🇦🇺
Adelaide
Origin gross
$100,000
- COL index
- 89.5
- Take-home
- $77,480
- Tax
- Federal PAYG
🇦🇺🇦🇺2026 · Locked vignette
Adelaide → Sydney Relocation Salary
Locked A$100,000 vignette: need about $131,397 in Sydney (+31%). Rent/market COL 89.5 → 117.6, with federal PAYG take-home.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
COL-adjusted verdict
Sydney needs more gross to match Adelaide
$131,397 in Sydney vs $100,000 in Adelaide — gap ≈ $31,397.
Side-by-side scoreboard
🇦🇺
Sydney
Equivalent gross
$131,397
- COL index
- 117.6
- Take-home
- $98,830
- Tax
- Federal PAYG
Housing
ABS median weekly rents by state/territory and ABS median established house prices — stress-test context alongside the COL-adjusted salary. Utilities are not modeled.
Adelaide
Adelaide (SA)
- ABS median rent
- $495/wk · $2,145/mo
- Median house
- $975,000
- Median unit
- $725,000
- Bond est.
- $1,980
Generally 4 weeks’ rent; SA allows up to 6 weeks where rent is above the prescribed high-rent threshold (confirm current threshold with Consumer and Business Services SA).
Sydney
Sydney (NSW)
- ABS median rent
- $650/wk · $2,817/mo
- Median house
- $1,487,600
- Median unit
- $840,000
- Bond est.
- $2,600
Maximum rental bond is 4 weeks’ rent. Bond must be lodged with NSW Fair Trading (Rental Bonds Online).
Rent delta ≈ $672/mo ($8,064/yr). Affordability at equivalent gross: Affordable (~25.7% of gross).
Salary ladder
Same COL ratio applied across gross levels — equivalent in Sydney and take-home at that equivalent.
| Gross in Adelaide | Equiv. in Sydney | Change | TH origin | TH at equiv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $98,547 | +31% | $60,480 | $76,492 |
| $100,000Headline | $131,397 | +31% | $77,480 | $98,830 |
| $125,000 | $164,246 | +31% | $94,480 | $119,120 |
| $150,000 | $197,095 | +31% | $110,430 | $138,590 |
| $200,000 | $262,793 | +31% | $140,130 | $173,410 |
$75,000 in Adelaide
- Equiv. Sydney
- $98,547
- Change
- +31%
- TH at equiv.
- $76,492
$100,000 in Adelaide
- Equiv. Sydney
- $131,397
- Change
- +31%
- TH at equiv.
- $98,830
$125,000 in Adelaide
- Equiv. Sydney
- $164,246
- Change
- +31%
- TH at equiv.
- $119,120
$150,000 in Adelaide
- Equiv. Sydney
- $197,095
- Change
- +31%
- TH at equiv.
- $138,590
$200,000 in Adelaide
- Equiv. Sydney
- $262,793
- Change
- +31%
- TH at equiv.
- $173,410
Line-item metrics
| Metric | Adelaide | Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent gross (locked vignette) | $100,000 | $131,397 |
| COL index (ABS median rent) | 89.5 | 117.6 |
| Take-home at vignette / equivalent | $77,480 | $98,830 |
| Take-home if same gross in destination | $77,480 | $77,480 |
| Tax | Federal PAYG | Federal PAYG |
| ABS median rent / mo (April 2025) | $2,145/mo | $2,817/mo |
| ABS median established house (June Quarter 2026) | $975,000 | $1,487,600 |
| Bond estimate (state/territory cap) | $1,980 | $2,600 |
Context
Locked vignette
A$100,000 gross in Adelaide, resident PAYG, private health (MLS $0), no HELP.
ABS median rent COL
April 2025 — Australia = 100.
Personalize
Open the calculator with your gross, then stress-test ABS median rent, house prices, and bond on the results panel.
How to use this compare
- 1
Read the verdict banner
See whether Sydney needs more or less gross than Adelaide on the locked vignette.
- 2
Compare the scoreboard
Check COL, equivalent gross, and take-home on both sides before negotiating.
- 3
Scan the salary ladder
See how the equivalent target scales from A$75k through A$200k on this corridor.
- 4
Open the calculator
Personalize at /australia-relocation-salary-calculator with your real offer and cities.
Key takeaways — Adelaide → Sydney
- On A$100,000 in Adelaide, matching purchasing power in Sydney needs about $131,397 (+31%).
- ABS median rent COL: Adelaide 89.5 → Sydney 117.6 (April 2025; Australia = 100).
- Tax: Federal PAYG in Adelaide; Federal PAYG in Sydney — same federal schedule at equal gross.
- Take-home at origin ≈ $77,480; at equivalent in Sydney ≈ $98,830.
- ABS median rent (monthly): Adelaide $2,145/mo vs Sydney $2,817/mo ($672/mo more in Sydney).
