Mechanical engineer: salary vs cost of living
Job Outlook publishes a full-time weekly-earnings figure of $2250 for Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers. After estimated PAYG income tax, the 2% Medicare levy and any HECS-HELP compulsory repayment, take-home pay is approximately $1,549.65 per week.
From gross to take-home
| Component | Annual AUD | Weekly AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $117,000 | $2250 |
| Income tax (2024-25 resident scale) | -$25,888 | -$498 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | -$2,340 | -$45 |
| HECS-HELP compulsory repayment | -$8,190 | -$158 |
| Take-home pay | $80,581.8 | $1,549.65 |
| Without HECS | $88,771.8 | $1,707.15 |
Sanity check: income tax 25888 AUD plus Medicare and HECS-HELP repayment of $8190 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 | 30% | $580 | 37% |
| Brisbane | $580 | 37% | $650 | 42% |
| Canberra | $580 | 37% | $700 | 45% |
| Darwin | $600 | 39% | $700 | 45% |
| Geelong | $460 | 30% | $520 | 34% |
| Gold Coast | $620 | 40% | $800 | 52% |
| Hobart | $480 | 31% | $560 | 36% |
| Melbourne | $580 | 37% | $600 | 39% |
| Newcastle | $560 | 36% | $640 | 41% |
| Perth | $600 | 39% | $670 | 43% |
| Sydney | $720 | 46% | $780 | 50% |
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.