True annual cost of living in Forrest, ACT 2603
Forrest is 4 km from the Canberra City centre in the Canberra Central district. Before council rates, a house here costs about $4,676 a year to run if you drive to the City, or $4,665 by bus or light rail.
Yearly costs for a house in Forrest
| Cost | Per year | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Rates, fixed part | $1,412 plus a charge on land value | Official, ACT Revenue Office 2026-27 |
| Water and sewerage | $1,506 | Official, Icon Water 2026-27, typical 200 kL household |
| Commute by car | $1,320 | Modelled, 4 km to the City at 91c/km |
| Commute by bus or light rail | $1,309 | Official fare, MyWay+ adult peak $3.41, 4 days a week |
| Building insurance | $1,850 | Estimate, standard $600,000 house, ACCC 2026 rates |
| Electricity, two people | $2,747 | Estimate, AER usage at the ActewAGL standard price |
Before rates and electricity, a house here costs $4,676 a year by car or $4,665 by public transport.
Council rates in Forrest
The ACT has no councils. The ACT Revenue Office sets rates for the whole territory, and each property pays according to its own average unimproved land value, so there is no single Forrest figure. Every house pays a $884 fixed charge, the $458 Police, Fire and Emergency Services Levy and the $70 Safer Families Levy, then a valuation charge that rises with the land value.
At the ACT's average house land value for 2026-27, $673,633, a house pays $4,183.80 a year. Your land value is on your rates and valuation notices.
Work out the rates for a property in the ACT rates calculator →
Units and townhouses
A unit pays a $943 fixed charge and the same two levies, $1,471 in all, plus a share of the valuation charge on the whole block set by its unit entitlement. Electricity for two people in a unit is an estimated $2,182 a year. Body corporate levies and contents insurance are not estimated for the ACT, so ask the seller for the levy notice.
Getting to the City from Forrest
Forrest is 4 km from the City in a straight line. Driving is costed at the ATO rate of 91 cents a kilometre, with fewer office days the further out you live, which comes to $1,320 a year. By bus or light rail, four return trips a week at the MyWay+ adult peak fare of $3.41 cost $1,309 a year. MyWay+ stops charging after 40 paid trips in a month.
Nearby suburbs
| Suburb | Distance to the City | Before rates, by car |
|---|---|---|
| Barton | 3 km | $4,381 |
| Griffith | 5.1 km | $5,017 |
| Red Hill | 5.8 km | $5,227 |
| Kingston | 4 km | $4,689 |
| Deakin | 4.9 km | $4,969 |
| Yarralumla | 3.4 km | $4,499 |
Water, estimated insurance and the driving commute. See every Canberra suburb.
Frequently asked questions
How much are rates in Forrest?
ACT rates follow each property's own land value, so no single figure applies to Forrest. Every house pays a $884 fixed charge plus the $458 emergency services levy and the $70 Safer Families Levy, $1,412 in all, then a valuation charge on the property's average unimproved land value. At the ACT's average house land value of $673,633 that comes to $4,183.80 a year. Use the ACT rates calculator with the value on your rates notice.
What does a house in Forrest cost to run each year?
Before rates, about $4,676 a year if you drive to the City and $4,665 by bus or light rail: water $1,506, estimated building insurance $1,850 and the commute. Add rates, which depend on the land value, and electricity, an estimated $2,747 for two people.
How far is Forrest from the Canberra City centre?
About 4 km in a straight line. The driving commute here is costed at the ATO rate of 91 cents a kilometre for that distance, with fewer office days the further out you live.
Sources
- Rates and levies: ACT Revenue Office, calculating rates, emergency services levy, Safer Families Levy, 2026-27.
- Water: Icon Water 2026-27 prices.
- Fares: Transport Canberra MyWay+ fares, from 10 January 2026.
- Electricity: ActewAGL ACT standard plan from 1 July 2026, with Australian Energy Regulator usage benchmarks.
- Insurance: SuburbCost estimate from ACCC 2026 premium rates. How the ACT figures are worked out.