Cornwallis vs Pitt Town Bottoms, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Cornwallis and Pitt Town Bottoms are both Hawkesbury City Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 8.66% in suburbs, sitting 47.8 km and 46.1 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Cornwallis runs $403 a year cheaper than Pitt Town Bottoms, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,620.
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.
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Pitt Town Bottoms
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Cornwallis | Pitt Town Bottoms | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,848 | $1,848 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,723 | $6,826 | -$103 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,800 | $2,100 | -$300 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,100 | $2,100 | - |
| Total (driving) | $11,919 | $12,322 | -$403 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,596 | $7,896 | -$300 |
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 | Cornwallis | Pitt Town Bottoms | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,720 | $2,720 | - |
| Unit | $2,209 | $2,209 | - |
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, Cornwallis vs Pitt Town Bottoms (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Cornwallis and Pitt Town Bottoms differ by $403 a year by car, but $300 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 $103, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $300 per year. Pitt Town Bottoms carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $300 per year, $7,596 from Cornwallis versus $7,896 from Pitt Town Bottoms.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,848 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Cornwallis by $103 a year, $6,723 against $6,826.
- Building insurance favours Cornwallis by $300 a year, $1,800 against $2,100.
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.
The catchment state school scores 5.7 in Pitt Town Bottoms against 4.6 in Cornwallis, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Cornwallis cumulative | Pitt Town Bottoms cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $11,919 | $12,322 | $403 |
| Year 3 | $36,840 | $38,086 | $1,246 |
| Year 5 | $63,280 | $65,419 | $2,139 |
| Year 10 | $136,638 | $141,258 | $4,620 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cornwallis or Pitt Town Bottoms cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Cornwallis runs $11,919 a year by car and Pitt Town Bottoms $12,322, but most of the $403 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $103. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Cornwallis and Pitt Town Bottoms?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,848 in Cornwallis (Hawkesbury City Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 8.66% in) and $1,848 in Pitt Town Bottoms (Hawkesbury City Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 8.66% in). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Cornwallis and $1,548 in Pitt Town Bottoms. 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 Cornwallis and Pitt Town Bottoms?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,723 from Cornwallis and $6,826 from Pitt Town Bottoms to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Cornwallis and $2,400 from Pitt Town Bottoms.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Cornwallis and Pitt Town Bottoms?
At 3% annual cost growth, Cornwallis costs a cumulative $136,638 and Pitt Town Bottoms costs $141,258 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,620 in favour of Cornwallis. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Cornwallis and Pitt Town Bottoms suits you better?
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Related comparisons
Sources: Hawkesbury City Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 8.66% in and Hawkesbury City Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 8.66% in 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.