Surfside vs Catalina.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $680,000 and $695,000. Surfside edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
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.
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).
Common questions
Is Surfside or Catalina 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, Surfside or Catalina?
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 Surfside or Catalina 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, Surfside or Catalina?
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.
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).
Compare Surfside against another suburb