +$92 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $1,600 | +$250 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $8,768 | $8,426 | +$342 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,617 | $7,367 | +$250 |
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 | Cleveland | Dapto | 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, Cleveland vs Dapto (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Cleveland and Dapto differ by $342 a year by car, but $250 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 $92, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $250 per year. Cleveland carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $250 per year, $7,617 from Cleveland versus $7,367 from Dapto.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,819 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Dapto by $92 a year, $3,459 against $3,551.
- Building insurance favours Dapto by $250 a year, $1,600 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.
Fire risk is rated medium in Cleveland against low in Dapto, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 6.2 in Cleveland against 4.8 in Dapto, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Cleveland cumulative | Dapto cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $8,768 | $8,426 | $342 |
| Year 3 | $27,101 | $26,044 | $1,057 |
| Year 5 | $46,551 | $44,735 | $1,816 |
| Year 10 | $100,515 | $96,595 | $3,920 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cleveland or Dapto cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Cleveland runs $8,768 a year by car and Dapto $8,426, but most of the $342 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $92. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Cleveland and Dapto?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,819 in Cleveland (Wollongong rates (OLG) and $1,819 in Dapto (Wollongong rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Cleveland and $1,548 in Dapto. 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 Cleveland and Dapto?
Annual driving commute costs are $3,551 from Cleveland and $3,459 from Dapto to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Cleveland and $2,400 from Dapto.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Cleveland and Dapto?
At 3% annual cost growth, Cleveland costs a cumulative $100,515 and Dapto costs $96,595 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $3,920 in favour of Dapto. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Cleveland and Dapto suits you better?
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Sources: Wollongong rates (OLG and Wollongong 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.