Davidson vs East Killara, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Davidson (Northern Beaches rates (OLG) and East Killara (Ku-ring-gai Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 29% in) attract comparison from buyers considering suburbs across different council areas at similar distances from Sydney CBD (14.6 km and 12.7 km).
Davidson runs $686 a year cheaper than East Killara, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $7,864.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $7,900, about $15 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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East Killara
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Davidson | East Killara | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,766 | $2,189 | -$423 |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $4,170 | $3,733 | +$437 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,386 | $2,386 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $2,550 | -$700 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,300 | $2,300 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,334 | $10,020 | -$686 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,550 | $8,673 | -$1,123 |
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 | Davidson | East Killara | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,342 | $2,342 | - |
| Unit | $1,909 | $1,909 | - |
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, Davidson vs East Killara (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Davidson and East Killara differ by $686 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 $14, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $700 per year. East Killara carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $1,123 per year, $7,550 from Davidson versus $8,673 from East Killara.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates favours Davidson by $423 a year, $1,766 against $2,189.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours East Killara by $437 a year, $3,733 against $4,170.
- Building insurance favours Davidson by $700 a year, $1,850 against $2,550.
They sit in different council areas, so the rates line is set by two different councils. For NSW that figure is the average residential rate reported to the Office of Local Government, uplifted by that council's IPART rate peg.
Flood risk is rated medium in East Killara against low in Davidson, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 10 in East Killara against 8.5 in Davidson, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Davidson cumulative | East Killara cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,334 | $10,020 | $686 |
| Year 3 | $28,850 | $30,971 | $2,121 |
| Year 5 | $49,555 | $53,198 | $3,643 |
| Year 10 | $107,004 | $114,868 | $7,864 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Davidson or East Killara cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Davidson runs $9,334 a year by car and East Killara $10,020, but most of the $686 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $14. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Davidson and East Killara?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,766 in Davidson (Northern Beaches rates (OLG) and $2,189 in East Killara (Ku-ring-gai Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 29% in). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Davidson and $1,548 in East Killara. 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 Davidson and East Killara?
Annual driving commute costs are $4,170 from Davidson and $3,733 from East Killara to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,386 from Davidson and $2,386 from East Killara.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Davidson and East Killara?
At 3% annual cost growth, Davidson costs a cumulative $107,004 and East Killara costs $114,868 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $7,864 in favour of Davidson. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Davidson and East Killara suits you better?
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Sources: Northern Beaches rates (OLG and Ku-ring-gai Council rates (IPART approved SRV, 29% 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.