Murrays Beach vs Swansea, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Murrays Beach and Swansea are both Lake Macquarie rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 91.9 km and 94.5 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Murrays Beach runs $314 a year cheaper than Swansea, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $3,599.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $3,600, about $7 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Swansea
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Murrays Beach | Swansea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,763 | $1,763 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,377 | $1,377 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $4,014 | $4,128 | -$114 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,400 | $2,400 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $2,050 | -$200 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,004 | $9,318 | -$314 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,390 | $7,590 | -$200 |
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 | Murrays Beach | Swansea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,342 | $2,342 | - |
| Unit | $1,909 | $1,909 | - |
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, Murrays Beach vs Swansea (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Murrays Beach and Swansea differ by $314 a year by car, but $200 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 $114, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $200 per year. Swansea carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $200 per year, $7,390 from Murrays Beach versus $7,590 from Swansea.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,763 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,377 a year.
- Driving commute favours Murrays Beach by $114 a year, $4,014 against $4,128.
- Building insurance favours Murrays Beach by $200 a year, $1,850 against $2,050.
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 Swansea against medium in Murrays Beach, which feeds the insurance estimate. Fire risk is rated high in Murrays Beach against medium in Swansea, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 6.5 in Murrays Beach against 4.1 in Swansea, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Murrays Beach cumulative | Swansea cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,004 | $9,318 | $314 |
| Year 3 | $27,830 | $28,801 | $971 |
| Year 5 | $47,803 | $49,471 | $1,668 |
| Year 10 | $103,221 | $106,820 | $3,599 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Murrays Beach or Swansea cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Murrays Beach runs $9,004 a year by car and Swansea $9,318, but most of the $314 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $114. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Murrays Beach and Swansea?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,763 in Murrays Beach (Lake Macquarie rates (OLG) and $1,763 in Swansea (Lake Macquarie rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,377 in Murrays Beach and $1,377 in Swansea. 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 Murrays Beach and Swansea?
Annual driving commute costs are $4,014 from Murrays Beach and $4,128 from Swansea to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,400 from Murrays Beach and $2,400 from Swansea.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Murrays Beach and Swansea?
At 3% annual cost growth, Murrays Beach costs a cumulative $103,221 and Swansea costs $106,820 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $3,599 in favour of Murrays Beach. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Murrays Beach and Swansea suits you better?
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Sources: Lake Macquarie rates (OLG and Lake Macquarie 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.