Dapto vs Koonawarra, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Dapto and Koonawarra are both Wollongong rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 79.2 km and 79.8 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Dapto runs $727 a year cheaper than Koonawarra, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $8,334.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $8,300, about $16 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Koonawarra
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Dapto | Koonawarra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,819 | $1,819 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $3,459 | $3,486 | -$27 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,600 | $2,300 | -$700 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $8,426 | $9,153 | -$727 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,367 | $8,067 | -$700 |
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 | Dapto | Koonawarra | 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, Dapto vs Koonawarra (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Dapto and Koonawarra differ by $727 a year by car, but $700 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 $27, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $700 per year. Koonawarra carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $700 per year, $7,367 from Dapto versus $8,067 from Koonawarra.
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 $27 a year, $3,459 against $3,486.
- Building insurance favours Dapto by $700 a year, $1,600 against $2,300.
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 Koonawarra against medium in Dapto, which feeds the insurance estimate. Fire risk is rated medium in Koonawarra against low in Dapto, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 4.8 in Dapto against 2 in Koonawarra, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Dapto cumulative | Koonawarra cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $8,426 | $9,153 | $727 |
| Year 3 | $26,044 | $28,291 | $2,247 |
| Year 5 | $44,735 | $48,595 | $3,860 |
| Year 10 | $96,595 | $104,929 | $8,334 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dapto or Koonawarra cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Dapto runs $8,426 a year by car and Koonawarra $9,153, but most of the $727 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $27. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Dapto and Koonawarra?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,819 in Dapto (Wollongong rates (OLG) and $1,819 in Koonawarra (Wollongong rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Dapto and $1,548 in Koonawarra. 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 Dapto and Koonawarra?
Annual driving commute costs are $3,459 from Dapto and $3,486 from Koonawarra to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Dapto and $2,400 from Koonawarra.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Dapto and Koonawarra?
At 3% annual cost growth, Dapto costs a cumulative $96,595 and Koonawarra costs $104,929 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $8,334 in favour of Dapto. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Dapto and Koonawarra 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.