Cooperabung vs Telegraph Point, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Cooperabung and Telegraph Point are both Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 20.7 km and 17.7 km from Port Macquarie CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Cooperabung runs $405 a year cheaper than Telegraph Point, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,643.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,600, about $9 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
Get the free report: 10-year costs, flood & fire risk, crime, schools and overall verdict → Personalise this comparison with your own commute, home type and loan →Cooperabung
Telegraph Point
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Cooperabung | Telegraph Point | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,370 | $1,370 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,362 | $4,817 | +$545 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,362 | $4,817 | +$545 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,150 | $3,100 | -$950 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $10,182 | $10,587 | -$405 |
| Total (public transport) | $10,182 | $10,587 | -$405 |
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 | Cooperabung | Telegraph Point | 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, Cooperabung vs Telegraph Point (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Cooperabung and Telegraph Point differ by $405 a year by car, but $950 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 $545, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $950 per year. Telegraph Point carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $405 per year, $10,182 from Cooperabung versus $10,587 from Telegraph Point.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,370 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Telegraph Point by $545 a year, $4,817 against $5,362.
- Building insurance favours Cooperabung by $950 a year, $2,150 against $3,100.
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 Telegraph Point against low in Cooperabung, which feeds the insurance estimate.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Cooperabung cumulative | Telegraph Point cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $10,182 | $10,587 | $405 |
| Year 3 | $31,472 | $32,723 | $1,251 |
| Year 5 | $54,058 | $56,208 | $2,150 |
| Year 10 | $116,725 | $121,368 | $4,643 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cooperabung or Telegraph Point cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Cooperabung runs $10,182 a year by car and Telegraph Point $10,587, but most of the $405 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $545. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Cooperabung and Telegraph Point?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,370 in Cooperabung (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG) and $1,370 in Telegraph Point (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Cooperabung and $1,300 in Telegraph Point. 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 Cooperabung and Telegraph Point?
Annual driving commute costs are $5,362 from Cooperabung and $4,817 from Telegraph Point to Port Macquarie CBD (ATO 91c/km). No daily public transport commute is assumed from either suburb, so both are costed by car.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Cooperabung and Telegraph Point?
At 3% annual cost growth, Cooperabung costs a cumulative $116,725 and Telegraph Point costs $121,368 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,643 in favour of Cooperabung. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Cooperabung and Telegraph Point suits you better?
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Sources: Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG and Port Macquarie-Hastings 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.