Living in a house in Northwood costs about $7,019 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Northwood sits 5.1 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs reach $7,849, with the $2,600 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. Switching from driving to public transport saves $251 per year at this distance.
Cheaper to run than 86% of Lane Cove 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 Northwood'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 Northwood
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Northwood Wharf, 249 m away, about a 3 minute walk. It is a ferry stop.
Nearest hospital
Greenwich Hospital, 580 m away, about a 7 minute walk.
Supermarkets
8
Cafes
43
Parks
79
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 Northwood to the CBD?
Driving saves Northwood residents $251 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $1,669 versus $1,920 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Northwood?
Northwood falls under Lane Cove Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,502 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 $1,502 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Northwood?
Running a unit in Northwood costs approximately $7,849 per year by car or $8,100 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,502, water and sewerage $1,548, estimated body corporate levy of $2,600, and contents insurance of $530. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Northwood close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Northwood is Northwood Wharf, a ferry stop about 249 m away, about a 3 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 Northwood?
The closest hospital to the centre of Northwood is Greenwich Hospital, about 580 m away, about a 7 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 Northwood?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Northwood there are 8 supermarkets, 43 cafes and 79 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: Lane Cove 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.