Oatlands vs Telopea, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Oatlands and Telopea are both Parramatta rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 18.4 km and 17.7 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Telopea runs $484 a year cheaper than Oatlands, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $5,548.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $5,500, about $11 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Telopea
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Oatlands | Telopea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,156 | $1,156 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $4,951 | $4,817 | +$134 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,386 | $2,386 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $1,500 | +$350 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,300 | $2,300 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,505 | $9,021 | +$484 |
| Total (public transport) | $6,940 | $6,590 | +$350 |
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 | Oatlands | Telopea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | $2,720 | $2,720 | - |
| Unit | $2,209 | $2,209 | - |
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, Oatlands vs Telopea (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Oatlands and Telopea differ by $484 a year by car, but $350 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 $134, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $350 per year. Oatlands carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $350 per year, $6,940 from Oatlands versus $6,590 from Telopea.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,156 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Telopea by $134 a year, $4,817 against $4,951.
- Building insurance favours Telopea by $350 a year, $1,500 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.
Flood risk is rated medium in Oatlands against low in Telopea, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 7.8 in Oatlands against 5.8 in Telopea, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Oatlands cumulative | Telopea cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,505 | $9,021 | $484 |
| Year 3 | $29,379 | $27,883 | $1,496 |
| Year 5 | $50,463 | $47,894 | $2,569 |
| Year 10 | $108,964 | $103,416 | $5,548 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oatlands or Telopea cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Oatlands runs $9,505 a year by car and Telopea $9,021, but most of the $484 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $134. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Oatlands and Telopea?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,156 in Oatlands (Parramatta rates (OLG) and $1,156 in Telopea (Parramatta rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Oatlands and $1,548 in Telopea. 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 Oatlands and Telopea?
Annual driving commute costs are $4,951 from Oatlands and $4,817 from Telopea to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,386 from Oatlands and $2,386 from Telopea.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Oatlands and Telopea?
At 3% annual cost growth, Oatlands costs a cumulative $108,964 and Telopea costs $103,416 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $5,548 in favour of Telopea. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Oatlands and Telopea suits you better?
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Sources: Parramatta rates (OLG and Parramatta 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.