Child care worker: salary vs cost of living
Job Outlook publishes a full-time weekly-earnings figure of $1150 for Child Carers. After estimated PAYG income tax, the 2% Medicare levy and any HECS-HELP compulsory repayment, take-home pay is approximately $947.65 per week.
From gross to take-home
| Component | Annual AUD | Weekly AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $59,800 | $1150 |
| Income tax (2024-25 resident scale) | -$8,728 | -$168 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | -$1,196 | -$23 |
| HECS-HELP compulsory repayment | -$598 | -$12 |
| Take-home pay | $49,277.8 | $947.65 |
| Without HECS | $49,875.8 | $959.15 |
Sanity check: income tax 8728 AUD plus Medicare and HECS-HELP repayment of $598 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 | 49% | $580 | 61% |
| Brisbane | $580 | 61% | $650 | 69% |
| Canberra | $580 | 61% | $700 | 74% |
| Darwin | $600 | 63% | $700 | 74% |
| Geelong | $460 | 49% | $520 | 55% |
| Gold Coast | $620 | 65% | $800 | 84% |
| Hobart | $480 | 51% | $560 | 59% |
| Melbourne | $580 | 61% | $600 | 63% |
| Newcastle | $560 | 59% | $640 | 68% |
| Perth | $600 | 63% | $670 | 71% |
| Sydney | $720 | 76% | $780 | 82% |
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.