Surf Beach vs Lilli Pilli.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $767,000 and $1,070,000.
Surf Beach (median $767,000) is roughly 28% cheaper to buy into than Lilli Pilli ($1,070,000). Over the past year, Lilli Pilli (0%) ran 1.5 percentage points ahead of Surf Beach (-1.5%) on house-price growth.
Surf Beach scores higher on walkability (12/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Lilli Pilli (941) sits above Surf Beach (935).
For buyers
Surf Beach is the lower entry point at $767,000 median, 28% 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: Surf Beach delivers the better gross yield (4.07% vs 2.92%), but Lilli Pilli 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
Lilli Pilli edges out on average school ICSEA (941 vs 935).
Common questions
Is Surf Beach or Lilli Pilli cheaper to buy in?
Surf Beach has the lower median house price at $767,000, roughly 28% below Lilli Pilli ($1,070,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Surf Beach or Lilli Pilli?
Over the past 12 months, Lilli Pilli grew 0% vs -1.5% in Surf Beach, a gap of 1.5 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 Surf Beach or Lilli Pilli have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Lilli Pilli scores 941 vs 935 in Surf 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 is more walkable, Surf Beach or Lilli Pilli?
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, Surf Beach or Lilli Pilli?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.07% in Surf Beach vs 2.92% in Lilli Pilli. 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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