Living in a house in Sunshine costs about $9,930 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Sunshine sits 90.2 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs come in at $9,540, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,800 body corporate levy. At 90.2km, the commute dominates running costs. Drivers pay $1,540 more per year than public transport users.
Lake Macquarie rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg) · average rate
$1,763
Water & sewerage
Hunter Water 2026-27
$1,377
Driving commute
ATO 91c/km · 90.2km from CBD · 192 days
$3,940
Home insurance
Estimated · flood Medium · fire High
$2,850
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,800
Total annual running cost
$9,930
($828/month)
Near Lake Macquarie average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●○○○4.9/10 Poor
Cheaper to run than 61% of Lake Macquarie 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 Sunshine'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 Sunshine
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
No scheduled service within a 2 km walk of the suburb centre.
Nearest hospital
Morisset Hospital, 5,357 m away, about a 67 minute walk.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
0
Parks
5
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 Sunshine to the CBD?
Public transport saves Sunshine residents $1,540 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,940 versus $2,400 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Sunshine?
Sunshine falls under Lake Macquarie Council. The average residential rate for 2026-27 is $1,763 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 $1,763 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Sunshine?
Running a unit in Sunshine costs approximately $9,540 per year by car or $8,000 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,763, water and sewerage $1,377, estimated body corporate levy of $1,800, and contents insurance of $660. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Sunshine close to public transport?
No scheduled public transport stop was found within a 2 km walk of the centre of Sunshine. The running cost on this page assumes driving, which is why the commute component is the largest line for most suburbs in this position.
What is the closest hospital to Sunshine?
The closest hospital to the centre of Sunshine is Morisset Hospital, about 5,357 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 Sunshine?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Sunshine there are 0 supermarkets, 0 cafes and 5 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: Lake Macquarie rates (OLG 2024-25 + IPART 2026-27 peg). Water: Hunter 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.