North 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
North Brother and Rossglen are both Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 29.1 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.
North Brother runs $1,091 a year cheaper than Rossglen, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $12,507.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $12,500, about $24 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Rossglen
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | North Brother | Rossglen | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,370 | $1,370 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,470 | $6,611 | -$141 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $6,470 | $6,611 | -$141 |
| Home insurance Estimated | $2,150 | $3,100 | -$950 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Total (driving) | $11,290 | $12,381 | -$1,091 |
| Total (public transport) | $11,290 | $12,381 | -$1,091 |
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 | North 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, North Brother vs Rossglen (2026-27)
What the numbers show
North Brother and Rossglen differ by $1,091 a year by car, but $950 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 $141, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $950 per year. Rossglen carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $1,091 per year, $11,290 from North 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 North Brother by $141 a year, $6,470 against $6,611.
- Building insurance favours North Brother by $950 a year, $2,150 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 low in North Brother, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 5.8 in North Brother against 4.4 in Rossglen, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | North Brother cumulative | Rossglen cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $11,290 | $12,381 | $1,091 |
| Year 3 | $34,896 | $38,268 | $3,372 |
| Year 5 | $59,940 | $65,732 | $5,792 |
| Year 10 | $129,427 | $141,934 | $12,507 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is North Brother or Rossglen cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. North Brother runs $11,290 a year by car and Rossglen $12,381, but most of the $1,091 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $141. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in North Brother and Rossglen?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,370 in North Brother (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG) and $1,370 in Rossglen (Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in North 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 North Brother and Rossglen?
Annual driving commute costs are $6,470 from North 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 North Brother and Rossglen?
At 3% annual cost growth, North Brother costs a cumulative $129,427 and Rossglen costs $141,934 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $12,507 in favour of North Brother. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of North 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.