Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, GA and Maroochydore

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, GA: $2,200 a month against $2,377 in Maroochydore, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Athens, GA
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Athens, GA Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Maroochydore
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Maroochydore Living Index

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Athens, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,200

/mo nomad

Maroochydore

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,377

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens, GA and in Maroochydore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Athens, GA and in Maroochydore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,200 per month in Athens, GA vs $2,377 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Athens, GA $2,200
Maroochydore $2,377

A couple spends around $3,313 per month in Athens, GA vs $3,629 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Athens, GA $3,313
Maroochydore $3,629

A family of three spends $4,426 per month in Athens, GA vs $4,882 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Athens, GA $4,426
Maroochydore $4,882

Athens, GA is about 7% cheaper than Maroochydore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Athens, GA and Maroochydore sit above the global median – Athens, GA by 62%, Maroochydore by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.19 $13.19

$14.14 A$20.35

-6.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 $63.7

$94.4 A$136

-32.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 $10.36

$9.23 A$13.28

12.24%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$3.75 A$5.39

52.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.67 A$3.84

9.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.04 A$2.94

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.52 $7.52

$4.07 A$5.86

84.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$7.42 A$10.67

4.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.50 A$2.16

-45.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.72 A$3.91

7.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.42 A$3.48

171.49%

Eggs

$3.27 $3.27

$4.93 A$7.10

-33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$9.00 A$12.94

-2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$9.38 A$13.50

12.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$14.53 A$20.91

0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.71 A$5.34

60.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$3.05 A$4.39

-55.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$2.56 A$3.68

143.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.68 A$5.29

28.53%

Potato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.61 A$3.76

61.30%

Onion (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.15 A$3.10

93.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.49 A$3.59

5.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.49 A$2.15

32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 $9.03

$24.30 A$34.97

-62.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 $18.65

$10.40 A$14.96

79.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$5.88 A$8.47

-69.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$5.82 A$8.37

1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 A$0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.58 $15.58

$82.0 A$118

-81.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 A$2.83

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 A$2.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.55 A$51.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.36 A$1.96

-26.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.4K $28.4K

$26.5K A$38.2K

6.95%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K $27.0K

$23.6K A$34.0K

14.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$285 $285

$219 A$315

30.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.91 $41.91

$30.84 A$44.38

35.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.7 $79.7

$53.8 A$77.4

48.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.05 $25.05

$56.0 A$80.6

-55.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.80 $7.80

$17.87 A$25.72

-56.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$13.38 A$19.26

-3.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$872 $872

$2,194 A$3,157

-60.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,396 $9,396

$11.9K A$17.2K

-21.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 $54.8

$75.1 A$108

-27.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 $31.97

$54.8 A$78.9

-41.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 $64.6

$103 A$148

-37.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 $54.5

$120 A$172

-54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$1,166 A$1,678

14.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 $957

$1,141 A$1,642

-16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,322 $2,322

$2,013 A$2,897

15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$2,064 A$2,970

-9.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,420 $2,420

$6,041 A$8,692

-59.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,230 $2,230

$6,140 A$8,836

-63.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 $3,487

$2,802 A$4,032

24.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

5.69

18.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Athens, GA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Maroochydore: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Athens, GA

$957 43.5%

Maroochydore

$1.1K 48% 19.3% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Athens, GA

$406 18.5%

Maroochydore

$303 12.8% 25.3% $103

Groceries & Markets

Athens, GA

$399 18.2%

Maroochydore

$356 15% 10.8% $43

Eating Out

Athens, GA

$279 12.7%

Maroochydore

$240 10.1% 13.9% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Athens, GA

$93 4.2%

Maroochydore

$159 6.7% 71.3% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Athens, GA

$51 2.3%

Maroochydore

$83 3.5% 62.5% $32

Getting Around

Athens, GA

$16 * 0.7%

Maroochydore

$94 4% 505% $79

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,340 in Athens, GA versus $1,166 in Maroochydore. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Athens, GA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Athens, GA versus $94.0 in Maroochydore. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in Athens, GA vs $356 in Maroochydore – so Maroochydore wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Athens, GA

🇦🇺 Maroochydore

🕒 Local time

03:37 3:37 AM

17:37 5:37 PM

14 h ahead of Athens, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,452

18,342

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

AUD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Athens, GA Maroochydore 14,600 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Athens, GA
Maroochydore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Athens, GA vs Maroochydore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Maroochydore is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,300 per month in Athens, GA and $3,565 in Maroochydore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Athens, GA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Maroochydore – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Athens, GA and $94.0 in Maroochydore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Athens, GA, where all-in costs run around $2,200, than in Maroochydore at $2,377. In Athens, GA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maroochydore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Athens, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Athens, GA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maroochydore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.