Coniston vs Mangerton, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Coniston and Mangerton are both Wollongong rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 70.1 km and 69.9 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Mangerton runs $428 a year cheaper than Coniston, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,906.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,900, about $9 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Mangerton
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Coniston | Mangerton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,819 | $1,819 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $3,062 | $3,084 | -$22 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $1,400 | +$450 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $8,279 | $7,851 | +$428 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,617 | $7,167 | +$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 | Coniston | Mangerton | 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, Coniston vs Mangerton (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Coniston and Mangerton differ by $428 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 $22, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $450 per year. Coniston carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $450 per year, $7,617 from Coniston versus $7,167 from Mangerton.
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 Coniston by $22 a year, $3,062 against $3,084.
- Building insurance favours Mangerton by $450 a year, $1,400 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 high in Coniston against medium in Mangerton, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 7.8 in Mangerton against 5.8 in Coniston, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Coniston cumulative | Mangerton cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $8,279 | $7,851 | $428 |
| Year 3 | $25,590 | $24,267 | $1,323 |
| Year 5 | $43,954 | $41,682 | $2,272 |
| Year 10 | $94,909 | $90,003 | $4,906 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coniston or Mangerton cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Coniston runs $8,279 a year by car and Mangerton $7,851, but most of the $428 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $22. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Coniston and Mangerton?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,819 in Coniston (Wollongong rates (OLG) and $1,819 in Mangerton (Wollongong rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Coniston and $1,548 in Mangerton. 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 Coniston and Mangerton?
Annual driving commute costs are $3,062 from Coniston and $3,084 from Mangerton to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Coniston and $2,400 from Mangerton.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Coniston and Mangerton?
At 3% annual cost growth, Coniston costs a cumulative $94,909 and Mangerton costs $90,003 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,906 in favour of Mangerton. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Coniston and Mangerton 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.