Data scientist: salary vs cost of living
Job Outlook publishes a full-time weekly-earnings figure of $2500 for Management and Organisation Analysts. After estimated PAYG income tax, the 2% Medicare levy and any HECS-HELP compulsory repayment, take-home pay is approximately $1,677.15 per week.
From gross to take-home
| Component | Annual AUD | Weekly AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $130,000 | $2500 |
| Income tax (2024-25 resident scale) | -$29,788 | -$573 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | -$2,600 | -$50 |
| HECS-HELP compulsory repayment | -$10,400 | -$200 |
| Take-home pay | $87,211.8 | $1,677.15 |
| Without HECS | $97,611.8 | $1,877.15 |
Sanity check: income tax 29788 AUD plus Medicare and HECS-HELP repayment of $10400 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 | 27% | $580 | 35% |
| Brisbane | $580 | 35% | $650 | 39% |
| Canberra | $580 | 35% | $700 | 42% |
| Darwin | $600 | 36% | $700 | 42% |
| Geelong | $460 | 27% | $520 | 31% |
| Gold Coast | $620 | 37% | $800 | 48% |
| Hobart | $480 | 29% | $560 | 33% |
| Melbourne | $580 | 35% | $600 | 36% |
| Newcastle | $560 | 33% | $640 | 38% |
| Perth | $600 | 36% | $670 | 40% |
| Sydney | $720 | 43% | $780 | 47% |
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.