§-Career vs cost
Refrigeration and air-conditioning technician: salary vs cost of living
Median full-time earnings for Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics are $2,019 a week before tax ($104,988 a year). After 2026-27 income tax, the Medicare levy and a $5,319 HELP repayment, that is about $1,453 a week. Median unit rent would take 38% of it in Adelaide and 55% in Gold Coast.
From gross to take-home
| Median full-time earnings | Per year | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $104,988 | $2,019 |
| Income tax (2026-27 resident rates) | -$22,016 | -$423 |
| Medicare levy | -$2,100 | -$40 |
| HELP compulsory repayment (2026-27) | -$5,319 | -$102 |
| Take-home pay | $75,553 | $1,453 |
HELP at the median: 15c for each $1 over $69,528 (($104,988 - $69,528) x 15% = $5,319.00). Without a HELP debt, take-home at the median is $1,555 a week.
Rent as a share of median take-home pay
Rent above 30% of take-home pay is a common marker of rental stress. On median earnings for this career, median unit rent is at or under 30% in 0 of 10 cities.
Sources
- Median weekly earnings: yourcareer.gov.au (sourced 2026-09-23)
- ATO: tax rates for Australian residents and study and training loan repayment thresholds