Catalina vs Surfside
Surfside (median $680,000) is roughly 2% cheaper to buy into than Catalina ($695,000). Over the past year, Catalina (+3%) ran 12.3 percentage points ahead of Surfside (-9.3%) on house-price growth.
Buying in Catalina or Surfside?
Selling in Catalina? The free selling guide
Catalina and Surfside side by side
| Measure | Catalina | Surfside |
|---|---|---|
| Price and market | ||
| Median house | $695,000 | $680,000 |
| Median unit | $245,520 | $245,520 |
| House price change, 12 months | +3.0% | -9.3% |
| Renting | ||
| House rent | $600/wk | $600/wk |
| Unit rent | $450/wk | $450/wk |
| Owner occupied | 70.0% | 71.0% |
| Renter occupied | 24.0% | 26.0% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools nearby | 5 | 4 |
| Average ICSEA | 902 | 924 |
| Lifestyle and people | ||
| Walk score | 0 | 0 |
| Transit score | 0 | 0 |
| Bike score | 70 | 60 |
| Population | 2,522 | 1,456 |
| Median age | 53 | 47 |
| Climate | ||
| Annual rainfall | 902 mm | 917 mm |
| Mean max, January | 25.3°C | 25.7°C |
Green dot: better on that measure (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk). Each suburb’s profile gives the source and period of its figures.
Which suits whom
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Surfside (924) sits above Catalina (902).
- For buyers
- Surfside is the lower entry point at $680,000 median, 2% 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: Surfside delivers the better gross yield (4.59% vs 4.49%), but Catalina 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
- Surfside edges out on average school ICSEA (924 vs 902).
Catalina vs Surfside: common questions
Is Catalina or Surfside cheaper to buy in?
Surfside has the lower median house price at $680,000, roughly 2% below Catalina ($695,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Catalina or Surfside?
Over the past 12 months, Catalina grew +3% vs -9.3% in Surfside, a gap of 12.3 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 Surfside have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Surfside scores 924 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 suburb has higher rental yield, Catalina or Surfside?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.59% in Surfside vs 4.49% in Catalina. 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.
Keep comparing
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