| Malibu | Pacific Palisades | |
|---|---|---|
| Median house sale | $5.05M | $3.45M |
| Median condo sale | $1.17M | $1.2M |
| Median price per sq ft | $1,260 | $1,011 |
| Home styles | Beach houses on the sand, the gated Malibu Colony, Point Dume bluff homes, canyon ranch houses and contemporary estates, western ranches | Spanish Colonial Revival, traditional, ranch and mid-century modern homes, plus new construction; Mediterranean homes in Castellammare |
| Typical lots and terrain | Narrow beachfront lots, larger flat lots on Point Dume, hillside and ranch parcels inland | Compact lots in the flats to large parcels near the bluffs and canyons |
| City | City of Malibu, incorporated in 1991, entirely in the Coastal Zone | City of Los Angeles, with parts in the Coastal Zone |
| Signature streets and anchors | Malibu Pier and Surfrider Beach, Zuma and Point Dume, Malibu Country Mart, the Adamson House | Palisades Village, the Riviera, Temescal Gateway Park, Will Rogers State Historic Park |
| Getting around | Pacific Coast Highway, with Malibu Canyon and Kanan Dume roads to the 101 | Sunset Blvd east to Brentwood and the 405; PCH south to Santa Monica and the 10 |
| Drive times (rough, off-peak) | Santa Monica often 25 to 45 minutes, depending on where you start | Santa Monica often 15 to 20 minutes via PCH |
| Weather | Coastal, with ocean breezes and marine layer; canyons warmer inland | Coastal, with ocean breezes and morning marine layer |
| Eat drink shop highlights | Nobu Malibu, Malibu Seafood, Clark's Oyster Bar, Duke's Malibu | Alphabet Bar & Grill, Angelini, Porta Via, K Bakery |
Median prices: Redfin Data Center, zip codes 90265 and 90272, March to May 2026. Zip codes don't match neighborhood borders exactly.
The homes
Malibu stretches along about 21 miles of coastline, and its homes change with the terrain. Houses on the sand line stretches like Carbon Beach and Broad Beach, often on narrow lots with the living space facing the water. The Malibu Colony is a gated beachfront enclave near the Civic Center, and on Point Dume, homes sit on larger, flatter lots on and near the bluffs. Inland, the canyons hold everything from modest ranch houses to contemporary estates, and the western areas open up into ranches with room for horses, vineyards and gardens.
Pacific Palisades is a more compact town on the mesa and in the canyons just west of Brentwood. It has long been known for Spanish Colonial Revival homes, traditional and ranch houses and mid-century modern designs, with distinct pockets like the Riviera around the country club, the Huntington Palisades near the bluffs and Castellammare, a hillside area of Mediterranean-style homes above Pacific Coast Highway. Rebuilding is well under way, so buyers see standing homes, new construction and lots with plans in progress.
Prices
The price figures on this page use 90265 for Malibu and 90272 for the Palisades. The Malibu zip runs from the beach to the hills, so it blends beachfront, canyon and ranch properties at very different price points. The Palisades figures mix standing homes, new construction and lots, so they move differently from a typical neighborhood median. In both, compare similar properties: beachfront to beachfront, bluff to bluff, lot to lot.
The feel
Malibu is spread out along the coast. The Malibu Country Mart and the Civic Center area handle shops and errands, Malibu Pier and Surfrider Beach anchor the east side, and Zuma and Point Dume have wide sandy beaches, tide pools and bluff-top views to the west. Malibu Creek State Park sits inland along Malibu Canyon.
Pacific Palisades centers on Palisades Village along Swarthmore Avenue near Sunset, which reopened in August 2026 with new and returning restaurants and shops. Temescal Gateway Park leads into the Santa Monica Mountains, the Riviera Country Club sits in the canyon on the east side, and the Getty Villa, near the Malibu line, reopened in June 2025.
Getting around
In Malibu, Pacific Coast Highway is the main road, and in many places the only one. Santa Monica is often 25 to 45 minutes away depending on where you start, and Malibu Canyon and Kanan Dume roads connect to the 101 and the Valley. The Palisades sits closer in: Sunset Boulevard runs east to Brentwood and the 405, and PCH runs south to Santa Monica and the 10, often 15 to 20 minutes off-peak. Caltrans work continues on parts of PCH, so check current conditions and drive any regular commute at the hours you'd make it.
City and rules
Malibu is its own city, so permits go through the City of Malibu, and the whole city sits in the Coastal Zone, which can mean coastal approvals and longer timelines. Many Malibu homes use septic or onsite systems, and beachfront homes call for a look at seawalls, foundations and any public access easements. The Palisades is in the City of Los Angeles, with permits through LADBS and parts of it in the Coastal Zone. For a lot in either, ask for surveys, soils reports and permit status. Both sit largely in very high fire hazard severity zones, so check the address on CAL FIRE maps and talk to an insurance broker early.
Nearby
Between and around them: Topanga sits in the canyon between the two, Santa Monica lies just south of the Palisades, and Brentwood is east along Sunset. See Brentwood vs Pacific Palisades, all of LA's beach neighborhoods, and why Malibu is its own city in LA County's 88 cities.
Weather
Both get coastal weather, with ocean breezes, morning marine layer and mild temperatures most of the year. Malibu's inland canyons can run warmer on summer afternoons than the homes right on the water.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Malibu and Pacific Palisades?
Malibu is a separate city along about 21 miles of coastline, with beach houses on the sand, bluff homes on Point Dume and ranches in the hills. Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, more compact, set on the mesa and canyons closer to Santa Monica.
Is Malibu part of Los Angeles like Pacific Palisades?
No. Pacific Palisades is part of the City of Los Angeles, but Malibu has been its own city since 1991, with its own permits. The whole City of Malibu sits in the California Coastal Zone, so many projects there also need coastal approvals.
Which is closer to Santa Monica, Malibu or Pacific Palisades?
Pacific Palisades. Santa Monica is often 15 to 20 minutes away outside rush hour via Pacific Coast Highway. From Malibu it is often 25 to 45 minutes, depending on where you start, since the city stretches for miles along the coast.
