Glenroy vs Lavington, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Glenroy and Lavington are both Albury rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 2.6 km and 4.6 km from Albury CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Glenroy runs $336 a year cheaper than Lavington, driven mostly by the commute. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $3,851.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $3,900, about $7 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Lavington
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Glenroy | Lavington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,631 | $1,631 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $879 | $1,515 | -$636 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $879 | $1,515 | -$636 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $1,550 | +$300 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $5,660 | $5,996 | -$336 |
| Total (public transport) | $5,660 | $5,996 | -$336 |
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 | Glenroy | Lavington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $3,150 | $3,150 | - |
| Unit | $2,611 | $2,611 | - |
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, Glenroy vs Lavington (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Glenroy and Lavington differ by $336 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 $636, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is commute costs at $636 per year. Lavington is 4.6 km from Albury CBD, which drives higher annual driving costs at the ATO rate of 91c/km.
On public transport the gap is $336 per year, $5,660 from Glenroy versus $5,996 from Lavington.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,631 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Glenroy by $636 a year, $879 against $1,515.
- Building insurance favours Lavington by $300 a year, $1,550 against $1,850.
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 Glenroy against medium in Lavington, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 4.6 in Lavington against 3.4 in Glenroy, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Glenroy cumulative | Lavington cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $5,660 | $5,996 | $336 |
| Year 3 | $17,494 | $18,533 | $1,039 |
| Year 5 | $30,050 | $31,834 | $1,784 |
| Year 10 | $64,886 | $68,737 | $3,851 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Glenroy or Lavington cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Glenroy runs $5,660 a year by car and Lavington $5,996, but most of the $336 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $636. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Glenroy and Lavington?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,631 in Glenroy (Albury rates (OLG) and $1,631 in Lavington (Albury rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Glenroy and $1,300 in Lavington. 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 Glenroy and Lavington?
Annual driving commute costs are $879 from Glenroy and $1,515 from Lavington to Albury 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 Glenroy and Lavington?
At 3% annual cost growth, Glenroy costs a cumulative $64,886 and Lavington costs $68,737 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $3,851 in favour of Glenroy. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Glenroy and Lavington suits you better?
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Sources: Albury rates (OLG and Albury 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.