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: $1,938 in Surfers Paradise versus $2,566 in Richmond.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,221 in Surfers Paradise versus $3,820 in Richmond.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Surfers Paradise versus $5,074 in Richmond.

Living in Surfers Paradise costs roughly 24% less than in Richmond, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surfers Paradise 45% above, Richmond 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 A$22.84

$16.39 CA$23.06

-2.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.4 A$133

$74.4 CA$105

25.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 A$14.04

$9.55 CA$13.44

2.93%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.23

$4.22 CA$5.94

-13.27%

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

$2.72 A$3.89

$2.00 CA$2.81

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 A$3.19

$1.36 CA$1.91

63.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.49 A$9.27

$5.64 CA$7.94

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 A$10.85

$5.99 CA$8.43

26.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.28

$2.09 CA$2.94

-23.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 A$3.17

$2.33 CA$3.28

-4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.35

$2.63 CA$3.70

-10.65%

Eggs

$4.29 A$6.13

$3.20 CA$4.50

34.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 A$11.41

$9.22 CA$12.98

-13.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 A$12.08

$10.40 CA$14.64

-18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 A$19.48

$10.09 CA$14.19

35.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 A$5.27

$3.15 CA$4.43

17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 A$3.99

$1.37 CA$1.93

104.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.86

$2.73 CA$3.85

24.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.49

$3.88 CA$5.46

-1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.53

$2.43 CA$3.42

1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.41

$2.14 CA$3.01

11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.07

$1.96 CA$2.76

9.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 A$1.77

$1.20 CA$1.69

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.91 A$45.57

$15.02 CA$21.13

112.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 A$20.02

$12.96 CA$18.23

8.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.41 A$9.15

$2.13 CA$3.00

200.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 A$5.88

$2.25 CA$3.17

83.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 A$2.93

$2.20 CA$3.09

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.66 A$46.64

$77.7 CA$109

-57.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 A$2.82

$3.13 CA$4.40

-36.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.98

$1.55 CA$2.18

-10.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.96 A$48.49

$25.85 CA$36.38

31.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.37 CA$1.93

-13.87%

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

$28.7K A$41.0K

$24.6K CA$34.6K

16.92%

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

$22.7K A$32.4K

$19.8K CA$27.9K

14.41%

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

$208 A$297

$113 CA$159

83.43%

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

$30.59 A$43.68

$44.53 CA$62.7

-31.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$77.5

$46.08 CA$64.8

17.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 A$89.2

$56.0 CA$78.8

11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.51 A$19.30

$4.83 CA$6.80

179.71%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 A$18.90

$12.00 CA$16.89

10.33%

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

$1,600 A$2,284

$943 CA$1,327

69.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,929 A$12.8K

$10.9K CA$15.4K

-18.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 A$101

$48.54 CA$68.3

45.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.30 A$69.0

$33.28 CA$46.83

45.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 A$132

$92.4 CA$130

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 A$143

$126 CA$177

-20.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 A$1,858

$1,799 CA$2,531

-27.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 A$1,042

$1,446 CA$2,035

-49.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,504 A$3,576

$2,936 CA$4,131

-14.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 A$2,503

$2,498 CA$3,516

-29.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,791 A$8,269

$9,856 CA$13.9K

-41.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 A$6,834

$7,865 CA$11.1K

-39.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,272 A$4,672

$3,012 CA$4,239

8.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.08

3.62%

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

Last update for Surfers Paradise: July 13, 2026

Last update for Richmond: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,301 in Surfers Paradise and $1,799 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surfers Paradise pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $93.0 in Surfers Paradise vs $74.0 in Richmond for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $307 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

Surfers Paradise wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Richmond. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surfers Paradise 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: $1,301 in Surfers Paradise versus $1,799 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surfers Paradise runs roughly 138% less than in Richmond. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,600 in Surfers Paradise versus $943 in Richmond. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,938 in Surfers Paradise versus $2,566 in Richmond, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Surfers Paradise but tight or insufficient in Richmond. The gap between the two cities makes Surfers Paradise the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Surfers Paradise gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Richmond. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.