Narrabeen vs Collaroy Plateau.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $3,650,000 and $2,900,000.
Collaroy Plateau (median $2,900,000) is roughly 26% cheaper to buy into than Narrabeen ($3,650,000). Over the past year, Narrabeen (+16.6%) ran 13.0 percentage points ahead of Collaroy Plateau (+3.6%) on house-price growth.
Narrabeen scores higher on walkability (46/100 vs 18/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Collaroy Plateau (1094) sits above Narrabeen (1091). Collaroy Plateau skews owner-occupied (86%), Narrabeen runs more rental-dense (50% owner).
For buyers
Collaroy Plateau is the lower entry point at $2,900,000 median, 26% 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: Collaroy Plateau delivers the better gross yield (2.31% vs 1.85%), but Narrabeen 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
Collaroy Plateau edges out on average school ICSEA (1094 vs 1091). Collaroy Plateau also has a higher family-household share (87% vs 58%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Narrabeen or Collaroy Plateau cheaper to buy in?
Collaroy Plateau has the lower median house price at $2,900,000, roughly 26% below Narrabeen ($3,650,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Narrabeen or Collaroy Plateau?
Over the past 12 months, Narrabeen grew +16.6% vs +3.6% in Collaroy Plateau, a gap of 13.0 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 Narrabeen or Collaroy Plateau have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Collaroy Plateau scores 1094 vs 1091 in Narrabeen. 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, Narrabeen or Collaroy Plateau?
Narrabeen scores 46/100 on walkability vs 18/100. 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, Narrabeen or Collaroy Plateau?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.31% in Collaroy Plateau vs 1.85% in Narrabeen. 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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