# Coogee or Manly? Where to stay, side by side

URL: https://sydneybeachside.com.au/compare/coogee-vs-manly/ · Facts checked: 2026-10-09

Stay in Coogee if you want the cheapest beds by the sand and the eastern suburbs coastal walk. Stay in Manly if you want a bigger, flat beach town with the ferry as your commute. Both have hostels and beachfront hotels a few minutes from the water.

| | [Coogee Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/coogee/) | [Manly Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/manly/) |
|---|---|---|
| From the city | 8 km · bus | 17 km · ferry |
| Lifeguards | All year | All year (South Steyne) |
| Places to stay on our page | 19 (hotels, apartments, hostels, guesthouse) | 17 (hotels, apartments, hostels, guesthouses) |
| Within 5 min walk of the sand | 9 | 14 |
| Closest bed | 1 min walk | 1 min walk |
| Hostels | 3 | 3 |
| Cheapest rate seen | Under $100 | Under $100 |
| Known for | Ocean baths, the pub, the coastal walk | The ferry ride; the Corso |

Walk = walking time (not driving) along the OpenStreetMap walking route, door to sand, at 4.8 km/h. Prices = one nightly rate on Google Maps on the day checked. Nobody paid to be listed.

## Choose Coogee if

- You’re on a budget: Coogee’s beachfront hostel beds were $65–$83 a night when we checked.
- You want to be closer to the city: about 8 km, against Manly’s 17.
- You want to walk the coast: Coogee is the southern end of the 6 km walk to Bondi.
- You want a sheltered bay, patrolled all year.

## Choose Manly if

- You want flat streets: the whole town between the wharf and the beach is flat, so a pram or a suitcase is easy.
- You want the ferry: 22–30 minutes from Circular Quay, across the harbour.
- You want to snorkel at Cabbage Tree Bay, a no-take aquatic reserve towards Shelly Beach.
- You want more of a town: the Corso, shops and places to eat between the ferry and the beach.

## Getting between them

They’re on opposite sides of the harbour. Allow well over an hour by public transport, through the city and on the ferry.

## FAQ

### Is Coogee or Manly better to stay in?

Coogee for cheaper beds by the sand and the coastal walk to Bondi; Manly for a flat, bigger beach town with the ferry into the city.

### Which is closer to the city, Coogee or Manly?

Coogee, by road: about 8 km south-east of the CBD, against about 17 km for Manly. Coogee is buses only; Manly has the ferry from Circular Quay.

### Is Coogee or Manly patrolled in winter?

Both. Coogee is patrolled all year by Randwick Council lifeguards; Manly at South Steyne, the southern end.

Every place to stay, with its walk to the sand: [Coogee Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/coogee/) · [Manly Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/manly/)