Kentlyn vs Leumeah, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Kentlyn and Leumeah are both Campbelltown rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 38.5 km and 40.2 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Leumeah runs $591 a year cheaper than Kentlyn, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $6,775.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $6,800, about $13 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Leumeah
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Kentlyn | Leumeah | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,497 | $1,497 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,979 | $6,988 | -$9 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,200 | $1,600 | +$600 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,100 | $2,100 | - |
| Total (driving) | $12,224 | $11,633 | +$591 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,645 | $7,045 | +$600 |
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 | Kentlyn | Leumeah | 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, Kentlyn vs Leumeah (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Kentlyn and Leumeah differ by $591 a year by car, but $600 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 $9, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $600 per year.
On public transport the gap is $600 per year, $7,645 from Kentlyn versus $7,045 from Leumeah.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,497 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Kentlyn by $9 a year, $6,979 against $6,988.
- Building insurance favours Leumeah by $600 a year, $1,600 against $2,200.
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 Kentlyn against low in Leumeah, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 6.9 in Leumeah against 5.8 in Kentlyn, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Kentlyn cumulative | Leumeah cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $12,224 | $11,633 | $591 |
| Year 3 | $37,783 | $35,956 | $1,827 |
| Year 5 | $64,899 | $61,761 | $3,138 |
| Year 10 | $140,134 | $133,359 | $6,775 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kentlyn or Leumeah cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Kentlyn runs $12,224 a year by car and Leumeah $11,633, but most of the $591 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $9. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Kentlyn and Leumeah?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,497 in Kentlyn (Campbelltown rates (OLG) and $1,497 in Leumeah (Campbelltown rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Kentlyn and $1,548 in Leumeah. 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 Kentlyn and Leumeah?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,979 from Kentlyn and $6,988 from Leumeah to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Kentlyn and $2,400 from Leumeah.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Kentlyn and Leumeah?
At 3% annual cost growth, Kentlyn costs a cumulative $140,134 and Leumeah costs $133,359 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $6,775 in favour of Leumeah. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Kentlyn and Leumeah suits you better?
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Sources: Campbelltown rates (OLG and Campbelltown 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.