Illawong vs Menai.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,915,000 and $1,680,000. Menai edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Menai (median $1,680,000) is roughly 14% cheaper to buy into than Illawong ($1,915,000). Over the past year, Menai (+8.4%) ran 1.4 percentage points ahead of Illawong (+7%) on house-price growth.
Menai scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 34/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Illawong (1079) sits above Menai (1075).
For buyers
Menai is the lower entry point at $1,680,000 median, 14% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Menai carries both higher gross yield (3.10% vs 2.72%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Illawong edges out on average school ICSEA (1079 vs 1075).
Common questions
Is Illawong or Menai cheaper to buy in?
Menai has the lower median house price at $1,680,000, roughly 14% below Illawong ($1,915,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Illawong or Menai?
Over the past 12 months, Menai grew +8.4% vs +7% in Illawong, 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 Illawong or Menai have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Illawong scores 1079 vs 1075 in Menai. 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, Illawong or Menai?
Menai scores 34/100 on walkability vs 2/100. 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, Illawong or Menai?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.10% in Menai vs 2.72% in Illawong. 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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