True annual cost of living in Lucas Heights, NSW 2234
Living in a house in Lucas Heights costs about $12,136 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Lucas Heights sits 28.6 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs reach $12,276, with the $2,100 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. At 28.6km from the CBD, transport mode shifts the annual total by $4,021. The gap widens as commute costs rise.
Cheaper to run than 30% of Sutherland 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 Lucas 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 Lucas Heights
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Engadine, 3,876 m away, about a 48 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
0
Parks
2
Counted from OpenStreetMap via Overpass inside a 2 km walking radius of the suburb centre, built 2026-08-07. 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 Lucas Heights to the CBD?
Public transport saves Lucas Heights residents $4,021 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $6,421 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Lucas Heights?
Lucas Heights falls under Sutherland Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,617 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 $1,617 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Lucas Heights?
Running a unit in Lucas Heights costs approximately $12,276 per year by car or $8,255 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,617, water and sewerage $1,548, estimated body corporate levy of $2,100, and contents insurance of $590. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Lucas Heights close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Lucas Heights is Engadine, a train stop about 3,876 m away, about a 48 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 shops and parks are in Lucas Heights?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Lucas Heights there are 0 supermarkets, 0 cafes and 2 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: Sutherland rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg). Water: Sydney Water 2026-27. Commute: ATO cents per kilometre rate 2026–27 (91c/km). Insurance: AI-estimated, disclosed as estimate. Schools: ACARA ICSEA 2025. Risk: Fire: NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land. Flood: modelled from 30m elevation (topographic). Data updated 2026-07. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.