Malua Bay vs Surf Beach

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Surf Beach, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Malua Bay: a median of $930,000, against $777,000 in Surf Beach, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Surf Beach tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Malua Bay

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 71%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (55% vs 44%)
  • carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 52/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Surf Beach

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($545,000 vs $822,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($777,000 vs $930,000)
  • But Malua Bay has cheaper land ($417,500 vs $600,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Surf Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $418/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Surf Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (32/100 vs 12/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (289.6 km vs 293.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Surf Beach

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (29% vs 3%)
  • is more walkable (32/100 vs 12/100)
  • But Malua Bay carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 52/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Malua Bay and Surf Beach drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Walkability 12 / 32
Malua Bay — Walkability: 12/100 Surf Beach — Walkability: 32/100
Safety 58 / 48
Malua Bay — Safety: 58/100 Surf Beach — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 17 / 10
Malua Bay — Low fire risk: 17/100 Surf Beach — Low fire risk: 10/100

Demographics

Malua Bay has higher household incomes ($73,996 vs $57,148); Malua Bay rents higher ($418/wk vs $330/wk).

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Population 2,071
+7% vs other
 1,934
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.4% +3.2%
Median age 52 53
Median household income $73,996/yr
+23% vs other
 $57,148/yr
Median weekly rent $418/wk
+21% vs other
 $330/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
0-4 4.7% / 4.1%
Malua Bay — 0-4: 4.7% Surf Beach — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 10.9% / 10.5%
Malua Bay — 5-14: 10.9% Surf Beach — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 5.0% / 4.6%
Malua Bay — 15-19: 5.0% Surf Beach — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 3.1% / 3.4%
Malua Bay — 20-24: 3.1% Surf Beach — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 7.3% / 7.2%
Malua Bay — 25-34: 7.3% Surf Beach — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 9.2% / 10.0%
Malua Bay — 35-44: 9.2% Surf Beach — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 12.9% / 13.0%
Malua Bay — 45-54: 12.9% Surf Beach — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 17.5% / 14.7%
Malua Bay — 55-64: 17.5% Surf Beach — 55-64: 14.7%
65-74 18.9% / 19.2%
Malua Bay — 65-74: 18.9% Surf Beach — 65-74: 19.2%
75-84 8.5% / 10.2%
Malua Bay — 75-84: 8.5% Surf Beach — 75-84: 10.2%
85+ 1.9% / 2.9%
Malua Bay — 85+: 1.9% Surf Beach — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay 40.0% lone person
Malua Bay — Lone Person: 40.0% Malua Bay — Couple Families: 36.9% Malua Bay — One Parent Families: 18.2% Malua Bay — Group Household: 4.3% Malua Bay — Other Families: 0.6%
Surf Beach 52.4% lone person
Surf Beach — Lone Person: 52.4% Surf Beach — Couple Families: 27.2% Surf Beach — One Parent Families: 17.0% Surf Beach — Group Household: 2.0% Surf Beach — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay 18.4% renting
Malua Bay — Owned Outright: 53.1% Malua Bay — Mortgage: 28.5% Malua Bay — Renting: 18.4%
Surf Beach 29.5% renting
Surf Beach — Owned Outright: 48.7% Surf Beach — Mortgage: 21.8% Surf Beach — Renting: 29.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Certificate III & IV 18.2% / 17.3%
Malua Bay — Certificate III & IV: 18.2% Surf Beach — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Bachelor Degree 11.2% / 8.3%
Malua Bay — Bachelor Degree: 11.2% Surf Beach — Bachelor Degree: 8.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 7.1%
Malua Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Surf Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / 3.6%
Malua Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Surf Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.3%
Malua Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Surf Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
England 4.7% / 4.2%
Malua Bay — England: 4.7% Surf Beach — England: 4.2%
New Zealand 1.7% / 2.1%
Malua Bay — New Zealand: 1.7% Surf Beach — New Zealand: 2.1%
Philippines 0.6% / 0.9%
Malua Bay — Philippines: 0.6% Surf Beach — Philippines: 0.9%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.3%
Malua Bay — South Africa: 0.8% Surf Beach — South Africa: 0.3%
Scotland 1.0% / —
Malua Bay — Scotland: 1.0% Surf Beach — Scotland: not among its largest
India — / 0.9%
Malua Bay — India: not among its largest Surf Beach — India: 0.9%
Italy — / 0.8%
Malua Bay — Italy: not among its largest Surf Beach — Italy: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay 97.0% houses
Malua Bay — Houses: 97.0% Malua Bay — Townhouses: 1.4% Malua Bay — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Surf Beach 70.9% houses
Surf Beach — Houses: 70.9% Surf Beach — Townhouses: 18.5% Surf Beach — Flats / Apartments: 10.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Median house price $930,000 $777,000
Median unit price $822,500 $545,000
Median land price $417,500 $600,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 48 days
from 48 sales
 47 days
from 49 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
2 bed $740K / $670K
Malua Bay — 2 bed: $740K (7 sales) Surf Beach — 2 bed: $670K (9 sales)

