Are townhouses cheaper than houses?

There is no single answer. Townhouses often sit on less land, which can lower the price, but location, age, size and fees all matter. Comparing recent sales of similar homes in the same suburb and the same title type is more reliable than comparing labels.

Do townhouses have body corporate fees?

Only if the townhouse is part of a strata, body corporate or owners corporation scheme, or a community scheme. A Torrens townhouse with no shared property has no scheme levy. The title search and plan show which applies, and the levy notice shows the amount.

Are townhouses noisy?

They can be, because walls are shared. The National Construction Code sets minimum standards for separating walls between attached houses, but construction quality and layout vary. Ask what the shared wall is made of, and visit at different times of day.

Do townhouses have private gardens?

Most have some private outdoor area, such as a courtyard or small yard. Planning rules set minimums, for example 25 square metres at ground level in Victoria's code and a 4 metre minimum dimension for outdoor living areas in Western Australia's grouped dwelling rules. Sizes vary by project.

Who pays for roof repairs on a townhouse?

It depends on title. In Queensland under a standard format plan, the owner maintains the roof within their lot. In Western Australia strata, Landgate lists roofs as common property. For Torrens townhouses the owner pays. The plan and by-laws show the position.

What are the pros and cons of buying a townhouse?

A townhouse sits between a detached house and an apartment. It usually has its own front door and some private outdoor space, but it shares at least one wall, and often shares costs and decisions with neighbours. The main trade-offs are land and space, running costs, privacy and noise, and who is responsible for repairs. The figures and rules below were checked in October 2026.

The word "townhouse" does not set your costs or responsibilities. The title and plan do: Torrens, strata and community title can all be sold as a townhouse, and each puts different duties on the owner.

Topic	Often seen as a plus	Often seen as a minus
Space	More internal room than most apartments	Less land than a detached house
Outdoor area	Private courtyard or yard, little to mow	Smaller than a house block
Costs	Shared costs in a scheme	Levies, and rules set by others
Neighbours	Close by, shared services	Shared walls, closer windows
Layout	Multiple levels can separate living and sleeping	Stairs
Upkeep	Less external maintenance in some schemes	Less control over repairs and timing

Checked October 2026. Rules, rates and prices change, so confirm anything that matters with the source linked below.

Space and land

On average, new townhouses are larger than new apartments and smaller than new houses. ABS figures for new private-sector dwellings in 2018-19 put the average floor area at 156.9 square metres for townhouses, 108.2 for apartments and 229.8 for houses. The apartment figure is biased upwards by shared areas, and the ABS measures to the outside of the exterior walls, so these are not internal living areas. Your own plan is the better guide. See how big a typical townhouse is.

Outdoor space is regulated but modest. Victoria's Townhouse and Low-Rise Code, introduced in March 2025, sets private open space at 25 square metres at ground level for each dwelling. In Western Australia, the Residential Design Codes require an outdoor living area for grouped dwellings with a minimum length and width of 4 metres, at least two-thirds of it without permanent roof cover. Rules for other states are set in local planning schemes.

Browse new townhouses

See the townhouse developments selling now, with bedrooms, prices and completion dates, city by city.

Costs and fees

Where there is a scheme, there are levies. The guide to townhouse body corporate fees explains what they cover, and how much strata and body corporate fees are covers the ranges. A Torrens townhouse with no shared property has no scheme levy, although some estates have a separate association, so check the documents.

New townhouses may also cost less to heat and cool. NatHERS says the National Construction Code 2022 lifted the minimum energy rating for new houses and apartments from 6 to 7 stars. States adopt each NCC edition on their own timetable, so ask which standard a particular building was approved under.

Insurance depends on title. Moneysmart says to check with the body corporate whether it insures the building, and that you still need contents insurance for your own belongings. A Torrens townhouse has no scheme policy, so the owner arranges building cover.

Privacy and noise

Sharing a wall is the defining feature. The National Construction Code's 2022 Housing Provisions set rules for separating walls between attached houses, including fire resistance (60/60/60, or masonry at least 90 millimetres thick) and a sound insulation part (Part 10.7) with example constructions targeting a sound rating of at least 50 on the Rw + Ctr scale. The NT has its own version of that part and states vary the code, so ask what applies where the townhouse is. A compliant wall reduces noise without removing it, and floors, stairs and plumbing also carry sound.

Closeness affects light as well as sound. Your Home, the Australian Government's guide to sustainable homes, recommends north-facing living areas in most of Australia and avoiding overshadowing from neighbouring structures. In a row of townhouses, orientation and the height of the neighbours decide how much sun reaches the living areas.

Maintenance and who fixes what

Upkeep can be a plus or a minus depending on the plan:

Queensland, standard format plan: the owner maintains the outside of the building within the lot, including exterior walls and roof, and the body corporate handles common property such as roads and gardens. Building format plans put more of the structure in common property.
Western Australia: Landgate lists external walls, roofs and driveways as common property, managed by the strata company.
Victoria: Consumer Affairs Victoria says a lot owner must not repair, alter or maintain common property unless the owners corporation expressly authorises it.

Under a scheme, major repairs are organised and funded collectively, which can mean less hands-on work but less control. Under Torrens title, the owner arranges and pays for the upkeep of their own building, and the party walls guide explains how a shared wall is handled.

Resale and who weighs what

Resale depends on location, land, layout, parking, scheme finances and the condition of the building, not the label alone. The guide on what affects townhouse resale value goes into the detail. Recent sales of similar townhouses in the same suburb are the best guide to price and how long homes take to sell.

Different buyers weigh the list differently. People who want low external upkeep often compare townhouses with apartments, while those who want a large yard compare them with houses. The guides to townhouse vs house and townhouse vs apartment set out the comparisons.

Common questions

Are townhouses cheaper than houses?: There is no single answer. Townhouses often sit on less land, which can lower the price, but location, age, size and fees all matter. Comparing recent sales of similar homes in the same suburb and the same title type is more reliable than comparing labels.
Do townhouses have body corporate fees?: Only if the townhouse is part of a strata, body corporate or owners corporation scheme, or a community scheme. A Torrens townhouse with no shared property has no scheme levy. The title search and plan show which applies, and the levy notice shows the amount.
Are townhouses noisy?: They can be, because walls are shared. The National Construction Code sets minimum standards for separating walls between attached houses, but construction quality and layout vary. Ask what the shared wall is made of, and visit at different times of day.
Do townhouses have private gardens?: Most have some private outdoor area, such as a courtyard or small yard. Planning rules set minimums, for example 25 square metres at ground level in Victoria's code and a 4 metre minimum dimension for outdoor living areas in Western Australia's grouped dwelling rules. Sizes vary by project.
Who pays for roof repairs on a townhouse?: It depends on title. In Queensland under a standard format plan, the owner maintains the roof within their lot. In Western Australia strata, Landgate lists roofs as common property. For Torrens townhouses the owner pays. The plan and by-laws show the position.

Keep reading

Sources

This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Get advice that suits your situation before you buy.