Living in a house in Lawes costs about $7,075 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Lawes sits 5.8 kilometres from Gatton CBD. Unit costs reach $7,205, with the $1,500 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. The commute is costed by car to Gatton, at $1,880 a year, because no daily public transport commute is assumed here.
About $136 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Unit annual cost
$7,205
Incl. body corporate
$600/month
About $139 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
+$130
Unit costs more per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Lockyer Valley Regional Council
$1,395
Water & sewerage
Official, 2026-27 Queensland Urban Utilities
$1,900
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 5.8km from Gatton CBD · 192 days
$1,880
Home insurance
Estimated flood Low · fire Medium
$1,900
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,500
Total annual running cost
$7,075
($590/month, $136/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below. Also excludes the state Emergency Management Levy on your rates notice, $152 a year here (levy class C, 2026-27).
↓ 30% below Lockyer Valley Regional Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.5/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 94% of Lockyer Valley Regional Council suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,135/yr
5,126 kWh
Unit
$1,776/yr
3,845 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Lawes'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 Lawes
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Gatton, 5,650 m away, about a 71 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Nearest hospital
Gatton Hospital, 5,944 m away, about a 74 minute walk.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
2
Parks
2
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 Lawes to Gatton CBD?
Public transport options are limited in Lawes; driving is the practical commute at $1,880 per year.
What are the council rates in Lawes?
Lawes falls under Lockyer Valley Regional Council. The minimum residential general rate for 2026-27 is $1,395 per year for an owner-occupied house. Properties on higher land value pay more. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,395 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Lawes?
Running a unit in Lawes costs approximately $7,205 per year by car or $7,205 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,395, water and sewerage $1,900, estimated body corporate levy of $1,500, and contents insurance of $530. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Lawes close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Lawes is Gatton, a train stop about 5,650 m away, about a 71 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 Lawes?
The closest hospital to the centre of Lawes is Gatton Hospital, about 5,944 m away, about a 74 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 Lawes?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Lawes there are 0 supermarkets, 2 cafes and 2 parks. These counts come from OpenStreetMap via Overpass, which is contributed mapping and can lag a recent opening or closure.
Get a free report on one suburb, or compare up to five. The report is free to you. SuburbCost may receive a referral fee from a mortgage broker if you ask us to introduce you.
Included:
Annual cost breakdown
10-year cost projection
School scores & catchments
Flood & fire risk ratings
Crime risk ratings
AI suburb recommendations
Up to 5 suburbs, side by side
Opening your report…
Your report is opening in a new tab. A copy is on its way to your inbox. If it isn't there within a minute, check your junk folder and mark it ‘Not junk’.
Data sources: Council rates: Lockyer Valley Regional Council 2026-27. Water: Queensland Urban Utilities 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.