True annual cost of living in St Leonards, NSW 2065
Living in a house in St Leonards costs about $6,468 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. St Leonards sits 5.3 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs reach $7,648, with the $2,600 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. Switching from driving to public transport saves $191 per year at this distance.
Cheaper to run than 100% of Willoughby 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 St Leonards'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 Leonards
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
St Leonards, 125 m away, about a 2 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Nearest hospital
Royal North Shore Hospital, 310 m away, about a 4 minute walk.
Supermarkets
16
Cafes
74
Parks
87
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 St Leonards to the CBD?
Driving saves St Leonards residents $191 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $1,729 versus $1,920 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in St Leonards?
St Leonards falls under Willoughby Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,341 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 $1,341 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in St Leonards?
Running a unit in St Leonards costs approximately $7,648 per year by car or $7,839 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,341, water and sewerage $1,548, estimated body corporate levy of $2,600, and contents insurance of $430. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is St Leonards close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of St Leonards is St Leonards, a train stop about 125 m away, about a 2 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 Leonards?
The closest hospital to the centre of St Leonards is Royal North Shore Hospital, about 310 m away, about a 4 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 Leonards?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of St Leonards there are 16 supermarkets, 74 cafes and 87 parks. These counts come from OpenStreetMap via Overpass, which is contributed mapping and can lag a recent opening or closure.
Your report is opening in a new tab. Check your inbox if it doesn't appear within a minute.
Data sources: Council rates: Willoughby 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.