Cost of Living Comparison Between Surfers Paradise and Aberystwyth Cost of Living Comparison Between Surfers Paradise and Aberystwyth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,828 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $2,294 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,484 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $3,149 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,141 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $4,004 in Aberystwyth, rent included.

Surfers Paradise costs about 23% more than Aberystwyth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Surfers Paradise and Aberystwyth sit above the global median – Surfers Paradise by 106%, Aberystwyth by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 A$25.35

$20.13 £14.88

-9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 A$150

$74.9 £55.4

44.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 A$15.15

$9.30 £6.87

17.31%

Cappuccino

$4.21 A$5.84

$3.72 £2.75

13.17%

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

$2.93 A$4.07

$2.38 £1.76

23.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 A$3.43

$1.40 £1.03

76.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 A$10.72

$4.96 £3.67

55.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 A$10.88

$4.49 £3.32

74.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.86 £1.38

-8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.73

$1.40 £1.03

91.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.41

$1.80 £1.33

36.67%

Eggs

$5.12 A$7.11

$3.89 £2.88

31.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 A$12.52

$9.94 £7.35

-9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 A$13.00

$8.83 £6.52

6.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 A$21.00

$13.56 £10.03

11.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.66

$2.84 £2.10

43.66%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.23

$1.60 £1.18

90.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.72

$2.45 £1.81

38.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.60

$3.17 £2.34

49.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.96

$1.75 £1.29

62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.61

$1.60 £1.18

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 A$3.38

$1.10 £0.81

120.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$2.91

$1.22 £0.90

72.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.70 A$55.1

$22.97 £16.98

72.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.68 A$20.38

$10.28 £7.60

42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.99 A$8.31

$2.85 £2.11

110.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 A$6.91

$3.26 £2.41

52.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$5.39 £3.98

-93.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 £71.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 A$3.12

$4.11 £3.04

-45.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.31

$1.73 £1.28

-4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.33 A$50.4

$36.31 £26.84

0.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.82

$1.95 £1.44

-32.82%

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

$28.7K A$39.8K

$39.6K £29.3K

-27.72%

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

$28.9K A$40.2K

$41.3K £30.6K

-30.03%

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

$218 A$303

$319 £236

-31.59%

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

$31.06 A$43.11

$17.67 £13.06

75.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.5

$38.17 £28.21

50.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 A$95.0

$40.28 £29.77

69.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 A$20.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.60 A$23.04

$9.66 £7.14

71.84%

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

$2,152 A$2,987

$1,286 £951

67.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K A$18.0K

$33.5K £24.8K

-61.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 A$118

$75.3 £55.6

13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 A$78.3

$41.14 £30.41

37.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 A$157

$110 £81.2

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 A$177

$102 £75.5

24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 A$2,734

$986 £729

99.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 A$2,206

$1,049 £776

51.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,945 A$5,476

$1,615 £1,194

144.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,112 A$4,320

$1,330 £983

133.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,936 A$8,240

$5,237 £3,871

13.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,046 A$7,005

$3,967 £2,932

27.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,269 A$4,538

$1,755 £1,297

86.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.11

14.48%

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

Last update for Surfers Paradise: August 30, 2026

Last update for Aberystwyth: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,970 in Surfers Paradise versus $986 in Aberystwyth. 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 86% higher in Surfers Paradise, 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 $108 in Surfers Paradise versus $75.0 in Aberystwyth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $288 – making Aberystwyth 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

Surfers Paradise vs Aberystwyth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surfers Paradise is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,241 per month in Surfers Paradise and $3,442 in Aberystwyth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Surfers Paradise and $75.0 in Aberystwyth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Surfers Paradise, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Aberystwyth, where all-in costs run around $2,294, than in Surfers Paradise at $2,828. In Aberystwyth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surfers Paradise it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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