True annual cost of living in Macquarie Hills, NSW 2285
Living in a house in Macquarie Hills costs about $8,897 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Macquarie Hills sits 12.8 kilometres from Newcastle CBD. Unit costs reach $9,157, with the $1,800 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. Switching from driving to public transport saves $1,357 per year at this distance.
Lake Macquarie rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg) · average rate
$1,763
Water & sewerage
Hunter Water 2026-27
$1,377
Driving commute
ATO 91c/km · 12.8km from Newcastle CBD · 192 days
$3,757
Home insurance
Estimated · flood Low · fire Medium
$2,000
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,800
Total annual running cost
$8,897
($741/month)
↓ 12% below Lake Macquarie average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.1/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 83% of Lake Macquarie 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 Macquarie Hills'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 Macquarie Hills
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Unnamed, 1,012 m away, about a 13 minute walk. It is a bus stop.
Nearest hospital
Pendlebury Clinc Private Hospital, 1,079 m away, about a 13 minute walk.
Supermarkets
6
Cafes
3
Parks
12
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 Macquarie Hills to Newcastle CBD?
Public transport saves Macquarie Hills residents $1,357 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,757 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Macquarie Hills?
Macquarie Hills falls under Lake Macquarie Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,763 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 $1,763 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Macquarie Hills?
Running a unit in Macquarie Hills costs approximately $9,157 per year by car or $7,800 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,763, water and sewerage $1,377, estimated body corporate levy of $1,800, and contents insurance of $460. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Macquarie Hills close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Macquarie Hills is Unnamed, a bus stop about 1,012 m away, about a 13 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 Macquarie Hills?
The closest hospital to the centre of Macquarie Hills is Pendlebury Clinc Private Hospital, about 1,079 m away, about a 13 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 Macquarie Hills?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Macquarie Hills there are 6 supermarkets, 3 cafes and 12 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: Lake Macquarie rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg). Water: Hunter 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.