7 vs 9 sales

3 bed $841K / $700K
Malua Bay — 3 bed: $841K (38 sales) Surf Beach — 3 bed: $700K (43 sales)

38 vs 43 sales

4 bed $970K / $872K
Malua Bay — 4 bed: $970K (49 sales) Surf Beach — 4 bed: $872K (26 sales)

49 vs 26 sales

5 bed $1.24M / $910K
Malua Bay — 5 bed: $1.24M (11 sales) Surf Beach — 5 bed: $910K (5 sales)

11 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Malua Bay has more land zoned for conservation (56% vs 12%); Malua Bay has more rural and farming land (19% vs 0%).

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Residential 24% 57%
Environmental 56% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 20%
Rural and farming 19% 0%
Industrial 0% 9%
Parks and recreation 1% 2%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Malua Bay Surf Beach
New dwellings approved 211
across Eurobodalla
same for both
Approvals change year on year -9%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Houses 3.2%
$708/wk on $1.15M
 3.3%
$600/wk on $954K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Malua Bay Surf Beach
House price Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
Income Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 62% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW

Liveability

Surf Beach is more walkable (32 vs 12); Malua Bay scores higher overall (29 vs 22).

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Grade D
same for both
Score 29/100 22/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Surf Beach carries more crime risk (52 vs 42).

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Bushfire High
83/100
 High
90/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
52/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
23/100
 Low
20/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 2
Parks & reserves 1 0
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Beaches 2 1
Waterways 10 4

Mobility

Malua Bay sits further from the CBD (293.5 km vs 289.6 km).

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Walkability score 12/100 32/100
Distance to Sydney 293.5 km
+1% vs other
 289.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 244 min 240 min
Public transport score 39/100
Bus
 56/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 21.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2536
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2536
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Car (driver) 77.4% / 80.6%
Malua Bay — Car (driver): 77.4% Surf Beach — Car (driver): 80.6%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 12.9%
Malua Bay — Worked from Home: 14.8% Surf Beach — Worked from Home: 12.9%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 4.4%
Malua Bay — Car (passenger): 5.3% Surf Beach — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.3%
Malua Bay — Walked Only: 1.0% Surf Beach — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus 1.4% / 0.8%
Malua Bay — Bus: 1.4% Surf Beach — Bus: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.6%).

Setting

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Elevation 38 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km
1.8 km to a named beach
 780 m
813 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Connectivity score 78/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
1,690 premises
 41%
1,399 premises

Climate

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Annual rainfall 914 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Average residential rate $1,246/yr
same for both
Council Eurobodalla
same for both

Federal electorate

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Malua Bay Surf Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Malua Bay

Acreage Coastal Retirees River

Surf Beach

Beach Coastal Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Malua Bay

Malua Bay vs Lilli Pilli Malua Bay vs Mogo Malua Bay vs Rosedale Malua Bay vs Woodlands

Other comparisons with Surf Beach

Surf Beach vs Batehaven Surf Beach vs Sunshine Bay Surf Beach vs Denhams Beach Surf Beach vs Lilli Pilli Surf Beach vs Mogo
Full data on Malua Bay Full data on Surf Beach
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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