Kareela vs Sylvania, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Kareela and Sylvania are both Sutherland rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 20.3 km and 19.1 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Sylvania runs $464 a year cheaper than Kareela, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $5,319.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $5,300, about $10 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
Get the free report: 10-year costs, flood & fire risk, crime, schools and overall verdict → Personalise this comparison with your own commute, home type and loan → Neither quite right? Find the Sydney suburbs that fit your budget →Kareela
Sylvania
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Kareela | Sylvania | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,617 | $1,617 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,294 | $5,080 | +$214 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,386 | +$14 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,100 | $1,850 | +$250 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,300 | $2,300 | - |
| Total (driving) | $10,559 | $10,095 | +$464 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,665 | $7,401 | +$264 |
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 | Kareela | Sylvania | 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, Kareela vs Sylvania (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Kareela and Sylvania differ by $464 a year by car, but $250 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 $214, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $250 per year. Kareela carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $264 per year, $7,665 from Kareela versus $7,401 from Sylvania.
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 Sylvania by $214 a year, $5,080 against $5,294.
- Building insurance favours Sylvania by $250 a year, $1,850 against $2,100.
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.
The catchment state school scores 8.6 in Kareela against 7.4 in Sylvania, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Kareela cumulative | Sylvania cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $10,559 | $10,095 | $464 |
| Year 3 | $32,637 | $31,203 | $1,434 |
| Year 5 | $56,059 | $53,596 | $2,463 |
| Year 10 | $121,047 | $115,728 | $5,319 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kareela or Sylvania cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Kareela runs $10,559 a year by car and Sylvania $10,095, but most of the $464 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $214. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Kareela and Sylvania?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,617 in Kareela (Sutherland rates (OLG) and $1,617 in Sylvania (Sutherland rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Kareela and $1,548 in Sylvania. 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 Kareela and Sylvania?
Annual driving commute costs are $5,294 from Kareela and $5,080 from Sylvania to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Kareela and $2,386 from Sylvania.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Kareela and Sylvania?
At 3% annual cost growth, Kareela costs a cumulative $121,047 and Sylvania costs $115,728 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $5,319 in favour of Sylvania. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Kareela and Sylvania suits you better?
You've got the costs. Get the free personalised report for the rest: a clear verdict on which suburb wins, the full flood, fire and crime risk profile, nearest schools, estimated electricity cost by number of occupants, and your own loan or rent stress-tested over 10 years. No spam.
Related comparisons
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.