Greenhill vs Yarravel, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Greenhill and Yarravel are both Kempsey rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 44.3 km and 46 km from Port Macquarie CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Yarravel runs $876 a year cheaper than Greenhill, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $10,042.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $10,000, about $19 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Yarravel
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Greenhill | Yarravel | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,492 | $1,492 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,908 | $6,832 | +$76 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,908 | $6,832 | +$76 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,650 | $1,850 | +$800 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $12,350 | $11,474 | +$876 |
| Total (public transport) | $12,350 | $11,474 | +$876 |
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 | Greenhill | Yarravel | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,774 | $2,774 | - |
| Unit | $2,329 | $2,329 | - |
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, Greenhill vs Yarravel (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Greenhill and Yarravel differ by $876 a year by car, but $800 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 $76, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $800 per year. Greenhill carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $876 per year, $12,350 from Greenhill versus $11,474 from Yarravel.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,492 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Yarravel by $76 a year, $6,832 against $6,908.
- Building insurance favours Yarravel by $800 a year, $1,850 against $2,650.
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 Greenhill against medium in Yarravel, which feeds the insurance estimate. Fire risk is rated high in Greenhill against medium in Yarravel, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 3.4 in Yarravel against 1 in Greenhill, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Greenhill cumulative | Yarravel cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $12,350 | $11,474 | $876 |
| Year 3 | $38,173 | $35,465 | $2,708 |
| Year 5 | $65,568 | $60,917 | $4,651 |
| Year 10 | $141,579 | $131,537 | $10,042 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Greenhill or Yarravel cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Greenhill runs $12,350 a year by car and Yarravel $11,474, but most of the $876 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $76. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Greenhill and Yarravel?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,492 in Greenhill (Kempsey rates (OLG) and $1,492 in Yarravel (Kempsey rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Greenhill and $1,300 in Yarravel. 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 Greenhill and Yarravel?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,908 from Greenhill and $6,832 from Yarravel to Port Macquarie 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 Greenhill and Yarravel?
At 3% annual cost growth, Greenhill costs a cumulative $141,579 and Yarravel costs $131,537 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $10,042 in favour of Yarravel. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Greenhill and Yarravel suits you better?
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Sources: Kempsey rates (OLG and Kempsey 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.