Living in a house in Syndicate costs about $9,967 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Syndicate sits 75.6 kilometres from Cairns CBD. Unit costs come in at $8,787, as lower council rates more than offset the $1,600 body corporate levy. The commute is costed by car to Cairns, at $3,302 a year, because no daily public transport commute is assumed here.
About $192 a week to run a house here, including estimates
Lower cost
Unit annual cost
$8,787
Incl. body corporate
$732/month
About $169 a week to run a unit here, including estimates
House vs unit difference
−$1,180
Unit is cheaper per year
Annual cost breakdown
Council rates
Official, 2026-27 Douglas Shire Council
$1,400
Water & sewerage
Official, 2026-27 Cairns Regional Council Water & Sewerage
$1,765
Driving commute
Modelled, 2026-27 ATO 91c/km · 75.6km from Cairns CBD · 192 days
$3,302
Home insurance
Estimated flood Low · fire Low
$3,500
Body corporate
Estimated
$1,600
Total annual running cost
$9,967
($831/month, $192/week)
Excludes electricity, estimated separately below. Also excludes the state Emergency Management Levy on your rates notice, $127 a year here (levy class E, 2026-27).
↓ 19% below Douglas Shire Council average
SuburbCost affordability score ●●●●○7.0/10 Good
Cheaper to run than 67% of Douglas Shire Council suburbs. Score blends running cost (50%), schools (20%) and flood & fire risk (30%).
Estimated electricity cost
typical 2-person household
House
$2,373/yr
5,933 kWh
Unit
$1,945/yr
4,450 kWh
Estimated from AER residential benchmarks for Syndicate'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 Syndicate
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
No scheduled service within a 2 km walk of the suburb centre.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
0
Parks
0
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.
Compare Syndicate with another suburb
Nearby: No nearby suburbs with data found
Frequently asked questions about Syndicate
Is it cheaper to drive or take public transport from Syndicate to Cairns CBD?
Public transport options are limited in Syndicate; driving is the practical commute at $3,302 per year.
What are the council rates in Syndicate?
Syndicate falls under Douglas Shire Council. The minimum residential general rate for 2026-27 is $1,400 per year for an owner-occupied house. Properties on higher land value pay more. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,400 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Syndicate?
Running a unit in Syndicate costs approximately $8,787 per year by car or $8,787 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,400, water and sewerage $1,765, estimated body corporate levy of $1,600, and contents insurance of $720. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Syndicate close to public transport?
No scheduled public transport stop was found within a 2 km walk of the centre of Syndicate. 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 shops and parks are in Syndicate?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Syndicate there are 0 supermarkets, 0 cafes and 0 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: Douglas Shire Council 2026-27. Water: Cairns Regional Council Water & Sewerage 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.