Kooringal vs Mount Austin, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Kooringal and Mount Austin are both Wagga Wagga rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 3.8 km and 3.2 km from Wagga Wagga CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
The two sit within $108 a year of each other to run, so running cost is a minor factor here. The decision comes down to schools, risk and lifestyle, all in the free report.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $1,200, about $2 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 →Kooringal
Mount Austin
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Kooringal | Mount Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,294 | $1,294 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $1,265 | $1,073 | +$192 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $1,265 | $1,073 | +$192 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,550 | $1,850 | -$300 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $5,409 | $5,517 | -$108 |
| Total (public transport) | $5,409 | $5,517 | -$108 |
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 | Kooringal | Mount Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $3,150 | $3,150 | - |
| Unit | $2,611 | $2,611 | - |
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, Kooringal vs Mount Austin (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Kooringal and Mount Austin differ by $108 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 $192, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $300 per year.
On public transport the two suburbs cost almost the same, $5,409 and $5,517 a year, so the $108 driving gap nearly closes if you commute by public transport.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,294 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Mount Austin by $192 a year, $1,073 against $1,265.
- Building insurance favours Kooringal by $300 a year, $1,550 against $1,850.
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 Mount Austin against low in Kooringal, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 5.2 in Kooringal against 1.6 in Mount Austin, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Kooringal cumulative | Mount Austin cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $5,409 | $5,517 | $108 |
| Year 3 | $16,719 | $17,052 | $333 |
| Year 5 | $28,717 | $29,291 | $574 |
| Year 10 | $62,008 | $63,246 | $1,238 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kooringal or Mount Austin cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Kooringal runs $5,409 a year by car and Mount Austin $5,517, but most of the $108 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $192. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Kooringal and Mount Austin?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,294 in Kooringal (Wagga Wagga rates (OLG) and $1,294 in Mount Austin (Wagga Wagga rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Kooringal and $1,300 in Mount Austin. 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 Kooringal and Mount Austin?
Annual driving commute costs are $1,265 from Kooringal and $1,073 from Mount Austin to Wagga Wagga 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 Kooringal and Mount Austin?
At 3% annual cost growth, Kooringal costs a cumulative $62,008 and Mount Austin costs $63,246 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $1,238 in favour of Kooringal. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Kooringal and Mount Austin suits you better?
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Sources: Wagga Wagga rates (OLG and Wagga Wagga 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.