Kogarah Suburb Review

Busy, education-heavy suburb is quite well-balanced and represents good value.

Summary: Boasting a solid mix of reasonably centralised location, variety of dining opportunities, and convenience versus greenery, Kogarah is an underrated “sleeper” suburb that’s closer to Sydney city than you’d think. It’s a hotspot for educational facilities while still providing a good selection of housing types that offers the chance at a reasonably affordable place to live without having to endure a massive commute. It’s got some traffic issues and isn’t exactly “beautiful”, but it’s a good all-rounder without many other weaknesses.

Key stats

At first glance, Kogarah is a respectable, working-class type suburb that doesn’t have too much remarkable about it – but look beneath the surface however, and you’ll find a bit of an underrated gem.

It’s the central slice of the St. George region and used as a main thoroughfare by thousands each day, yet doesn’t quite get as a much love as it should as a place to live despite having a lot going in its favour.

Location is probably the best starting point in Kogarah’s favour – but it’s not only raw location, but its balance of price vs location that make it a standout. Considering its selection of amenities and balanced environment in terms of conveniences, nature and safety, Kogarah may just represent one of the best-value suburbs in (relatively) inner Sydney.

Given its physical distance from the Sydney CBD is roughly equal to Strathfield out west – then comparing the prices of property between the two – there’s potential here to get an equivalent house for several hundred thousand dollars less than one would pay in the Inner West.

That’s impressive for a suburb with such good connectivity to the city. Kogarah’s train station is large and sees a decent amount of services, with a less than 20 minute train ride into the city. As a result, it makes an easy-to-recommend option for commuters into the CBD who want to save themselves some cash when it comes to rent without living “out in the sticks”.

Affordable Accessibility

Housing prices in Kogarah are pretty reasonable considering all this.

Get lucky, and you might actually have a shot at a (small) freestanding house for around the $1 million mark – pretty much a rarity in present times given its proximity to the city. Apartment rental prices here fare pretty damn well, as well; it’s possible to find yourself a 2-bedroom apartment rental for as low as $420 a week, with $450 all but guaranteeing yourself something decent that comes with a parking space as well.

And it’s not like Kogarah is some dodgy ghetto, either. The suburb may not be physically spectacular, but it’s residential portions are green and leafy enough, and it’s got heavier concentrations of greenery in Scarborough Park and the Civic Avenue Reserve over towards the waterfront side.

It’s also quite safe, and fares above average in the region’s government crime statistics compared to some other suburbs not too far away.

Kogarah’s back streets are greener than you might think

Many of its back streets (highlighted by Civic Avenue) contain a number of impressive, larger properties, with a mix of some hulking modern houses and charming mid-scale smaller red brick dwellings that are older but have been kept in great condition. These streets are wide and tree-lined, with decent space for driving, parking, or walking the dog.

Closer to the train station, you’ll find clusters of newer modern apartment buildings as well for some additional variety. Add in close proximity to the beach – something of a rarity in Sydney outside of the expensive Eastern Suburbs and isolated Northern Beaches – and there’s a decent variety of natural environments here considering how built up it is.

Kogarah is also a bit unique in its high concentration of educational facilities. It boasts one of the highest population : school ratios in all of Sydney, with multiple public and private schools to choose from, TAFE and a range of smaller academies. It’s thus a great choice for middle-class families looking for a balance of city access and facilities for the kids without breaking the bank.

“Considering its selection of amenities and balanced environment in terms of conveniences, nature and safety, Kogarah may just represent one of the best-value suburbs in (relatively) inner Sydney.”

In terms of amenities for daily life, Kogarah also fares quite well. Its multicultural background – what was once historically a renowned Greek enclave has shifted dramatically towards Chinese – has resulted in a good mix of restaurants and some great little cafes, with its main strip near the station having received some love in recent years as well.

While it’s only home to a smaller Town Centre with standard shopping opportunities, both Westfield Hurstville and Rockdale Plaza are not far away for bigger retail needs. St. George’s hospitals (private and public) also both call the suburb home for any medical emergencies or needs that may arise.

Kogarah’s proximity to both the Princes Highway and the A1 is both a positive and a negative. The suburb sees heavy traffic on a regular basis as it’s used as a major artery to get from A to B by many Sydneysiders. While this offers good connectivity for residents, it’s also noisy and leads to a bit of a hectic feel to the suburb throughout most of the day.

It’s also one of those “busy by day, yet dead of an evening” suburbs – there’s no nightlife here outside of its restaurants, and as a result it’s more of just a “place to live” rather than having any real reason to visit for outsiders.

All of its neighbouring suburbs aren’t particularly interesting either outside of shopping; it’s not like some places in, say, the Inner West where the home suburb may not be great but Marrickville, Leichhardt or Newtown are just nearby. Nobody ever invited the friends over to Rockdale for a massively fun night out, for example.

The Verdict

For those Sydney city workers without massive budgets yet who still don’t want to spend half their week commuting, Kogarah is well worth considering. Its affordability versus location ratio is about as good as you’re going to get as far as present-day Sydney goes, while it’s got just enough in terms of shopping and dining to not feel like a total dead zone.

Its range of housing types is also quite good; there’s something here for younger professionals and more mature couples, while families will be drawn to its range of schools and amenities. Retirees will likely find it a bit hectic, and those partygoers looking for nightlife may want to look in a different region of Sydney entirely, but other than that it’s got lots of appeal.

Visually Kogarah won’t blow anyone’s socks off in terms of highlights and traffic is an issue, but other than that it’s a very steady, decent-value suburb that anyone of average to slightly above-average means should seriously consider as a place to live.