Duckmaloi vs The Meadows, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Duckmaloi and The Meadows are both Oberon rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 46.7 km and 42.9 km from Bathurst CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Duckmaloi runs $509 a year cheaper than The Meadows, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $5,836.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $5,800, about $11 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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The Meadows
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Duckmaloi | The Meadows | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,007 | $1,007 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,793 | $6,952 | -$159 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,793 | $6,952 | -$159 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $2,200 | -$350 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $10,950 | $11,459 | -$509 |
| Total (public transport) | $10,950 | $11,459 | -$509 |
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 | Duckmaloi | The Meadows | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $3,257 | $3,257 | - |
| Unit | $2,691 | $2,691 | - |
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, Duckmaloi vs The Meadows (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Duckmaloi and The Meadows differ by $509 a year by car, but $350 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 $159, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $350 per year.
On public transport the gap is $509 per year, $10,950 from Duckmaloi versus $11,459 from The Meadows.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,007 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Duckmaloi by $159 a year, $6,793 against $6,952.
- Building insurance favours Duckmaloi by $350 a year, $1,850 against $2,200.
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.
Fire risk is rated high in The Meadows against medium in Duckmaloi, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 7.7 in Duckmaloi against 4 in The Meadows, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Duckmaloi cumulative | The Meadows cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $10,950 | $11,459 | $509 |
| Year 3 | $33,845 | $35,419 | $1,574 |
| Year 5 | $58,135 | $60,837 | $2,702 |
| Year 10 | $125,529 | $131,365 | $5,836 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Duckmaloi or The Meadows cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Duckmaloi runs $10,950 a year by car and The Meadows $11,459, but most of the $509 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $159. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Duckmaloi and The Meadows?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,007 in Duckmaloi (Oberon rates (OLG) and $1,007 in The Meadows (Oberon rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Duckmaloi and $1,300 in The Meadows. 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 Duckmaloi and The Meadows?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,793 from Duckmaloi and $6,952 from The Meadows to Bathurst 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 Duckmaloi and The Meadows?
At 3% annual cost growth, Duckmaloi costs a cumulative $125,529 and The Meadows costs $131,365 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $5,836 in favour of Duckmaloi. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Duckmaloi and The Meadows suits you better?
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Sources: Oberon rates (OLG and Oberon 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.