Catalina vs Surf Beach.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $695,000 and $767,000.
Catalina (median $695,000) is roughly 9% cheaper to buy into than Surf Beach ($767,000). Over the past year, Catalina (+3%) ran 4.5 percentage points ahead of Surf Beach (-1.5%) on house-price growth.
Surf Beach scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 12/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Surf Beach (935) sits above Catalina (902).
For buyers
Catalina is the lower entry point at $695,000 median, 9% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Catalina carries both higher gross yield (4.49% vs 4.07%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Surf Beach edges out on average school ICSEA (935 vs 902).
Common questions
Is Catalina or Surf Beach cheaper to buy in?
Catalina has the lower median house price at $695,000, roughly 9% below Surf Beach ($767,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Catalina or Surf Beach?
Over the past 12 months, Catalina grew +3% vs -1.5% in Surf Beach, a gap of 4.5 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 Catalina or Surf Beach have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Surf Beach scores 935 vs 902 in Catalina. 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 is more walkable, Catalina or Surf Beach?
Surf Beach scores 12/100 on walkability vs 0/100. Above 70 is considered very walkable (most errands on foot), 50-69 is walkable for some errands, below 50 typically requires a car for daily life.
Which suburb has higher rental yield, Catalina or Surf Beach?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.49% in Catalina vs 4.07% in Surf 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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