Middle Brother vs Rossglen, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Middle Brother and Rossglen are both Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 33.3 km and 30.7 km from Port Macquarie CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Middle Brother runs $368 a year cheaper than Rossglen, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $4,218.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $4,200, about $8 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Rossglen
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Middle Brother | Rossglen | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,370 | $1,370 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,793 | $6,611 | +$182 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,793 | $6,611 | +$182 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,550 | $3,100 | -$550 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $12,013 | $12,381 | -$368 |
| Total (public transport) | $12,013 | $12,381 | -$368 |
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 | Middle Brother | Rossglen | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,827 | $2,827 | - |
| Unit | $2,369 | $2,369 | - |
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, Middle Brother vs Rossglen (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Middle Brother and Rossglen differ by $368 a year by car, but $550 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 $182, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $550 per year. Rossglen carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $368 per year, $12,013 from Middle Brother versus $12,381 from Rossglen.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,370 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute favours Rossglen by $182 a year, $6,611 against $6,793.
- Building insurance favours Middle Brother by $550 a year, $2,550 against $3,100.
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.
Flood risk is rated high in Rossglen against medium in Middle Brother, which feeds the insurance estimate.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Middle Brother cumulative | Rossglen cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $12,013 | $12,381 | $368 |
| Year 3 | $37,131 | $38,268 | $1,137 |
| Year 5 | $63,779 | $65,732 | $1,953 |
| Year 10 | $137,716 | $141,934 | $4,218 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Middle Brother or Rossglen cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Middle Brother runs $12,013 a year by car and Rossglen $12,381, but most of the $368 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $182. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Middle Brother and Rossglen?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,370 in Middle Brother (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG) and $1,370 in Rossglen (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Middle Brother and $1,300 in Rossglen. 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 Middle Brother and Rossglen?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,793 from Middle Brother and $6,611 from Rossglen to Port Macquarie 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 Middle Brother and Rossglen?
At 3% annual cost growth, Middle Brother costs a cumulative $137,716 and Rossglen costs $141,934 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $4,218 in favour of Middle Brother. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Middle Brother and Rossglen suits you better?
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Sources: Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG and Port Macquarie-Hastings 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.