We had an island built out of four base cabinets on rollers with a Formica top. I think the surface is around 60 by 40. It's the perfect height for me, and I do 99% of our cutting. You could find cabinets at a Restore or a garage or estate sale and paint them to match your room.
Another excellent but more expensive solution is the Martelli cutting table. It's height adjustable and comes in three sizes. If you wait for one of their half off sales you can get a better deal. The table came with tons of their templates and rulers, and also two of their ergonomic cutters.