True annual cost of living in Brightwaters, NSW 2264
Living in a house in Brightwaters costs about $9,886 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Brightwaters sits 89.2 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs come in at $9,496, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,800 body corporate levy. At 89.2km, the commute dominates running costs. Drivers pay $1,496 more per year than public transport users.
Lake Macquarie rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg) · average rate
$1,763
Water & sewerage
Hunter Water 2026-27
$1,377
Driving commute
ATO 91c/km · 89.2km from CBD · 192 days
$3,896
Home insurance
Estimated · flood Medium · fire High
$2,850
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,800
Total annual running cost
$9,886
($824/month)
Near Lake Macquarie average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●○○○4.9/10 Poor
Cheaper to run than 63% of Lake Macquarie suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,342/yr
5,238 kWh
Unit
$1,909/yr
3,929 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Brightwaters's climate zone at 2026-27 regulated prices for its electricity network. Get the free report for a breakdown by your exact number of occupants.
Getting around Brightwaters
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Morisset Bus Interchange, 5,563 m away, about a 70 minute walk. It is a bus stop.
Nearest hospital
Morisset Hospital, 3,648 m away, about a 46 minute walk.
Supermarkets
1
Cafes
2
Parks
6
Counted from OpenStreetMap via Overpass inside a 2 km walking radius of the suburb centre, built 2026-08-07. Distances are straight line from that centre, so a specific address can be closer or further. Mapping is contributed and can lag a new opening.
Is it cheaper to drive or take public transport from Brightwaters to the CBD?
Public transport saves Brightwaters residents $1,496 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,896 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Brightwaters?
Brightwaters falls under Lake Macquarie Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,763 per year for an owner-occupied house, based on OLG data uplifted by the council's IPART rate peg. Individual properties pay more or less depending on land value. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,763 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Brightwaters?
Running a unit in Brightwaters costs approximately $9,496 per year by car or $8,000 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,763, water and sewerage $1,377, estimated body corporate levy of $1,800, and contents insurance of $660. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Brightwaters close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Brightwaters is Morisset Bus Interchange, a bus stop about 5,563 m away, about a 70 minute walk. That is measured from the suburb centre, so an individual address can be nearer or further. The commute figure used in the running cost on this page assumes driving, not this service.
What is the closest hospital to Brightwaters?
The closest hospital to the centre of Brightwaters is Morisset Hospital, about 3,648 m away, about a 46 minute walk. Distance is straight line from the suburb centre and does not account for the road route or whether the hospital has an emergency department.
What shops and parks are in Brightwaters?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Brightwaters there is 1 supermarket, 2 cafes and 6 parks. These counts come from OpenStreetMap via Overpass, which is contributed mapping and can lag a recent opening or closure.
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Data sources: Council rates: Lake Macquarie rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg). Water: Hunter Water 2026-27. Commute: ATO cents per kilometre rate 2026–27 (91c/km). Insurance: AI-estimated, disclosed as estimate. Schools: ACARA ICSEA 2025. Risk: Fire: NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land. Flood: modelled from 30m elevation (topographic). Data updated 2026-07. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.