Bondi Beach vs Rose Bay.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $4,390,000 and $4,877,500. Bondi Beach edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Bondi Beach (median $4,390,000) is roughly 10% cheaper to buy into than Rose Bay ($4,877,500). Over the past year, Bondi Beach (+1.4%) ran 1.4 percentage points ahead of Rose Bay (0%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Rose Bay (1139) sits above Bondi Beach (1135). Rose Bay skews owner-occupied (54%), Bondi Beach runs more rental-dense (32% owner).
For buyers
Bondi Beach is the lower entry point at $4,390,000 median, 10% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Investors face a yield-versus-growth split: Rose Bay delivers the better gross yield (2.56% vs 2.13%), but Bondi Beach has run faster on capital growth this year. The right pick depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow or capital appreciation.
For families
Rose Bay edges out on average school ICSEA (1139 vs 1135). Rose Bay also has a higher family-household share (65% vs 50%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Bondi Beach or Rose Bay cheaper to buy in?
Bondi Beach has the lower median house price at $4,390,000, roughly 10% below Rose Bay ($4,877,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Bondi Beach or Rose Bay?
Over the past 12 months, Bondi Beach grew +1.4% vs 0% in Rose Bay, a gap of 1.4 percentage points. Twelve-month growth can swing year to year, so weight long-run trends from the individual suburb profiles before making a buy decision.
Does Bondi Beach or Rose Bay have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Rose Bay scores 1139 vs 1135 in Bondi Beach. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.
Which suburb has higher rental yield, Bondi Beach or Rose Bay?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.56% in Rose Bay vs 2.13% in Bondi Beach. Gross yield equals annual rent divided by purchase price. Net yield (after strata, rates, insurance, agent fees and maintenance) typically runs 1.5-2 percentage points lower.
The numbers behind the take
Price & Market
Rental
Lifestyle & Demographics
Risk & Hazard
Schools
Climate
Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).
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