Is $60,000/year a Good Salary in Australia?

Around this number you'll find graduates, junior roles, and trade entrants across Australia. Comfortable in cheaper regions; tight in metro areas.

Entry-Level~35th percentile ยท 20% below median

A gross salary of this level in Australia sits around the 35th percentile โ€” entry-level for the country. After estimated tax, take-home is roughly 52,112 AUD/year.

Net / year
$52,112
Net / month
$4,343
Vs. median
0.80ร—
Big-city rent
high pressure

How it stacks up in Australia

Minimum wage$47,624
National median$75,000
National average$95,000
This salary$60,000
Top 10%$145,000

What this salary means in practice

Family support

Supporting a family on a single income at this level in Australia is difficult โ€” most households would need a second earner or significant cost-cutting.

Saving potential

Realistic savings rate at this level is in low single digits โ€” most income is consumed by essentials.

Renting in the city

Renting in Sydney eats a heavy share of net pay; smaller cities like Adelaide feel much more sustainable.

Sydney vs Adelaide

In Sydney, costs run roughly 35% above the national baseline โ€” so the same salary feels meaningfully different than it does in Adelaide.

Advertisement

What earners at this level can usually afford

Small apartment (solo)Realistic

Realistic in most cities

Used car ownershipRealistic

Affordable with monthly budgeting

1 vacation per yearTight

Possible only by saving over months

Eating out weeklyTight

Occasional, not routine

Mortgage in mid-cost cityTight

Difficult without dual income

Save 20%+ of net payTight

Hard while covering essentials

Premium housing in metroTight

Generally out of range

Adjust the numbers

Try a different country or amount to see how the verdict shifts.

Entry-Level~35th percentile ยท 20% below median
A gross salary of this level in Australia sits around the 35th percentile โ€” entry-level for the country. After estimated tax, take-home is roughly 52,112 AUD/year.
Minimum wage$47,624
National median$75,000
National average$95,000
This salary$60,000
Top 10%$145,000
Net / year
$52,112
Net / month
$4,343
Big-city rent
high pressure

Compared against Sydney cost-of-living baseline. Estimates only โ€” not financial advice.

Other Australia salary verdicts

Go deeper

Frequently asked

Last updated: 2026. Verdict uses simplified national statistics. Estimates only โ€” not financial advice.