Lansdowne vs Villawood, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Lansdowne and Villawood are both Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 21.8 km and 20.7 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Villawood runs $430 a year cheaper than Lansdowne, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,930.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,900, about $9 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Villawood
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Lansdowne | Villawood | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,377 | $1,377 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $5,542 | $5,362 | +$180 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,100 | $1,850 | +$250 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,300 | $2,300 | - |
| Total (driving) | $10,567 | $10,137 | +$430 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,425 | $7,175 | +$250 |
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 | Lansdowne | Villawood | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,615 | $2,615 | - |
| Unit | $2,113 | $2,113 | - |
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, Lansdowne vs Villawood (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Lansdowne and Villawood differ by $430 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 $180, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $250 per year. Lansdowne carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $250 per year, $7,425 from Lansdowne versus $7,175 from Villawood.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,377 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Villawood by $180 a year, $5,362 against $5,542.
- Building insurance favours Villawood 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.
Fire risk is rated high in Lansdowne against low in Villawood, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 5.2 in Lansdowne against 3.5 in Villawood, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Lansdowne cumulative | Villawood cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $10,567 | $10,137 | $430 |
| Year 3 | $32,662 | $31,332 | $1,330 |
| Year 5 | $56,102 | $53,819 | $2,283 |
| Year 10 | $121,139 | $116,209 | $4,930 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lansdowne or Villawood cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Lansdowne runs $10,567 a year by car and Villawood $10,137, but most of the $430 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $180. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Lansdowne and Villawood?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,377 in Lansdowne (Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG) and $1,377 in Villawood (Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Lansdowne and $1,548 in Villawood. 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 Lansdowne and Villawood?
Annual driving commute costs are $5,542 from Lansdowne and $5,362 from Villawood to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Lansdowne and $2,400 from Villawood.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Lansdowne and Villawood?
At 3% annual cost growth, Lansdowne costs a cumulative $121,139 and Villawood costs $116,209 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,930 in favour of Villawood. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Lansdowne and Villawood suits you better?
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Sources: Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG and Canterbury-Bankstown 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.