Kenthurst vs Maraylya, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Kenthurst and Maraylya are both The Hills rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 35.2 km and 39.5 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Kenthurst runs $399 a year cheaper than Maraylya, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,575.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,600, about $9 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Maraylya
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Kenthurst | Maraylya | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,261 | $1,261 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,888 | $6,987 | -$99 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $2,150 | -$300 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,100 | $2,100 | - |
| Total (driving) | $11,547 | $11,946 | -$399 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,059 | $7,359 | -$300 |
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 | Kenthurst | Maraylya | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,720 | $2,720 | - |
| Unit | $2,209 | $2,209 | - |
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, Kenthurst vs Maraylya (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Kenthurst and Maraylya differ by $399 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 $99, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $300 per year. Maraylya carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $300 per year, $7,059 from Kenthurst versus $7,359 from Maraylya.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,261 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Kenthurst by $99 a year, $6,888 against $6,987.
- Building insurance favours Kenthurst by $300 a year, $1,850 against $2,150.
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 medium in Maraylya against low in Kenthurst, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 8.4 in Kenthurst against 6.5 in Maraylya, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Kenthurst cumulative | Maraylya cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $11,547 | $11,946 | $399 |
| Year 3 | $35,691 | $36,924 | $1,233 |
| Year 5 | $61,305 | $63,423 | $2,118 |
| Year 10 | $132,373 | $136,948 | $4,575 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kenthurst or Maraylya cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Kenthurst runs $11,547 a year by car and Maraylya $11,946, but most of the $399 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $99. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Kenthurst and Maraylya?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,261 in Kenthurst (The Hills rates (OLG) and $1,261 in Maraylya (The Hills rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Kenthurst and $1,548 in Maraylya. 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 Kenthurst and Maraylya?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,888 from Kenthurst and $6,987 from Maraylya to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Kenthurst and $2,400 from Maraylya.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Kenthurst and Maraylya?
At 3% annual cost growth, Kenthurst costs a cumulative $132,373 and Maraylya costs $136,948 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,575 in favour of Kenthurst. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Kenthurst and Maraylya suits you better?
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Sources: The Hills rates (OLG and The Hills 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.