Biologist: salary vs cost of living
Job Outlook publishes a full-time weekly-earnings figure of $1900 for Life Scientists. After estimated PAYG income tax, the 2% Medicare levy and any HECS-HELP compulsory repayment, take-home pay is approximately $1,364.65 per week.
From gross to take-home
| Component | Annual AUD | Weekly AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $98,800 | $1900 |
| Income tax (2024-25 resident scale) | -$20,428 | -$393 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | -$1,976 | -$38 |
| HECS-HELP compulsory repayment | -$5,434 | -$105 |
| Take-home pay | $70,961.8 | $1,364.65 |
| Without HECS | $76,395.8 | $1,469.15 |
Sanity check: income tax 20428 AUD plus Medicare and HECS-HELP repayment of $5434 AUD.
Rent as a share of take-home pay
The 30% threshold is the conventional definition of rental stress. Anything below is considered comfortable; anything above squeezes everything else.
| City | Unit rent (/wk) | % of take-home | House rent (/wk) | % of take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | $460 | 34% | $580 | 43% |
| Brisbane | $580 | 43% | $650 | 48% |
| Canberra | $580 | 43% | $700 | 51% |
| Darwin | $600 | 44% | $700 | 51% |
| Geelong | $460 | 34% | $520 | 38% |
| Gold Coast | $620 | 45% | $800 | 59% |
| Hobart | $480 | 35% | $560 | 41% |
| Melbourne | $580 | 43% | $600 | 44% |
| Newcastle | $560 | 41% | $640 | 47% |
| Perth | $600 | 44% | $670 | 49% |
| Sydney | $720 | 53% | $780 | 57% |
Weekly earnings figure is sourced from Job Outlook (jobsandskills.gov.au). Tax and Medicare estimates use the 2024-25 ATO resident scale; HECS-HELP repayment uses the 2024-25 ATO Schedule. ExamExplained does not provide financial advice. For tailored advice, see a licensed financial adviser or registered tax agent.