Plumber: salary vs cost of living
Job Outlook publishes a full-time weekly-earnings figure of $2000 for Plumbers. After estimated PAYG income tax, the 2% Medicare levy and any HECS-HELP compulsory repayment, take-home pay is approximately $1,417.15 per week.
From gross to take-home
| Component | Annual AUD | Weekly AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $104,000 | $2000 |
| Income tax (2024-25 resident scale) | -$21,988 | -$423 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | -$2,080 | -$40 |
| HECS-HELP compulsory repayment | -$6,240 | -$120 |
| Take-home pay | $73,691.8 | $1,417.15 |
| Without HECS | $79,931.8 | $1,537.15 |
Sanity check: income tax 21988 AUD plus Medicare and HECS-HELP repayment of $6240 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 | 32% | $580 | 41% |
| Brisbane | $580 | 41% | $650 | 46% |
| Canberra | $580 | 41% | $700 | 49% |
| Darwin | $600 | 42% | $700 | 49% |
| Geelong | $460 | 32% | $520 | 37% |
| Gold Coast | $620 | 44% | $800 | 56% |
| Hobart | $480 | 34% | $560 | 40% |
| Melbourne | $580 | 41% | $600 | 42% |
| Newcastle | $560 | 40% | $640 | 45% |
| Perth | $600 | 42% | $670 | 47% |
| Sydney | $720 | 51% | $780 | 55% |
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.