Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroochydore and Basildon Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroochydore and Basildon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,318 per month in Maroochydore vs $2,383 in Basildon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,372 per month in Maroochydore vs $3,555 in Basildon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,426 per month in Maroochydore vs $4,728 in Basildon, rent included.

Maroochydore is about 3% cheaper than Basildon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maroochydore and Basildon sit above the global median – Maroochydore by 74%, Basildon by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.39 A$19.19

$20.61 £15.33

-35.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 A$142

$96.5 £71.8

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.69 A$12.46

$9.45 £7.03

-8.04%

Cappuccino

$3.47 A$4.97

$4.11 £3.05

-15.57%

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

$2.47 A$3.54

$2.20 £1.63

12.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.39

$1.57 £1.17

6.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 A$5.51

$7.98 £5.94

-51.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 A$10.31

$2.67 £1.99

169.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.06

$1.68 £1.25

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 A$3.73

$2.08 £1.55

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.25

$2.10 £1.56

8.10%

Eggs

$4.49 A$6.43

$3.99 £2.97

12.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 A$9.37

$11.50 £8.56

-43.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 A$10.27

$4.64 £3.45

54.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 A$11.73

$12.05 £8.96

-32.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 A$5.07

$3.21 £2.39

10.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.70

$1.39 £1.03

85.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.59

$3.18 £2.37

-21.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.35 £2.49

6.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 A$2.98

$1.56 £1.16

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.79

$1.99 £1.48

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 A$2.77

$1.06 £0.79

82.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 A$3.38

$1.34 £1.00

76.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.08 A$33.07

$20.09 £14.94

14.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 A$14.72

$10.89 £8.10

-5.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.89

$2.77 £2.06

98.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 A$7.62

$1.66 £1.23

220.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 A$2.03

$3.37 £2.51

-57.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.6 A$94.0

$69.1 £51.4

-4.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 A$2.68

$4.68 £3.48

-60.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 A$1.90

$1.22 £0.91

9.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.13 A$48.90

$40.70 £30.28

-16.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.64

$1.90 £1.42

-40.00%

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

$27.0K A$38.7K

$39.1K £29.1K

-30.97%

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

$22.3K A$32.0K

$41.1K £30.6K

-45.62%

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

$223 A$319

$287 £214

-22.46%

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

$29.74 A$42.61

$18.33 £13.63

62.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 A$79.0

$36.31 £27.01

51.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 A$55.4

$63.3 £47.09

-38.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 A$22.31

$34.28 £25.50

-54.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 A$17.53

$13.39 £9.96

-8.66%

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

$2,138 A$3,063

$1,779 £1,324

20.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,217 A$10.3K

$19.0K £14.1K

-61.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 A$88.5

$33.81 £25.15

82.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.72 A$69.8

$41.60 £30.94

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 A$131

$40.97 £30.47

122.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 A$176

$40.88 £30.41

200.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 A$1,788

$1,515 £1,127

-17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 A$1,764

$1,237 £920

-0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 A$2,755

$2,439 £1,814

-21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 A$2,713

$2,032 £1,511

-6.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,904 A$8,458

$5,435 £4,042

8.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,135 A$8,789

$3,282 £2,441

86.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,811 A$4,028

$2,900 £2,157

-3.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.63

16.16%

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

Last update for Maroochydore: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basildon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,248 in Maroochydore versus $1,515 in Basildon. 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 3% higher in Basildon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Maroochydore versus $97.0 in Basildon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $278 – making Basildon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Maroochydore vs Basildon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basildon costs about 3% more than Maroochydore, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,477 per month in Maroochydore and $3,574 in Basildon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,318 in Maroochydore and $2,383 in Basildon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Maroochydore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Maroochydore, where all-in costs run around $2,318, than in Basildon at $2,383. In Maroochydore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basildon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maroochydore – 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 Maroochydore. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basildon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.