Is $70,000 a good salary in Australia?

AUD 70,000 a year is a workable single-person salary in Australia, with the comfort level depending heavily on city. After Australian federal income tax and the 2 percent Medicare levy, AUD 70,000 nets roughly AUD 56,000 a year, or about AUD 4,700 a month. In most Australian cities, this provides comfortable monthly slack against moderate benchmarks. In Melbourne (moderate $2,725) it covers moderate living with room for savings. In Sydney (moderate $3,050) it sits closer to the moderate single-person threshold, making rent the main pressure: a one-bedroom in inner Sydney runs AUD 2,500 to 3,500 a month. For a household of two, AUD 70,000 alone is tight in any capital. For the full picture, see our Australia cost of living page.