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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,902 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $2,278 in Wells, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,227 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $3,372 in Wells, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,552 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $4,466 in Wells, rent included.

Surfers Paradise is about 17% cheaper than Wells, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surfers Paradise and Wells sit above the global median – Surfers Paradise by 42%, Wells by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 A$23.03

$27.44 £20.39

-39.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 A$132

$78.5 £58.4

20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 A$13.78

$11.49 £8.54

-13.93%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.05

$4.94 £3.67

-26.72%

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

$2.70 A$3.76

$2.28 £1.70

18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.35 £1.75

-8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 A$8.79

$7.30 £5.42

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 A$10.93

$6.99 £5.20

12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 A$2.14

$1.53 £1.14

0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.23

$1.34 £1.00

72.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.23

$1.99 £1.48

16.58%

Eggs

$4.45 A$6.20

$3.97 £2.95

12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 A$11.71

$9.72 £7.22

-13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 A$11.44

$5.00 £3.72

64.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 A$18.55

$12.21 £9.07

9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 A$4.91

$2.41 £1.79

46.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.78

$1.20 £0.89

126.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.77

$2.20 £1.63

55.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 A$5.34

$2.96 £2.20

29.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.43

$0.67 £0.50

267.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.33

$1.22 £0.91

95.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 A$3.07

$0.60 £0.45

266.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.38 £1.02

-6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.84 A$44.36

$17.62 £13.10

80.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 A$19.84

$9.22 £6.86

54.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.42 A$8.95

$2.65 £1.97

142.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 A$5.94

$2.73 £2.03

56.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 A$2.87

$3.71 £2.75

-44.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.10 A$44.73

$85.2 £63.3

-62.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 A$2.75

$4.44 £3.30

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.92

$1.03 £0.77

33.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.01 A$47.40

$32.28 £23.99

5.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.67

$1.95 £1.45

-38.46%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$38.2K £28.4K

-23.79%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$41.1K £30.6K

-45.58%

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

$207 A$288

$337 £250

-38.61%

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

$30.79 A$42.90

$13.83 £10.28

122.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 A$74.5

$40.86 £30.37

30.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.3 A$88.2

$53.6 £39.85

18.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.75 A$19.16

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 A$17.99

$9.31 £6.92

38.67%

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

$1,595 A$2,223

$1,549 £1,152

2.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,770 A$12.2K

$18.2K £13.5K

-51.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 A$98.1

$37.34 £27.75

88.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.78 A$66.6

$52.7 £39.15

-9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 A$129

$61.7 £45.87

49.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 A$138

$103 £76.5

-3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 A$1,785

$1,206 £897

6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 A$996

$1,008 £749

-29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,414 A$3,363

$2,046 £1,521

17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 A$2,428

$1,603 £1,191

8.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,009 A$8,373

$5,890 £4,378

2.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,938 A$6,881

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,388 A$4,721

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

5.62

12.10%

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

Last update for Surfers Paradise: June 2, 2026

Last update for Wells: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,281 in Surfers Paradise versus $1,206 in Wells. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Surfers Paradise versus $79.0 in Wells. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $247 – making Wells 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 Wells: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wells is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,852 per month in Surfers Paradise and $3,417 in Wells. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 165% less in Surfers Paradise. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,595 per month in Surfers Paradise and $1,549 in Wells. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Surfers Paradise, where all-in costs run around $1,902, than in Wells at $2,278. In Surfers Paradise it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wells it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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