How we calculate the numbers

We use the average annual general rate for residential owner-occupied properties, taken from each council's published rates schedule for the 2025–26 financial year. For Brisbane suburbs, this is the Brisbane City Council general rate. Surrounding areas use their respective council rates.

We use each water utility's published pricing to calculate a typical annual residential water and sewerage bill, assuming household consumption of approximately 190 kilolitres per year (the Brisbane average).

The bill includes: water service fixed charge, water usage charges (Tier 1), bulk water charge (passed through at cost from SEQWater), and sewerage service fixed charge.

Provider by area:

• Brisbane City and Ipswich: Queensland Urban Utilities (QUU)
• Moreton Bay: Unitywater
• Logan: Logan City Council
• Redland: Redland City Council

Your actual bill will vary based on household size, water usage habits, and meter size.

We use Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data on average annual driving distances by suburb type, multiplied by the ATO's published cents per kilometre rate for the 2025–26 financial year (88 cents/km).

Annual driving distances used:

• CBD (within 3km): 6,000–8,000 km/year
• Inner suburb (3–10km): 8,000–10,000 km/year
• Middle ring (10–20km): 10,000–12,000 km/year
• Outer suburb (20km+): 12,000–15,000 km/year

These figures represent total annual driving costs for a resident of that suburb type — not just the commute to the CBD. They include all driving: work, errands, school runs, and leisure.

Queensland's Translink network charges a flat fare of 50 cents per trip regardless of distance or zone — one of the lowest public transport fares in Australia.

We calculate annual PT commute cost as:

$0.50 × 2 trips per day × 192 days per year = $192

The 192 days reflects an average of 4 commute days per week across 48 working weeks, accounting for leave, public holidays, and the reality that most workers now commute fewer than 5 days per week.

This figure is the same for every suburb in Brisbane — public transport fares do not vary by distance under the current Queensland flat-fare system.

Home and contents insurance premiums are estimated using AI analysis (Claude, by Anthropic), calibrated against each suburb's flood risk classification, fire risk classification, distance from the CBD, and typical dwelling characteristics for that area.

These are estimates only. Actual premiums vary significantly based on your specific property, chosen insurer, coverage level, claims history, and construction type.

The figures shown are a reasonable starting point for comparison purposes. Use the "Get an exact quote" link on each suburb page for a real premium from a licensed insurer.

For unit owners, building insurance is typically covered by the body corporate levy. We estimate contents insurance separately using AI analysis based on suburb location and property type.

These estimates cover a typical contents policy for a unit owner. Actual premiums vary by insurer, coverage level, and the value of your possessions.

Body corporate (strata) levies are estimated using AI analysis based on suburb characteristics and typical levy ranges for each property type.

Typical ranges used as calibration:

• Inner-city high-rise, post-2000: $4,500–$7,000/year
• Inner-city low-rise or older buildings: $2,500–$4,000/year
• Middle-ring apartments: $2,000–$3,500/year
• Outer suburb newer developments: $1,500–$2,500/year

Actual levies vary significantly based on your building's age, size, facilities, maintenance history, and management. Always confirm the actual levy with the body corporate secretary before purchasing.

School scores (displayed on a 1–10 scale) are derived from ACARA ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) data. We show the catchment school for each suburb — the state school your child would automatically enrol in based on your address.

The ICSEA score reflects the socio-educational advantage of the student community, not teaching quality directly. It is one useful indicator but does not capture teaching culture, specialist programs, or extracurricular activities.

Flood risk classifications (Low / Medium / High) are derived from Queensland Globe flood mapping data and cross-referenced with Climate Council risk mapping.

Classifications were updated in June 2026 using the Queensland Government's adopted February 2022 Brisbane River and Creek Flood awareness dataset (updated May 2025). Suburb boundaries from the ABS 2021 Statistical Area Level dataset were intersected with the 2022 flood polygons. Suburbs where more than 20% of the suburb area was inundated were classified High; suburbs with 5–20% coverage were classified Medium. This reclassified 93 suburbs across Greater Brisbane, including Bulimba, New Farm, Morningside, East Brisbane, Graceville, Chelmer, Boondall, and Fitzgibbon.

Classifications represent the general flood risk profile for the suburb. Individual properties within a suburb may have different risk profiles depending on their specific location and elevation. Always check your specific property's flood designation before purchasing.

Fire risk classifications are derived from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) bushfire prone land mapping.

As with flood risk, suburb-level classifications are a general guide. Always check your specific property's designation before purchasing.