Living in a house in Lakemba costs about $8,696 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Lakemba sits 13.5 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs reach $9,676, with the $2,300 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. Switching from driving to public transport saves $1,535 per year at this distance.
About $167 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Unit annual cost
$9,676
Incl. body corporate
$806/month
About $186 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
+$980
Unit costs more per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Canterbury-Bankstown rates
$1,377
Water & sewerage
Official, 2026-27 Sydney Water
$1,548
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 13.5km from CBD · 192 days
$3,921
Home insurance
Estimated flood Medium · fire Low
$1,850
Body corporate
Estimated
$2,300
Total annual running cost
$8,696
($725/month, $167/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below.
↓ 6% below Canterbury-Bankstown average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.3/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 89% of Canterbury-Bankstown suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,342/yr
5,238 kWh
Unit
$1,909/yr
3,929 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Lakemba'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 Lakemba
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Lakemba, 60 m away, about a minute on foot. It is a metro stop.
Nearest hospital
Tresillian Family Care Centre - Belmore, 1,966 m away, about a 25 minute walk.
Supermarkets
9
Cafes
6
Parks
41
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 Lakemba to the CBD?
Public transport saves Lakemba residents $1,535 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,921 versus $2,386 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Lakemba?
Lakemba falls under Canterbury-Bankstown Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,377 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 $1,377 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Lakemba?
Running a unit in Lakemba costs approximately $9,676 per year by car or $8,141 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,377, water and sewerage $1,548, estimated body corporate levy of $2,300, and contents insurance of $530. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Lakemba close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Lakemba is Lakemba, a metro stop about 60 m away, about a minute on foot. 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 Lakemba?
The closest hospital to the centre of Lakemba is Tresillian Family Care Centre - Belmore, about 1,966 m away, about a 25 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 Lakemba?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Lakemba there are 9 supermarkets, 6 cafes and 41 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: Canterbury-Bankstown 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.