Living in a house in North Arm costs about $12,093 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. North Arm sits 20.5 kilometres from Maroochydore CBD. Unit costs come in at $11,613, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,700 body corporate levy. At 20.5km from Maroochydore CBD, transport mode shifts the annual total by $5,136. The gap widens as commute costs rise.
ATO 91c/km · 20.5km from Maroochydore CBD · 192 days
$5,328
Home insurance
Estimated · flood Low · fire High
$2,900
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,700
Total annual running cost
$12,093
($1,008/month)
↑ 7% above Sunshine Coast Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●○○○4.0/10 Poor
Cheaper to run than 35% of Sunshine Coast 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 North Arm'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 North Arm
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Eumundi, 3,479 m away, about a 43 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
0
Parks
1
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 North Arm to Maroochydore CBD?
Public transport saves North Arm residents $5,136 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $5,328 versus $192 by public transport using Translink's flat 50 cent fare.
What are the council rates in North Arm?
North Arm falls under Sunshine Coast Council. The minimum residential general rate for 2026-27 is $1,771 per year for an owner-occupied house. Properties on higher land value pay more. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,771 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in North Arm?
Running a unit in North Arm costs approximately $11,613 per year by car or $6,477 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,771, water and sewerage $2,094, estimated body corporate levy of $1,700, and contents insurance of $720. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is North Arm close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of North Arm is Eumundi, a train stop about 3,479 m away, about a 43 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 North Arm?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of North Arm there are 0 supermarkets, 0 cafes and 1 park. 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: Sunshine Coast Council 2026-27. Water: Unitywater (Sunshine Coast/Noosa) 2026-27. Commute: ATO cents per kilometre rate 2026–27 (91c/km). Insurance: AI-estimated, disclosed as estimate. Schools: ACARA ICSEA 2025. Risk: Queensland Globe, QFES. Data updated 2026-07. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.