Sefton vs Yagoona, true annual running costs compared 2026
Last updated July 2026 · council rates current NSW schedules, ATO 91c/km, Opal & Translink fares, AER electricity benchmarks
Sefton and Yagoona are both Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG suburbs, sitting 18.4 km and 17.9 km from Sydney CBD respectively, and are commonly compared by buyers weighing up running costs within the same council area.
Yagoona runs $646 a year cheaper than Sefton, driven mostly by home insurance. Over 10 years at 3% growth that gap compounds to about $7,406.
Over 10 years the gap between these two is about $7,400, about $14 a week, and most of it is the AI-estimated insurance line.
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Yagoona
Annual cost breakdown
| Category | Sefton | Yagoona | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council rates Official, 2026-27 | $1,377 | $1,377 | - |
| Water & sewerage Official, 2026-27 | $1,548 | $1,548 | - |
| Commute (driving) Modelled, 2026-27 | $4,951 | $4,855 | +$96 |
| Commute (public transport) Modelled, 2026-27 | $2,386 | $2,386 | - |
| Home insurance Estimated | $1,850 | $1,300 | +$550 |
| Body corporate (unit) Estimated | $2,300 | $2,300 | - |
| Total (driving) | $9,726 | $9,080 | +$646 |
| Total (public transport) | $7,161 | $6,611 | +$550 |
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 | Sefton | Yagoona | 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, Sefton vs Yagoona (2026-27)
What the numbers show
Sefton and Yagoona differ by $646 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 $96, so neither suburb is named cheaper here.
The biggest single gap is home insurance at $550 per year. Sefton carries medium flood risk, which pushes estimated premiums higher.
On public transport the gap is $550 per year, $7,161 from Sefton versus $6,611 from Yagoona.
Where the difference actually comes from
- Council rates is identical at $1,377 a year.
- Water and sewerage is identical at $1,548 a year.
- Driving commute favours Yagoona by $96 a year, $4,855 against $4,951.
- Building insurance favours Yagoona by $550 a year, $1,300 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 Sefton against low in Yagoona, which feeds the insurance estimate. The catchment state school scores 6.7 in Sefton against 5.7 in Yagoona, on ACARA's ICSEA percentile scaled to ten.
10-year cumulative cost projection
| Year | Sefton cumulative | Yagoona cumulative | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9,726 | $9,080 | $646 |
| Year 3 | $30,062 | $28,065 | $1,997 |
| Year 5 | $51,637 | $48,207 | $3,430 |
| Year 10 | $111,498 | $104,092 | $7,406 |
Assumes 3% annual cost growth. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sefton or Yagoona cheaper to live in?
Neither is named cheaper. Sefton runs $9,726 a year by car and Yagoona $9,080, but most of the $646 difference is the building insurance estimate rather than a published figure. On council rates, water and the commute, which are sourced, the gap is $96. Source: SuburbCost 2026 data.
What are council rates in Sefton and Yagoona?
Annual council rates for a house are $1,377 in Sefton (Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG) and $1,377 in Yagoona (Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG). Water and sewerage adds $1,548 in Sefton and $1,548 in Yagoona. 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 Sefton and Yagoona?
Annual driving commute costs are $4,951 from Sefton and $4,855 from Yagoona to Sydney CBD (ATO 91c/km). Public transport costs $2,386 from Sefton and $2,386 from Yagoona.
What is the 10-year cost difference between Sefton and Yagoona?
At 3% annual cost growth, Sefton costs a cumulative $111,498 and Yagoona costs $104,092 over 10 years by car. The cumulative difference is $7,406 in favour of Yagoona. Excludes purchase price, mortgage, and personal expenses.
Which of Sefton and Yagoona suits you better?
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Sources: Canterbury-Bankstown rates (OLG and Canterbury-Bankstown 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.