True annual cost of living in Yorkeys Knob, QLD 4878
Living in a house in Yorkeys Knob costs about $13,696 a year: council rates, water and sewerage, commute and home insurance combined. Yorkeys Knob sits 12.0 kilometres from Cairns CBD. Unit costs come in at $9,646, as lower council rates more than offset the $2,400 body corporate levy. Switching from driving to public transport saves $3,373 per year at this distance.
Cheaper to run than 60% of Cairns Regional 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 Yorkeys Knob'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 Yorkeys Knob
within a 2 km walk
Nearest stop
James Cook University Bus Station, 2,984 m away, about a 37 minute walk. It is a bus stop.
Supermarkets
0
Cafes
1
Parks
10
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 Yorkeys Knob to Cairns CBD?
Public transport saves Yorkeys Knob residents $3,373 per year. Annual commute cost by car is $3,565 versus $192 by public transport using Translink's flat 50 cent fare.
What are the council rates in Yorkeys Knob?
Yorkeys Knob falls under Cairns Regional Council. The minimum residential general rate for 2026-27 is $1,166 per year for an owner-occupied house. Properties on higher land value pay more. Unit owners in strata schemes pay $1,166 per year. These figures cover the general rate only and exclude waste and cleansing charges.
What does it cost to run a unit in Yorkeys Knob?
Running a unit in Yorkeys Knob costs approximately $9,646 per year by car or $6,273 by public transport. This includes council rates of $1,166, water and sewerage $1,765, estimated body corporate levy of $2,400, and contents insurance of $750. Body corporate fees vary significantly between buildings. Always confirm the actual levy before purchasing.
Is Yorkeys Knob close to public transport?
The nearest scheduled service to the centre of Yorkeys Knob is James Cook University Bus Station, a bus stop about 2,984 m away, about a 37 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 shops and parks are in Yorkeys Knob?
Within a 2 km walk of the centre of Yorkeys Knob there are 0 supermarkets, 1 cafe and 10 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: Cairns Regional Council 2026-27. Water: Cairns Regional Council Water & Sewerage 2026-27. Commute: ATO cents per kilometre rate 2026–27 (91c/km). Insurance: AI-estimated, disclosed as estimate. Schools: ACARA ICSEA 2025. Risk: Queensland Globe, QFES. Data updated 2026-07. Cost estimates are for comparison purposes only and do not constitute financial, insurance, or credit advice.