On average, Australian women earn significantly less than men, with recent data (May 2025) showing full-time women earning around $1,864 per week compared to men's $2,106, reflecting an 88-cent earning for every dollar a man makes, or about $87,714 annually for full-time women versus $100,792 for men. The gender pay gap persists across ages, though younger women (15-24) sometimes earn slightly more than their male counterparts, but the gap widens significantly with age, highlighting barriers to career progression, according to Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) analysis of ABS data.
Average Weekly Earnings, Australia
Estimates for average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults (seasonally adjusted): Increased by 4.5% annually to $2,010.00 in May 2025. For males were $2,294.10 (public), and $2,070.10 (private). For females were $2,067.00 (public), and $1,777.80 (private).
A $75k salary in Australia is decent, above the median income for many age groups and allowing for comfortable living in regional areas, but it can be tight in expensive cities like Sydney or Melbourne, especially for families, with many feeling $100k is needed for stability, though it's a strong starting point for younger professionals. After tax, $75k becomes roughly $58.6k ($4,888/month), meaning lifestyle, location, and financial goals (like saving for a house) heavily influence whether it's considered "good".
The average Australian full-time worker is now earning more than $2000 a week for the first time in history. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the average ordinary full-time weekly earnings for adults hit $2011.40 before tax in May.
20-24 years old: $1,190.30 per week ($61,895.60 annually) 25-34 years old: $1,538.00 per week ($79,976 annually) 35-44 years old: $1,821.00 per week ($94,692 annually) 45-54 years and older: $1,800.00 per week ($93,600 annually)
The middle class falls in-between. In 2022 the median income in Australia was $65,000 a year according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Anyone making less than this amount would be considered working class. Anyone making more than $137,000 falls in the top 10% which is considered upper class.
$75,000 a year in Australia is approximately $36 to $38 per hour, depending on the exact hours worked, but generally calculates to around $37.96/hour assuming a standard 38-hour work week, which is about $6,250 monthly before taxes.
How much do you need to live comfortably in Australia? Living comfortably in Australia varies greatly depending on factors such as location, lifestyle and personal preferences. As a general guide, a single person living outside of a major city would need an annual income of $70 - $80k per annum or $5,800+ per month.
Currently, 34 states, territories and districts have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Five states have not adopted a state minimum wage: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Three states, Georgia, Oklahoma and Wyoming, have a minimum wage below $7.25 per hour.
A single person needs to earn £30,500 a year to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living in 2025. A couple with 2 children needs to earn £74,000 a year between them.
The ASFA Retirement Standard suggests a single person can enjoy a 'comfortable lifestyle' on around $51,000 a year while a couple would need around $72,000 for the same standard of living.
Australia has high demand for workers in Healthcare (nurses, aged/disability carers, allied health), Tech (software engineers, cybersecurity, data analysts), Construction & Trades (managers, electricians, fitters, civil engineers), and Education (teachers, early childhood educators) due to an aging population, infrastructure projects, and digital transformation, with roles like Chefs, Project Managers, and Automotive Technicians also sought after across various industries.
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What Are Peak Earning Years? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income of American workers is highest between the ages of 45 and 54. These peak earning years are a critical time to take control of your finances and hone your money management strategies.
In 2025, the federal poverty level definition of low income for a single-person household is $15,650 annually. Each additional person in the household adds to the total. For example, the poverty guideline is $32,150 per year for a family of four.
A living wage is simply the minimum hourly amount that a full-time worker must earn to afford basic necessities. In this case, a full-time worker is defined as someone who works at least 2,080 hours a year.
The Central African Republic is among the lowest minimum wage in the world, at 218.75 CFA Francs per hour, which is equivalent to . 36 USD per hour. In Kyrgyzstan, the minimum wage was updated in 2024 and is among the lowest is the world, at 2,460 Kyrgyzstani SOM.
Another quirky analysis in 2023 tried to put a price tag on “100% happiness” for Australians, factoring in our high living costs. It found that to be “fully happy” in Australia, you'd need an annual income of around A$190,000. That made Australia one of the most expensive countries in the world for happiness.
$500,000 in Australian retirement can last anywhere from 10-20+ years, depending heavily on your annual spending, investment returns (3-7% range), and eligibility for the Age Pension, potentially supporting a single person with $40k-$50k/year for 12-17 years, but combining it with the Age Pension can extend it significantly, with some scenarios showing it lasting 20-25 years by topping up Age Pension income for a comfortable life up to age 90-95.
Adelaide is often regarded as the cheapest place to live in Australia, with lower living costs compared to major cities. Regional areas are becoming more popular due to remote work opportunities, making them affordable choices.
As Entrepreneur puts it, "If you regularly need to ramp your headcount up or down — say, on a monthly or seasonal basis — then it usually makes more sense to pay an hourly wage. But to retain a stable workforce with high skills and low turnover, salaries are a better bet."
The tax-free threshold refers to how much you can earn in a financial year before you are liable to pay tax. For Australian residents the tax-free threshold is currently $18,200, meaning the first $18,200 of your income is tax free, but you are taxed progressively on income above that amount.
How to avoid paying higher-rate tax