Sanctuary Point vs Worrowing Heights, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Sanctuary Point and Worrowing Heights are both Shoalhaven rates (OLG suburbs, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Sanctuary Point runs $450 a year cheaper than Worrowing Heights, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $5,159.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $5,200, about $10 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Worrowing Heights
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Sanctuary Point | Worrowing Heights | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,547 | $1,547 | - |
| Water & sewerage Estimated | $1,300 | $1,300 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $18,200 | $18,200 | - |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $18,200 | $18,200 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,800 | $2,250 | -$450 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $1,800 | $1,800 | - |
| Total (driving) | $22,847 | $23,297 | -$450 |
| Total (public transport) | $22,847 | $23,297 | -$450 |
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 | Sanctuary Point | Worrowing Heights | 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, Sanctuary Point vs Worrowing Heights (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Sanctuary Point and Worrowing Heights differ by $450 a year by car, but $450 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 $0, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $450 per year. Worrowing Heights carries high flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $450 per year, $22,847 from Sanctuary Point versus $23,297 from Worrowing Heights.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,547 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,300 a year.
- Driving commute is identical at $18,200 a year.
- Building insurance favours Sanctuary Point by $450 a year, $1,800 against $2,250.
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 the insurance band.
Fire risk is rated high in Worrowing Heights against low in Sanctuary Point, which feeds the insurance estimate.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Sanctuary Point cumulative | Worrowing Heights cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $22,847 | $23,297 | $450 |
| Year 3 | $70,618 | $72,009 | $1,391 |
| Year 5 | $121,298 | $123,687 | $2,389 |
| Year 10 | $261,915 | $267,074 | $5,159 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sanctuary Point or Worrowing Heights cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Sanctuary Point runs $22,847 a year by car and Worrowing Heights $23,297, but most of the $450 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $0. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Sanctuary Point and Worrowing Heights?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,547 in Sanctuary Point (Shoalhaven rates (OLG) and $1,547 in Worrowing Heights (Shoalhaven rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,300 in Sanctuary Point and $1,300 in Worrowing Heights. 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 Sanctuary Point and Worrowing Heights?
Sanctuary Point carries a flat regional driving allowance of $18,200, about 20,000 km of household driving a year, because it is more than 100 km from Sydney CBD. Worrowing Heights carries a flat regional driving allowance of $18,200, about 20,000 km of household driving a year, because it is more than 100 km from Sydney CBD. No daily public transport commute is assumed from either suburb, so both are costed by car.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Sanctuary Point and Worrowing Heights?
At 3% annual cost growth, Sanctuary Point costs a cumulative $261,915 and Worrowing Heights costs $267,074 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $5,159 in favour of Sanctuary Point. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Sanctuary Point and Worrowing Heights suits you better?
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Sources: Shoalhaven rates (OLG and Shoalhaven 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.