Living in a house in Cleveland costs about $9,368 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Cleveland sits 81.3 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs come in at $9,278, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,800 body corporate levy. At 81.3km, the commute dominates running costs. Drivers pay $1,151 more per year than public transport users.
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●○○6.3/10 Average
Cheaper to run than 65% of Wollongong suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,442/yr
5,238 kWh
Unit
$2,001/yr
3,929 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Cleveland'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 Cleveland
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Dapto, 2,116 m away, about a 26 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Supermarkets
1
Cafes
1
Parks
11
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 Cleveland to the CBD?
Public transport saves Cleveland residents $1,151 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,551 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Cleveland?
Cleveland falls under Wollongong Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,819 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 $1,819 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Cleveland?
Running a unit in Cleveland costs approximately $9,278 per year by car or $8,127 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,819, water and sewerage $1,548, estimated body corporate levy of $1,800, and contents insurance of $560. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Cleveland close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Cleveland is Dapto, a train stop about 2,116 m away, about a 26 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 shops and parks are in Cleveland?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Cleveland there is 1 supermarket, 1 cafe and 11 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: Wollongong rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg). Water: Sydney 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.