Living in a house in Ellerbeck costs about $23,964 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Ellerbeck sits more than 100 kilometres from Townsville CBD. Unit costs come in at $23,764, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,400 body corporate levy. Driving is costed as a flat regional allowance of $18,200, about 20,000km of household driving a year, because a daily CBD commute is not realistic from here.
About $461 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Lower cost
Unit annual cost
$23,764
Incl. body corporate
$1,980/month
About $457 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
−$200
Unit is cheaper per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Cassowary Coast Regional Council
$1,415
Water & sewerage
Estimated Townsville City Council Water & Sewerage, standing in
$2,099
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 Regional driving allowance · ATO 91c/km · 20,000km a year
$18,200
Home insurance
Estimated flood Low · fire Low
$2,250
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,400
Total annual running cost
$23,964
($1,997/month, $461/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below. Also excludes the state Emergency Management Levy on your rates notice, $127 a year here (levy class E, 2026-27).
↑ 94% above Cassowary Coast Regional Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●○○○3.3/10 Poor
Cheaper to run than 2% of Cassowary Coast Regional Council suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,373/yr
5,933 kWh
Unit
$1,945/yr
4,450 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Ellerbeck'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 Ellerbeck
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Cardwell, 5,838 m away, about a 73 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
0
Parks
0
Counted from OpenStreetMap via Overpass inside a 2 km walking radius of the suburb centre, built 2026-11-03. 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.
Compare Ellerbeck with another suburb
Nearby: No nearby suburbs with data found
Frequently asked questions about Ellerbeck
How is driving costed for Ellerbeck?
Ellerbeck is more than 100 kilometres from Townsville CBD, so a daily commute is not assumed. Driving is costed as a flat regional allowance of $18,200 a year, about 20,000km of household driving at the ATO rate of 91c/km. Add your own workplace in the free report to cost the real drive.
What are the council rates in Ellerbeck?
Ellerbeck falls under Cassowary Coast Regional Council. The minimum residential general rate for 2026-27 is $1,415 per year for an owner-occupied house. Properties on higher land value pay more. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,415 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges. Water and sewerage on this page is Townsville City Council Water & Sewerage 2026-27's charge, standing in until this council's own schedule is loaded.
What does it cost to run a unit in Ellerbeck?
Running a unit in Ellerbeck costs approximately $23,764 per year by car or $23,764 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,415, water and sewerage $2,099, estimated body corporate levy of $1,400, and contents insurance of $650. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Ellerbeck close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Ellerbeck is Cardwell, a train stop about 5,838 m away, about a 73 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 Ellerbeck?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Ellerbeck there are 0 supermarkets, 0 cafes and 0 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: Cassowary Coast Regional Council 2026-27. Water: Townsville City Council Water & Sewerage 2026-27. Commute: ATO cents per kilometre rate 2026–27 (91c/km). Insurance: estimated from ACCC 2026 premium rates for the area's cyclone risk on a standard $600,000 home, adjusted for flood and fire, disclosed as estimate. Schools: ACARA ICSEA 2025. Risk: Queensland Globe, QFES. Data last verified September 2026. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.