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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,924 in Surfers Paradise versus $2,487 in Richmond.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,515 in Surfers Paradise versus $3,585 in Richmond.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,106 in Surfers Paradise versus $4,683 in Richmond.

Living in Surfers Paradise is roughly 18% more expensive than in Richmond, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surfers Paradise 114% above, Richmond 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 A$25.59

$15.87 CA$22.20

14.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 A$151

$71.0 CA$99.4

50.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 A$15.91

$9.26 CA$12.96

21.81%

Cappuccino

$4.27 A$6.02

$4.24 CA$5.93

0.71%

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

$2.90 A$4.09

$2.05 CA$2.87

41.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 A$3.51

$1.55 CA$2.17

60.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 A$11.20

$5.45 CA$7.63

45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 A$11.20

$5.92 CA$8.28

34.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 A$2.47

$2.24 CA$3.13

-21.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 A$3.95

$2.21 CA$3.10

26.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.48

$2.26 CA$3.16

9.29%

Eggs

$4.94 A$6.96

$3.23 CA$4.53

52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 A$12.39

$9.04 CA$12.64

-2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.06

$10.89 CA$15.24

-14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 A$21.08

$10.09 CA$14.11

48.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 A$5.54

$2.65 CA$3.70

48.30%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.43

$1.28 CA$1.79

145.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.78

$2.63 CA$3.68

28.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.71

$3.59 CA$5.02

32.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.03

$2.12 CA$2.96

34.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.48

$1.85 CA$2.58

33.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 A$3.40

$2.04 CA$2.86

18.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 A$2.91

$1.21 CA$1.69

71.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.67 A$54.5

$14.17 CA$19.83

172.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 A$20.36

$12.97 CA$18.15

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.62

$2.13 CA$2.98

186.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 A$7.06

$2.32 CA$3.24

115.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 A$0.52

$2.18 CA$3.05

-83.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 CA$105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 A$3.05

$2.96 CA$4.15

-26.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.34

$1.42 CA$1.98

16.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.51 A$52.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 A$1.77

$1.24 CA$1.73

1.61%

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

$28.5K A$40.2K

$24.2K CA$33.9K

17.60%

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

$28.7K A$40.5K

$19.0K CA$26.6K

50.90%

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

$211 A$298

$135 CA$189

56.54%

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

$31.27 A$44.10

$32.87 CA$45.98

-4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$80.6

$45.91 CA$64.2

24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 A$98.3

$26.28 CA$36.76

165.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 A$20.94

$2.35 CA$3.28

531.91%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$25.24

$12.31 CA$17.22

45.33%

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

$2,178 A$3,072

$820 CA$1,148

165.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.4K

$10.6K CA$14.8K

23.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 A$120

$52.8 CA$73.9

61.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 A$77.0

$33.04 CA$46.22

65.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 A$162

$93.3 CA$130

22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 A$179

$121 CA$169

4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 A$2,849

$1,872 CA$2,619

7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 A$2,224

$1,442 CA$2,017

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,912 A$5,518

$2,856 CA$3,996

36.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,197 A$4,508

$2,356 CA$3,295

35.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,074 A$8,566

$10.2K CA$14.3K

-40.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,039 A$7,106

$8,208 CA$11.5K

-38.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,317 A$4,677

$3,049 CA$4,265

8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

4.77

23.06%

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

Last update for Surfers Paradise: September 13, 2026

Last update for Richmond: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,020 in Surfers Paradise and $1,872 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surfers Paradise pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $107 in Surfers Paradise vs $71.0 in Richmond for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $302 per month, with Richmond cheaper across the board.

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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Surfers Paradise. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Richmond the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Surfers Paradise, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,020 in Surfers Paradise versus $1,872 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,178 in Surfers Paradise versus $820 in Richmond. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Richmond – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $107 in Surfers Paradise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Richmond is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Surfers Paradise and Richmond are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Richmond gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Surfers Paradise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.