Living in a house in St Helena costs about $10,022 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. St Helena sits 19.7 kilometres from Melbourne CBD. Unit costs reach $11,122, with the $2,300 owners corporation levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. At 19.7km from the CBD, transport mode shifts the annual total by $2,961. The gap widens as commute costs rise.
About $193 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Unit annual cost
$11,122
Incl. owners corporation
$927/month
About $214 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
+$1,100
Unit costs more per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Banyule rates
$1,800
Water & sewerage
Official, 2026-27 Yarra Valley Water
$1,538
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 19.7km from CBD · 192 days
$5,184
Home insurance
Estimated flood Low · fire Low
$1,500
Owners corporation
Estimated
$2,300
Total annual running cost
$10,022
($835/month, $193/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below. Also excludes the state Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy on your rates notice: $139 a year plus 17.3 cents per $1,000 of your home's capital improved value (2026-27).
↑ 10% above Banyule City Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.2/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 50% of Banyule City Council suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,016/yr
4,840 kWh
Unit
$1,629/yr
3,630 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for St Helena'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 St Helena
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Unnamed, 1,450 m away, about an 18 minute walk. It is a bus stop.
Nearest hospital
Northpark Private Hospital, 5,380 m away, about a 67 minute walk.
Supermarkets
2
Cafes
5
Parks
79
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 St Helena to the CBD?
Public transport saves St Helena residents $2,961 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $5,184 versus $2,223 by public transport using a yearly myki Pass at the 2026 standard full fare.
What are the council rates in St Helena?
St Helena falls under Banyule City Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,800 per year, from the council's proposed budget, not yet the adopted budget: residential rate revenue divided by the number of residential assessments, plus the council's municipal charge where it sets one. Victorian councils rate on capital improved value, so individual properties pay more or less than the average. The figure excludes waste charges and the state Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy.
What does it cost to run a unit in St Helena?
Running a unit in St Helena costs approximately $11,122 per year by car or $8,161 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,800, water and sewerage $1,538, estimated owners corporation levy of $2,300, and contents insurance of $300. Owners corporation fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is St Helena close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of St Helena is Unnamed, a bus stop about 1,450 m away, about an 18 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 St Helena?
The closest hospital to the centre of St Helena is Northpark Private Hospital, about 5,380 m away, about a 67 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 St Helena?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of St Helena there are 2 supermarkets, 5 cafes and 79 parks. These counts come from OpenStreetMap via Overpass, which is contributed mapping and can lag a recent opening or closure.
Get a free report on one suburb, or compare up to five. The report is free to you. SuburbCost may receive a referral fee from a mortgage broker if you ask us to introduce you.
Included:
Annual cost breakdown
10-year cost projection
School scores & catchments
Flood & fire risk ratings
Crime risk ratings
AI suburb recommendations
Up to 5 suburbs, side by side
Opening your report…
Your report is opening in a new tab. A copy is on its way to your inbox. If it isn't there within a minute, check your junk folder and mark it ‘Not junk’.
Data sources: Council rates: Banyule rates (2026-27 proposed budget). Water: Yarra Valley Water 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: Flood: Victorian planning scheme flood overlays (FO, LSIO, SBO). Fire: Bushfire Management Overlay and Bushfire Prone Area. Data last verified November 2026. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.