Living in a house in Sawtell costs about $8,162 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Sawtell sits 8.2 kilometres from Coffs Harbour CBD. Unit costs come in at $7,502, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,500 body corporate levy. Switching from driving to public transport saves $172 per year at this distance.
ATO 91c/km · 8.2km from Coffs Harbour CBD · 192 days
$2,572
Home insurance
Estimated · flood High · fire Low
$2,800
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,500
Total annual running cost
$8,162
($680/month)
↓ 17% below Coffs Harbour average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●○○5.8/10 Average
Cheaper to run than 73% of Coffs Harbour suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,774/yr
5,086 kWh
Unit
$2,329/yr
3,815 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Sawtell'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 Sawtell
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Sawtell, 1,063 m away, about a 13 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Nearest hospital
Coffs Harbour Health Campus, 5,700 m away, about a 71 minute walk.
Supermarkets
3
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 Sawtell to Coffs Harbour CBD?
Public transport saves Sawtell residents $172 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $2,572 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Sawtell?
Sawtell falls under Coffs Harbour Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,490 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 $1,490 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Sawtell?
Running a unit in Sawtell costs approximately $7,502 per year by car or $7,330 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,490, water and sewerage $1,300, estimated body corporate levy of $1,500, and contents insurance of $640. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Sawtell close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Sawtell is Sawtell, a train stop about 1,063 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 Sawtell?
The closest hospital to the centre of Sawtell is Coffs Harbour Health Campus, about 5,700 m away, about a 71 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 Sawtell?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Sawtell there are 3 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: Coffs Harbour 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.