Coniston vs Mount Saint Thomas, 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 Mount Saint Thomas are both Wollongong rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 70.1 km and 70.7 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
The two sit within $224 a year of each other to run, so running cost is a minor factor here. The decision comes down to schools, risk and lifestyle, all in the free report.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $2,600, about $5 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Mount Saint Thomas
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Coniston | Mount Saint Thomas | 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 | $3,088 | -$26 |
| 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) | $8,279 | $8,055 | +$224 |
| 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 | Coniston | Mount Saint Thomas | 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 Mount Saint Thomas (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Coniston and Mount Saint Thomas differ by $224 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 $26, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $250 per year. Coniston carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $250 per year, $7,617 from Coniston versus $7,367 from Mount Saint Thomas.
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 $26 a year, $3,062 against $3,088.
- Building insurance favours Mount Saint Thomas 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.
Flood risk is rated high in Coniston against medium in Mount Saint Thomas, which feeds the insurance estimate. Fire risk is rated medium in Mount Saint Thomas against low in Coniston, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 7.8 in Mount Saint Thomas against 5.8 in Coniston, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Coniston cumulative | Mount Saint Thomas cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $8,279 | $8,055 | $224 |
| Year 3 | $25,590 | $24,897 | $693 |
| Year 5 | $43,954 | $42,765 | $1,189 |
| Year 10 | $94,909 | $92,342 | $2,567 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coniston or Mount Saint Thomas cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Coniston runs $8,279 a year by car and Mount Saint Thomas $8,055, but most of the $224 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $26. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Coniston and Mount Saint Thomas?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,819 in Coniston (Wollongong rates (OLG) and $1,819 in Mount Saint Thomas (Wollongong rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Coniston and $1,548 in Mount Saint Thomas. 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 Mount Saint Thomas?
Annual driving commute costs are $3,062 from Coniston and $3,088 from Mount Saint Thomas to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Coniston and $2,400 from Mount Saint Thomas.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Coniston and Mount Saint Thomas?
At 3% annual cost growth, Coniston costs a cumulative $94,909 and Mount Saint Thomas costs $92,342 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $2,567 in favour of Mount Saint Thomas. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Coniston and Mount Saint Thomas 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.