Gymea vs Kirrawee, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Gymea and Kirrawee are both Sutherland rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 22.3 km and 22.4 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Gymea runs $416 a year cheaper than Kirrawee, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,769.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,800, about $9 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Kirrawee
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Gymea | Kirrawee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,617 | $1,617 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,620 | $5,636 | -$16 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,150 | $1,550 | -$400 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,300 | $2,300 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,935 | $10,351 | -$416 |
| Total (public transport) | $6,715 | $7,115 | -$400 |
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 | Gymea | Kirrawee | 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, Gymea vs Kirrawee (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Gymea and Kirrawee differ by $416 a year by car, but $400 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 $16, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $400 per year.
On public transport the gap is $400 per year, $6,715 from Gymea versus $7,115 from Kirrawee.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,617 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Gymea by $16 a year, $5,620 against $5,636.
- Building insurance favours Gymea by $400 a year, $1,150 against $1,550.
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 medium in Kirrawee against low in Gymea, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 8.3 in Gymea against 7.3 in Kirrawee, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Gymea cumulative | Kirrawee cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,935 | $10,351 | $416 |
| Year 3 | $30,708 | $31,994 | $1,286 |
| Year 5 | $52,746 | $54,955 | $2,209 |
| Year 10 | $113,894 | $118,663 | $4,769 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gymea or Kirrawee cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Gymea runs $9,935 a year by car and Kirrawee $10,351, but most of the $416 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $16. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Gymea and Kirrawee?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,617 in Gymea (Sutherland rates (OLG) and $1,617 in Kirrawee (Sutherland rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Gymea and $1,548 in Kirrawee. 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 Gymea and Kirrawee?
Annual driving commute costs are $5,620 from Gymea and $5,636 from Kirrawee to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Gymea and $2,400 from Kirrawee.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Gymea and Kirrawee?
At 3% annual cost growth, Gymea costs a cumulative $113,894 and Kirrawee costs $118,663 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,769 in favour of Gymea. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Gymea and Kirrawee suits you better?
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Sources: Sutherland rates (OLG and Sutherland 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.