Suburb running cost calculator
Council rates, water, commute, electricity and insurance for any of 7,481 QLD, NSW and VIC suburbs, personalised to your household.
Last updated: July 2026 · Council rates: 2026-27 · Water: 2026-27 (estimated for some NSW suburbs) · Electricity: AER benchmarks · Data source review: annually each JulyWhere do I find it?
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Why running cost varies between suburbs
Commute is usually the biggest swing factor, not council rates. Two suburbs in the same council area can have nearly identical rates and water bills, but a 15km difference in distance to the CBD adds thousands of dollars a year once you're driving that extra trip four or five days a week. Council rates matter less than people expect between nearby suburbs, since a single council usually charges the same minimum rate across every suburb it covers; the bigger swings come from which council you're in, not which street.
Whether you own or rent changes the total more than any single line item. A renter never pays council rates, body corporate, or (for a house) building insurance, since those are the landlord's costs. This calculator zeroes those out the moment you select "I rent," so the figure you see reflects what actually leaves your account, not a generic ownership cost that doesn't apply to you.
This calculator covers council rates, water and sewerage, commute, electricity, and insurance or body corporate. It does not include the purchase price, mortgage repayments, groceries, or other day to day living expenses, since those depend on decisions you make after you've moved in, not on the suburb itself.
The core SuburbCost insight is that the cheapest suburb to buy in is often not the cheapest to run. A cheap purchase price can hide a long commute, higher insurance from flood or fire risk, or council rates that run above the state median. Comparing running cost, not just price, is how you catch that before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What does the true cost of living calculator include?
Council rates, water and sewerage, your commute (driving or public transport, personalised to how many days a week you travel), estimated electricity based on your household size, and home or contents insurance. For units it also includes an estimated body corporate levy. It does not include the purchase price, mortgage repayments, groceries or other living expenses.
Is this calculator free?
Yes. It's free for any of the 7,481 QLD, NSW and VIC suburbs SuburbCost covers, with no signup required.
How accurate is it?
Council rates, water charges and commute costs come from official council, utility and ATO figures for the 2026-27 financial year, except water for New South Wales suburbs outside Sydney Water and Hunter Water tariffs, which is estimated. For Queensland, the council rate is the minimum residential general rate; for NSW, it's the average residential rate reported to the Office of Local Government, uplifted by each council's IPART rate peg; for Victoria, it's the council's 2026-27 budget average residential rate, including any municipal charge. Electricity is estimated from Australian Energy Regulator benchmarks by household size and climate zone. Insurance and body corporate (owners corporation in Victoria) figures are estimated and labelled as such throughout. Actual costs depend on your specific property, use the figures for comparison, not as a quote.
Does it work if I'm renting?
Yes. Select "I rent" and enter your weekly rent. Council rates, body corporate and (for a house) building insurance are automatically excluded from your total, since those are the landlord's costs, not yours.