Read this before you plan your budget. The cost guide below is a rough guide only. It is based on the middle rent for all of Queensland. It is not the rent for this suburb. Rents change a lot inside one city. A suburb near the centre can cost twice as much as a suburb further out. It does not tell you the price of any room, studio or apartment.
Get the real number for your postcode. Use the official rent data before you agree to anything: Median rents quick finder — Residential Tenancies Authority. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Surfers Paradise, QLD
145 courses are taught here by 14 registered schools, across postcode 4217.
Average cost for Australia. Sharing a house is comfortable. A studio or one-bedroom is possible, but it will use a large part of your budget.
The scale compares Australian states: $ cheaper, $$ medium, $$$ expensive, $$$$ most expensive. Source: ABS — Latest insights into the rental market, April 2025.
What this place is like to study in
Surfers Paradise has 14 schools teaching here. That is enough choice to compare options, but it is not a busy city-centre study area. Course fees here are about 56% below the national average. Over several years, this saves a large amount.
We calculate this description from the CRICOS register: the number of schools, the course levels and the registered fees. It describes study only. To learn about rent, transport and daily life here, talk to current students and ask your school.
What level people study here
| Level | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vocational (VET) | 145 | 69% |
| Other | 43 | 21% |
| Postgraduate | 15 | 7% |
| Undergraduate | 6 | 3% |
Finding somewhere to live
Most international students choose one of four options. From cheapest to most expensive:
- A room in a shared house. The most common choice. In expensive cities it is often the only affordable option.
- Student accommodation. Buildings made for students, usually near campus.
- Homestay. You live with an Australian family.
- Your own studio or one-bedroom apartment. The most expensive option.
Two things to know before you sign a lease. First, the bond is usually four weeks of rent. A government office holds it, not the landlord. You get it back at the end. If someone asks you to pay a bond in cash directly to them, this is a warning sign.
Second, you usually cannot inspect a property from overseas. Book two to four weeks of temporary accommodation first. Then look at properties in person. This avoids the most common and most expensive mistake students make.
Your school's accommodation office is the best place to start. It is free. They know the area and often keep a list of checked properties.
Every course taught here
- A$7,2001 yr · A$7,200/yr
- A$7,5009 mo · A$10,541/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$7,8001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$8,0006 mo · A$16,000/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,000/yr
- A$8,0001.2 yr · A$6,933/yr
- A$8,0001.2 yr · A$6,933/yr
- A$8,0001.2 yr · A$6,933/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,000/yr
- A$8,0006 mo · A$16,000/yr
- A$8,6001.2 yr · A$7,453/yr
- A$8,6001.2 yr · A$7,453/yr
- A$8,6001.2 yr · A$7,453/yr
- A$8,8001 yr · A$8,800/yr
- A$8,8001 yr · A$8,800/yr
- A$8,8001 yr · A$8,800/yr
- A$8,8001 yr · A$8,800/yr
- A$9,0001 yr · A$9,000/yr
- A$9,5001 yr · A$9,500/yr
- A$10,0001.1 yr · A$8,966/yr
- A$10,0009 mo · A$13,684/yr
- A$10,0001.1 yr · A$8,966/yr
- A$10,0007 mo · A$17,333/yr
- A$10,5001 yr · A$10,500/yr
- A$11,1001.5 yr · A$7,400/yr
- A$11,7001.5 yr · A$7,901/yr
- A$11,7001.5 yr · A$7,901/yr
- A$12,0009 mo · A$16,000/yr
- A$12,0001.1 yr · A$10,759/yr
- A$12,0001.1 yr · A$10,759/yr
- A$12,0001.1 yr · A$10,759/yr
- A$12,0001.1 yr · A$10,759/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,0001.1 yr · A$11,143/yr
- A$12,4001 yr · A$12,400/yr
- A$12,5001.2 yr · A$10,656/yr
- A$13,2001 yr · A$13,200/yr