Living in a house in Herberton costs about $9,161 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Herberton sits 67.2 kilometres from Cairns CBD. Unit costs come in at $9,011, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,600 body corporate levy. The commute is costed by car to Cairns, at $3,757 a year, because no daily public transport commute is assumed here.
About $176 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Lower cost
Unit annual cost
$9,011
Incl. body corporate
$751/month
About $173 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
−$150
Unit is cheaper per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Tablelands Regional Council
$1,189
Water & sewerage
Estimated Cairns Regional Council Water & Sewerage, standing in
$1,765
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 67.2km from Cairns CBD · 192 days
$3,757
Home insurance
Estimated flood Low · fire Low
$2,450
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,600
Total annual running cost
$9,161
($763/month, $176/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below. Also excludes the state Emergency Management Levy on your rates notice, $127 a year here (levy class D, 2026-27).
↓ 28% below Tablelands Regional Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.8/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 77% of Tablelands 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 Herberton'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 Herberton
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Herberton, 664 m away, about an 8 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Nearest hospital
Herberton Hospital, 1,304 m away, about a 16 minute walk.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
2
Parks
3
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.
Is it cheaper to drive or take public transport from Herberton to Cairns CBD?
Public transport options are limited in Herberton; driving is the practical commute at $3,757 per year.
What are the council rates in Herberton?
Herberton falls under Tablelands Regional Council. The minimum residential general rate for 2026-27 is $1,189 per year for an owner-occupied house. Properties on higher land value pay more. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,189 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges. Water and sewerage on this page is Cairns Regional 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 Herberton?
Running a unit in Herberton costs approximately $9,011 per year by car or $9,011 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,189, water and sewerage $1,765, estimated body corporate levy of $1,600, and contents insurance of $700. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Herberton close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Herberton is Herberton, a train stop about 664 m away, about an 8 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 Herberton?
The closest hospital to the centre of Herberton is Herberton Hospital, about 1,304 m away, about a 16 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 Herberton?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Herberton there are 0 supermarkets, 2 cafes and 3 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: Tablelands Regional Council 2026-27. Water: Cairns Regional 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.