True annual cost of living in Middle Brother, NSW 2443
Living in a house in Middle Brother costs about $12,313 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Middle Brother sits 33.3 kilometres from Port Macquarie CBD. Unit costs come in at $11,623, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,500 body corporate levy. At 33.3km, the commute dominates running costs. Drivers pay $4,393 more per year than public transport users.
Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg) · average rate
$1,370
Water & sewerage
Regional NSW estimate
$1,300
Driving commute
ATO 91c/km · 33.3km from Port Macquarie CBD · 192 days
$6,793
Home insurance
Estimated · flood Medium · fire High
$2,850
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,500
Total annual running cost
$12,313
($1,026/month)
↓ 5% below Port Macquarie-Hastings average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●○○○3.0/10 Poor
Cheaper to run than 24% of Port Macquarie-Hastings suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,827/yr
5,238 kWh
Unit
$2,369/yr
3,929 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Middle Brother'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 Middle Brother
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Kendall, 5,955 m away, about a 74 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
0
Parks
0
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 Middle Brother to Port Macquarie CBD?
Public transport saves Middle Brother residents $4,393 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $6,793 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Middle Brother?
Middle Brother falls under Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,370 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 $1,370 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Middle Brother?
Running a unit in Middle Brother costs approximately $11,623 per year by car or $7,230 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,370, water and sewerage $1,300, estimated body corporate levy of $1,500, and contents insurance of $660. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Middle Brother close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Middle Brother is Kendall, a train stop about 5,955 m away, about a 74 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 Middle Brother?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Middle Brother there are 0 supermarkets, 0 cafes and 0 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: Port Macquarie-Hastings rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg). Water: Regional NSW estimate. 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.