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 $2,828 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $2,284 in Wells, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,484 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $3,275 in Wells, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,141 per month in Surfers Paradise vs $4,265 in Wells, rent included.

Surfers Paradise costs about 24% more than Wells, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surfers Paradise and Wells sit above the global median – Surfers Paradise by 106%, Wells by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 A$25.35

$20.27 £14.98

-9.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 A$150

$82.9 £61.3

30.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 A$15.15

$11.12 £8.22

-1.89%

Cappuccino

$4.21 A$5.84

$4.65 £3.43

-9.46%

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

$2.93 A$4.07

$2.37 £1.75

23.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 A$3.43

$2.07 £1.53

19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 A$10.72

$7.06 £5.22

9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 A$10.88

$6.11 £4.52

28.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.59 £1.18

6.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.73

$1.40 £1.03

91.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.41

$2.03 £1.50

21.18%

Eggs

$5.12 A$7.11

$3.76 £2.78

36.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 A$12.52

$9.91 £7.32

-8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 A$13.00

$4.80 £3.55

95.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 A$21.00

$12.47 £9.22

21.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.66

$2.89 £2.14

41.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.23

$1.32 £0.97

130.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.72

$2.22 £1.64

53.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.60

$3.30 £2.44

43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.96

$0.79 £0.59

260.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.61

$1.40 £1.03

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 A$3.38

$1.10 £0.81

120.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$2.91

$1.43 £1.06

46.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.70 A$55.1

$22.49 £16.62

76.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.68 A$20.38

$9.35 £6.91

57.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.99 A$8.31

$3.11 £2.30

92.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 A$6.91

$2.79 £2.06

78.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$3.56 £2.63

-90.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.8 £70.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 A$3.12

$4.65 £3.43

-51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.31

$1.08 £0.80

53.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.33 A$50.4

$36.34 £26.86

-0.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.82

$1.97 £1.46

-33.50%

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

$28.7K A$39.8K

$40.1K £29.6K

-28.56%

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

$28.9K A$40.2K

$41.2K £30.5K

-29.85%

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

$218 A$303

$315 £233

-30.76%

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

$31.06 A$43.11

$13.36 £9.88

132.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.5

$40.56 £29.98

41.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 A$95.0

$48.09 £35.55

42.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 A$20.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.60 A$23.04

$10.71 £7.92

55.00%

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

$2,152 A$2,987

$2,058 £1,521

4.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K A$18.0K

$33.8K £25.0K

-61.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 A$118

$37.45 £27.68

127.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 A$78.3

$49.49 £36.58

14.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 A$157

$61.6 £45.55

83.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 A$177

$101 £74.5

26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 A$2,734

$1,265 £935

55.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 A$2,206

$1,065 £787

49.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,945 A$5,476

$2,126 £1,571

85.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,112 A$4,320

$1,646 £1,217

89.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,936 A$8,240

$5,252 £3,882

13.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,046 A$7,005

$3,828 £2,830

31.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,269 A$4,538

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 Wells: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,970 in Surfers Paradise versus $1,265 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 $108 in Surfers Paradise versus $83.0 in Wells. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $259 – 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 – Surfers Paradise is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $3,426 in Wells. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wells, 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 $2,828 in Surfers Paradise and $2,284 in Wells. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $2,152 per month in Surfers Paradise and $2,058 in Wells. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Wells, where all-in costs run around $2,284, than in Surfers Paradise at $2,828. In Wells it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surfers Paradise it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wells – 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 Wells. 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.