Living in a house in Palmwoods costs about $10,097 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Palmwoods sits 14.2 kilometres from Maroochydore CBD. Unit costs reach $10,657, with the $2,000 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. Switching from driving to public transport saves $3,890 per year at this distance.
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 14.2km from Maroochydore CBD · 192 days
$4,082
Home insurance
Estimated flood Low · fire High
$2,150
Body corporate
Estimated
$2,000
Total annual running cost
$10,097
($841/month, $194/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below. Also excludes the state Emergency Management Levy on your rates notice, $260 a year here (levy class A, 2026-27).
Near Sunshine Coast Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●○○5.5/10 Average
Cheaper to run than 65% 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 Palmwoods'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 Palmwoods
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Palmwoods, 716 m away, about a 9 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Supermarkets
1
Cafes
2
Parks
19
Counted from OpenStreetMap via Overpass inside a 2 km walking radius of the suburb centre, built 2026-11-03. 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 Palmwoods to Maroochydore CBD?
Public transport saves Palmwoods residents $3,890 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $4,082 versus $192 by public transport using Translink's flat 50 cent fare.
What are the council rates in Palmwoods?
Palmwoods 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 Palmwoods?
Running a unit in Palmwoods costs approximately $10,657 per year by car or $6,767 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,771, water and sewerage $2,094, estimated body corporate levy of $2,000, and contents insurance of $710. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Palmwoods close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Palmwoods is Palmwoods, a train stop about 716 m away, about a 9 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 Palmwoods?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Palmwoods there is 1 supermarket, 2 cafes and 19 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: Sunshine Coast Council 2026-27. Water: Unitywater (Sunshine Coast/Noosa) 2026-27. Commute: ATO cents per kilometre rate 2026–27 (91c/km). Insurance: estimated from ACCC 2026 premium rates for the area's cyclone risk on a standard $600,000 home, adjusted for flood and fire, disclosed as estimate. Schools: ACARA ICSEA 2025. Risk: Queensland Globe, QFES. Data last verified September 2026. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.