True annual cost of living in Lake Heights, NSW 2502
Living in a house in Lake Heights costs about $8,261 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Lake Heights sits 75.4 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs reach $8,951, with the $1,800 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. At 75.4km, the commute dominates running costs. Drivers pay $894 more per year than public transport users.
About $159 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Unit annual cost
$8,951
Incl. body corporate
$746/month
About $172 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
+$690
Unit costs more per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Wollongong rates
$1,819
Water & sewerage
Official, 2026-27 Sydney Water
$1,548
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 75.4km from CBD · 192 days
$3,294
Home insurance
Estimated flood Medium · fire Low
$1,600
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,800
Total annual running cost
$8,261
($688/month, $159/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below.
↓ 13% below Wollongong average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.3/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 91% 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 Lake Heights'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 Lake Heights
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Cringila, 2,274 m away, about a 28 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Nearest hospital
Port Kembla Hospital, 1,155 m away, about a 14 minute walk.
Supermarkets
3
Cafes
2
Parks
13
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 Lake Heights to the CBD?
Public transport saves Lake Heights residents $894 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,294 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Lake Heights?
Lake Heights 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 Lake Heights?
Running a unit in Lake Heights costs approximately $8,951 per year by car or $8,057 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 $490. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Lake Heights close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Lake Heights is Cringila, a train stop about 2,274 m away, about a 28 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 Lake Heights?
The closest hospital to the centre of Lake Heights is Port Kembla Hospital, about 1,155 m away, about a 14 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 Lake Heights?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Lake Heights there are 3 supermarkets, 2 cafes and 13 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: 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: Fire: NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land. Flood: modelled from 30m elevation (topographic). Data last verified September 2026. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.