How Much Does it Cost to Live in Gold Coast for One Month?

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Gold Coast is a city that truly earned its name. Escaped convicts used to hide in the area, back when the region was settled mostly by penal colonies. Red Cedar forests attracted the industrious in the mid-nineteenth century, and by 1875, the wealthiest residents of nearby Brisbane were coming to the beaches on holiday. Before Gold Coast was officially established, it was a number of communities that eventually became incorporated into the town of South Coast. By the 1950’s, the cost of real estate and services were so high, that it became dubbed the Gold Coast. The nickname was viewed as derogatory at first, but the citizens eventually embraced the name, and officially became Gold Coast City before the end of the decade. Since then,  the city has grown to be the sixth largest in Australia, and boasts a huge tourism industry. 70 km of coastline and numerous beaches make it a world-class surfers destination. The sub-tropical climate makes it a good vacation spot almost year-round, with wonderfully warm winters, and only a few weeks of heavy rain in the summer. The southern hinterland offers rainforest and waterfall hiking for the outdoorsman. If you prefer to keep it urban, you will find nightclubs, dining, and theme parks throughout the city, ensuring that a dull moment is never spent in Gold Coast.

What is the Cost of One Month Housing in Gold Coast?

Hostels

There are several hostels along the coast, offering beds in shared dorms, as well as private rooms. Komune Resort and Beach Club, which is a combined hostel/hotel, is a popular choice for those seeking comfort on a budget. A bed in a dorm goes for $20/night, or a private ocean view suite for $108/night. The rooms are clean and modern, and the facility offers a pool and beach club, where you can unwind after a long day of sightseeing. 

Hotels

Gold Coast has many more inexpensive hotels than the rest of Australia. The Raffles Royale, for instance, offers one bedroom apartments starting at $56/night. These rooms include a kitchenette and washing machine, with a separate dining area, making this a rather reasonable accommodation, as far as long-term hotel living goes. Of course, Gold Coast has no shortage of luxury available, but also for a quite decent price for the high-end, hovering around $350/night.

AirBnb/Apartments

If you are coming to Gold Coast to live abroad, the stability and comfort of a private apartment will cost around $2,000/month. There are a few flats available for closer to the $1600/month mark on AirBnB. If you don’t mind just having a private room in a shared house, you can find a place for as low as $615/month.

What is the Cost of Transportation for One Month in Gold Coast? 

Gold Coast has a growing public transit system, to help lessen the congestion of automobile commuters. Busses throughout the city are provided by Surfside Buslines, which is a part of the region’s main transit operator, TransLink. The busses run throughout the city, and fares work on a zone system, costing more the further you travel. A single ticket crossing only one zone costs $2.20. Weekly passes can also be purchased by number of zones to be crossed. If you anticipate traveling up and down the coast for a week, crossing through all of the zones, that pass will cost $143.20.

The new G:link light rail system, which is also operated by TransLink, runs on the same cost per zone system as the bus, with single zone tickets going for $4.80.

TransLink offers a prepaid fare card, called “go card”, which you can load with up to $200 at a time, and pay as you go. This option affords you some discounted fares on single tickets, and is quite convenient. If you are in Gold Coast to study abroad at Griffith University, the campus is easily accessed via bus or G:link. Busses also run to Bond University.

What is the Cost of Food for One Month in Gold Coast?

Eating well in Gold Coast is no problem, as the area is full of restaurants serving all kinds of cuisine for every budget and taste. Hop into a cafe for some lunch, and you can easily make it out spending $12 or less. A sit down dinner might run you closer to $20 per entree, add $4 on top of that if you’d like to wash your meal down with a Coke. A combo meal at McDonalds will cost close to $9. If you prefer cooking at home, a kg of chicken breast costs around $8.50, and a kg of rice averages $2.29.

What is the Cost of Entertainment for One Month in Gold Coast?

If you are spending a while in Gold Coast, you’ll probably want to experience some of the attractions that make it the theme park capital of Australia. Yes, there are five major theme parks in the city, including Sea World and Warner Brothers Movie World. One time general admission to Movie World costs $93. There are often promotions going on where you can snag a discount, for instance the VIP Magic Pass, which gives you unlimited access to three different parks until June 30 for $109. 

Of course, the best thing about Gold Coast is, well, the coast! You could spend an entire month just exploring the different beaches and finding your own piece of paradise. Maybe consider taking up the local pastime with a surf lesson or two. A two hour group lesson will cost about $60.

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