True annual cost of living in Willoughby, NSW 2068
Living in a house in Willoughby costs about $6,914 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Willoughby sits 6.8 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Unit costs reach $8,094, with the $2,600 body corporate levy accounting for the entire difference between the two. Switching from driving to public transport saves $255 per year at this distance.
Cheaper to run than 96% 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 Willoughby'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 Willoughby
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
Artarmon, 1,429 m away, about an 18 minute walk. It is a train stop.
Nearest hospital
Tresillian Family Care Centre - Willoughby, 941 m away, about a 12 minute walk.
Supermarkets
18
Cafes
76
Parks
57
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 Willoughby to the CBD?
Public transport saves Willoughby residents $255 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $2,175 versus $1,920 by public transport using the Opal network.
What are the council rates in Willoughby?
Willoughby 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 Willoughby?
Running a unit in Willoughby costs approximately $8,094 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 Willoughby close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Willoughby is Artarmon, a train stop about 1,429 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 Willoughby?
The closest hospital to the centre of Willoughby is Tresillian Family Care Centre - Willoughby, about 941 m away, about a 12 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 Willoughby?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Willoughby there are 18 supermarkets, 76 cafes and 57 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: 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: 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: Fire: NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land. Flood: modelled from 30m elevation (topographic). Data last verified September 2026. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.