§-Career vs cost
Cabinet maker: salary vs cost of living
Job Outlook publishes a full-time weekly-earnings figure of $1450 for Cabinetmakers. After estimated PAYG income tax, the 2% Medicare levy and any HECS-HELP compulsory repayment, take-home pay is approximately $1,112.4 per week.
From gross to take-home
| Component | Annual AUD | Weekly AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $75,400 | $1450 |
| Income tax (2024-25 resident scale) | -$13,408 | -$258 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | -$1,508 | -$29 |
| HECS-HELP compulsory repayment | -$2,639 | -$51 |
| Take-home pay | $57,844.8 | $1,112.4 |
| Without HECS | $60,483.8 | $1,163.15 |
Sanity check: income tax 13408 AUD plus Medicare and HECS-HELP repayment of $2639 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.