If you have been offered a job paying $60,000 a year, or you are weighing up whether your current salary is still doing enough for you, the honest answer is: it depends on where you live, who you share your bills with, and what stage of life you are at. A $60,000 salary means very different things in Sydney versus Hobart, for a single renter versus a couple, and for a graduate versus a household supporting kids.
In 2026, $60,000 sits above the national minimum wage and above what the typical Australian employee earns across all jobs, but it sits comfortably below the full-time median. After tax, it leaves you with $50,012 a year — $4,167.67 a month — to cover everything from rent to groceries to savings. This guide breaks down exactly what $60,000 looks like after tax, how it compares to national benchmarks, what it buys you in each major city, and how to stretch it further.
$60,000 salary: the after-tax breakdown for 2025–26
Your take-home pay is what actually matters, so let us start with the numbers. For an Australian resident earning exactly $60,000 in the 2025–26 tax year, the calculation is straightforward:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross salary | $60,000.00 |
| Income tax (resident rates) | −$8,788.00 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$1,200.00 |
| Total deductions | −$9,988.00 |
| Take-home pay (annual) | $50,012.00 |
| Take-home pay (monthly) | $4,167.67 |
| Take-home pay (fortnightly) | $1,923.54 |
| Take-home pay (weekly) | $961.77 |
The income tax figure of $8,788 comes from the 2025–26 resident tax rates: $4,288 base tax on income up to $45,000, plus 30 cents in the dollar on the $15,000 between $45,001 and $60,000. Add the 2% Medicare levy ($1,200) and your total tax bill is $9,988 — an effective tax rate of about 16.6%.
One extra worth knowing: the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) may return up to roughly $355 to you when you lodge your tax return, which would nudge your real take-home slightly above $50,012. It is not included in regular pay runs, so treat it as a small bonus at tax time rather than money you can budget on week to week.
You can run these exact numbers yourself on the income tax calculator, or see the full $60,000 breakdown at every pay frequency on the $60,000 salary page.
Super and the hourly rate behind $60,000
Two more figures complete the picture. First, your employer’s superannuation guarantee contribution of 12% adds $7,200 a year on top of your salary, taking your total remuneration package to $67,200 — though remember that money is locked away until preservation age. You can model different contribution scenarios on the super calculator.
Second, if you work a standard 38-hour week, 52 weeks a year, $60,000 converts to an hourly rate of $30.36 per hour. That is the number to keep in mind when comparing against hourly-rate job ads or casual roles.
How $60,000 compares to the national benchmarks
Raw numbers only make sense against context. Here is where $60,000 sits relative to the official benchmarks:
| Benchmark | Amount | $60,000 vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| National minimum wage (from 1 Jul 2026) | $26.44/hr · $52,249.60/yr full-time | ~14.8% above |
| Median, all employees (ABS) | $74,100/yr | Below — but note this includes part-time workers |
| Median, full-time employees (ABS, Aug 2025) | $90,532/yr | Below by ~34% |
| Average full-time earnings (ABS, May 2026) | $108,352/yr | Below by ~45% |
Being roughly 15% above the full-time minimum wage matters too: there is genuine headroom above award minimums, which gives you bargaining power and a buffer against cost-of-living pressure that minimum-wage workers do not have.
City-by-city verdict: what $60,000 buys you
Australia’s cities have wildly different costs of living, and housing dominates everything. With $4,167.67 a month landing in your account, here is a realistic read on each major city. Rents move, so treat these as qualitative verdicts rather than exact budgets.
Sydney
Sydney is the toughest test for a $60,000 salary. Median rents for a modest one-bedroom can swallow half or more of your monthly take-home. For a single renter living alone it is tight — doable with a share house or an outer suburb, but with little left for serious saving. As part of a dual-income household, it works much better.
Melbourne
Melbourne is slightly kinder than Sydney but similar: a single renter on $60,000 will feel squeezed near the CBD and will likely need to share or live further out. Suburban living is workable, especially with a partner’s income in the mix.
Brisbane
Brisbane is where $60,000 starts to feel comfortable for a single person. Rents remain meaningfully lower than Sydney and Melbourne, and $4,167 a month covers a decent rental, bills, groceries and some savings without constant stress.
Perth
Perth offers a similar verdict to Brisbane: a single person on $60,000 can live comfortably, rent a reasonable place, and still put money aside. The city’s lower housing costs relative to the east coast are the big advantage. Families on one income will find it modest, particularly once school-age costs arrive, but it is a workable base.
Adelaide
Adelaide remains one of the more affordable capitals, and $60,000 goes further here than in any east-coast metro. Singles can expect a comfortable lifestyle with genuine saving capacity, and even single-income families can make it work with careful budgeting. If your job is portable, Adelaide is arguably the best capital-city value proposition on this salary.
Hobart and Darwin
Smaller capitals stretch $60,000 further still. In Hobart, a single person on this salary can live well by national standards — rents are lower, commutes are short, and $4,167 a month goes a long way. Darwin’s costs can be patchier (groceries and some services run higher), but housing is affordable and the salary still delivers a comfortable single lifestyle. Both cities are modest rather than lavish for families, but entirely liveable.
Single vs couple vs family: who thrives on $60,000?
Household structure changes the verdict more than the city does. Roughly:
- Single, no kids: This is where $60,000 works best. Outside Sydney and Melbourne, you can rent independently, cover all essentials, and save — the hallmark of a good salary. Even in Sydney or Melbourne, sharing keeps it viable.
- Couple, $60,000 each ($120,000 household): A combined household income of $120,000 with two $60,000 salaries is a strong position nationally — above the full-time median per person and very comfortable in every city, including Sydney. Most of the pressure in the city verdicts above disappears.
- Couple, $60,000 total (one income): Liveable in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and the smaller capitals with budgeting; genuinely hard in Sydney and Melbourne without substantial savings or family support.
- Family with kids, $60,000 single income: This is where $60,000 feels modest everywhere and difficult in Sydney and Melbourne.
The pattern is consistent: $60,000 is a good individual salary and a difficult sole household salary for a family in the big cities.
$60,000 vs $80,000: the next rung
It helps to know what the next step up looks like. At $80,000 gross, take-home rises to roughly $62,000 a year (about $5,170 a month) — an extra $1,000 a month in your pocket. That single jump transforms the Sydney/Melbourne verdict from “tight” to “workable alone”, and turns “comfortable” into “comfortable with real savings” everywhere else.
The reason the jump feels so large is that you keep most of it: the extra $20,000 of income is taxed at 30 cents plus the 2% Medicare levy, so you pocket about 68 cents of every extra dollar.
Career-stage framing: when $60,000 is excellent, and when it is a stepping stone
Whether $60,000 is “good” depends heavily on where you are:
- Graduate / first full-time role: Excellent. You are starting roughly 15% above the full-time minimum wage with a clear runway. Most graduates would be delighted.
- 2–5 years’ experience: Solid and respectable, but this is the stage to start pushing toward $70,000–$80,000. If you have been on $60,000 for several years with growing responsibilities, you are likely due for a conversation about pay.
- Mid-career / 10+ years: Below market in most professional fields, given the full-time median is $90,532.
How to stretch $60,000 further
A few legitimate strategies make a real difference on this salary:
- Salary sacrifice into super: Contributions made through salary sacrifice are taxed at 15% inside super instead of your 30% marginal rate (plus 2% Medicare levy you skip). Sacrificing $5,000 a year into super saves you roughly $850 in tax while boosting retirement savings. Model it on the super calculator.
- Claim everything at tax time: Work-related expenses, the work-from-home fixed rate, professional memberships, and donations all reduce taxable income. On a $60,000 salary, every $1,000 of deductions is worth about $320 back.
- Check your LITO: The Low Income Tax Offset (up to ~$355) is applied automatically when you lodge, but only if you lodge. Make sure you do.
- Renegotiate the big bills: Rent, insurance, energy, phone and internet are the budget lines with the most give. An annual 20-minute review of each can free up $1,000+ a year — the equivalent of a small pay rise.
Frequently asked questions
Is $60,000 a good salary for a single person in Australia?
Yes — for a single person with no dependents, $60,000 is a good salary in most of Australia. It delivers $50,012 a year after tax ($4,167.67 a month), sits about 15% above the full-time minimum wage, and supports independent living with savings capacity in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin. In Sydney and Melbourne it is tighter and usually means sharing or living further out.
How much tax do you pay on $60,000 in Australia?
An Australian resident earning $60,000 in 2025–26 pays $8,788 in income tax plus $1,200 in Medicare levy — $9,988 total, or about 16.6% of gross income. Take-home pay is $50,012 a year. The Low Income Tax Offset may add up to ~$355 at tax return time.
Is $60,000 above the median salary in Australia?
$60,000 is below the full-time median of $90,532 a year, but above the all-employee median of $74,100 (which includes part-time workers). It is also about 14.8% above the full-time national minimum wage of $52,249.60 a year ($26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026).
Can you live in Sydney on $60,000?
It is possible but tight for a single renter — housing takes a large share of the $4,167 monthly take-home. Most people on this salary in Sydney share housing or live in outer suburbs. As one half of a dual-income household, it works much more comfortably.
What is $60,000 an hour?
On a standard 38-hour week over 52 weeks, $60,000 a year equals $30.36 per hour. Your employer also pays 12% superannuation ($7,200 a year) on top, bringing the total package to $67,200.
Is $60,000 enough to buy a house in Australia?
On a single $60,000 income, buying in Sydney or Melbourne is extremely difficult. In Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and regional areas it is more realistic, especially with a solid deposit or a partner’s income. This is general information only, not financial advice.
The verdict on a $60,000 salary in 2026
So, is $60,000 a good salary in Australia in 2026? For a single person outside Sydney and Melbourne: yes, comfortably. For a single renter in Sydney or Melbourne: it works, but it is tight and usually involves sharing. For a family on one $60,000 income: modest everywhere, difficult in the biggest cities. As a career marker, it is an excellent starting salary, a solid early-career salary, and a below-market mid-career salary — which tells you where to aim next.
The numbers are on your side more than they might feel: $50,012 in your pocket each year, $7,200 a year flowing into super, and an effective tax rate under 17%. Run your own exact breakdown at $60,000 after tax — and if you are comparing offers or planning a raise, the income tax calculator shows you exactly what each extra dollar is worth.
This article provides general information only and is not financial advice. Tax rates and thresholds are for the 2025–26 Australian tax year for residents.