Adelaide → Sydney relocation salary in 2026
This page holds a locked Australia relocation salary vignette (A$100,000 gross, resident PAYG with private health) moving from Adelaide to Sydney. Equivalent gross scales with the ABS median weekly rent COL ratio; take-home uses federal PAYG (income tax + Medicare levy) — identical at equal gross in every city.
Sydney needs about $31,397 more gross than Adelaide ($131,397 vs $100,000) to match rent-relative purchasing power.
Modeled take-home stays ≈ $77,480 in Adelaide and ≈ $98,830 at the equivalent gross in Sydney. Same-gross take-home in Sydney is ≈ $77,480 (federal schedule — matches origin at equal gross).
How COL and rents work on this corridor
COL indexes are ABS median weekly rents by state/territory (April 2025; released 28 May 2025): Australia = 100 (mean of eight jurisdictions). Adelaide is 89.5; Sydney is 117.6.
ABS median weekly rent as monthly: $2,145/mo in Adelaide vs $2,817/mo in Sydney (April 2025). Established house medians (June Quarter 2026): $975,000 vs $1,487,600. Utilities are not modeled.
These indexes are state/territory planning benchmarks — not a street-level quote for your suburb. We do not use Domain or Cotality market rents for salary equivalence.
Tax on this move
Adelaide (SA) and Sydney (NSW) both use federal PAYG on this model. Australian personal income tax is federal only — modeled take-home at equal gross is the same in every city.
Private hospital cover is assumed so Medicare levy surcharge is $0; HELP/HECS is not modeled on this locked page — personalize on the Australia tax calculator.
Super guarantee is paid by the employer on top of salary in the usual case and is not deducted from take-home here.
What this comparison leaves out
International shipping, flights, and visa cash belong on the Australia relocation cost calculator — not in equivalent gross.
COL is ABS rent-relative planning, not a full consumer basket (childcare, commute, groceries, and utilities sit outside the index).
Enter your real offer on the Australia relocation salary calculator (/australia-relocation-salary-calculator) to refresh take-home and housing stress-tests.
Concepts
Equivalent gross
Origin gross × (destination COL ÷ origin COL). On this corridor: $131,397.
ABS median rent COL
State/territory median weekly rent ÷ mean of eight ABS jurisdictions × 100 (April 2025). Australia = 100. Not a street-level quote.
Take-home at equivalent
Federal PAYG (income tax + Medicare levy) if you earn the equivalent gross in Sydney: ≈ $98,830.
Bond estimate
State/territory bond-cap estimate for Sydney: ≈ $2,600 (official weeks/months of rent rules).
Myths vs facts
Myth: “Same take-home in Adelaide and Sydney means the same lifestyle.”
Fact: Federal PAYG take-home matches at equal gross; ABS rent COL (89.5 vs 117.6) drives the equivalent-gross target.
Myth: “COL-adjusted salary is what the ATO taxes.”
Fact: The ATO taxes your actual taxable pay. The equivalent figure is a negotiation / planning target only.
Myth: “ABS median rent is what you’ll pay on your street.”
Fact: ABS medians are state/territory stock measures. Use them as a stress-test, then check local listings.
Who this helps
Good fit
- Employees negotiating an Australian city transfer or hybrid location change.
- Candidates weighing Sydney vs regional offers on purchasing power.
- Anyone comparing metro rents alongside federal PAYG take-home.
Use another tool when
- Visa / immigration cash planners (use relocation cost).
- People who need HELP/HECS or salary-sacrifice net figures (use Australia tax calculator).
Negotiation checklist
- Anchor the offer near $131,397 gross in Sydney (or explain the gap).
- Remember take-home at equal gross is the same federally — negotiate on COL, not state tax.
- Stress-test $2,817/mo ABS median rent against take-home.
- Add HELP/HECS or salary sacrifice on the Australia tax calculator if they apply.
- Budget shipping separately on the Australia relocation cost calculator.
Common mistakes
- Accepting a flat regional discount without checking the COL ratio.
- Assuming a different state changes PAYG take-home at the same gross.
- Treating ABS state medians as a guarantee for your exact suburb.
- Forgetting that equivalent gross is not what PAYG withholds.
Glossary
- Equivalent gross
- Origin gross × (destination COL ÷ origin COL) — salary needed for matching rent-relative purchasing power before tax.
- COL index
- ABS median weekly rent by state/territory ÷ mean of eight jurisdictions × 100 (April 2025); Australia = 100.
- Federal PAYG
- Resident income tax + Medicare levy on this model (private health assumed; Medicare levy surcharge $0). Identical at equal gross in every city.
- Bond estimate
- State/territory statutory bond-cap estimate from published weeks or months of rent rules — confirm locally.
Related tools
Compare another pair
Compare any two Australian cities
Prefer the reverse corridor? Sydney → Adelaide
Related comparisons
FAQ
On the locked vignette ($100,000 gross in Adelaide), matching purchasing power in Sydney needs about $131,397 gross (+31.4%). Gap ≈ $31,397.
Sydney has a higher COL index (117.6 vs 89.5), so you typically need more gross there to keep the same lifestyle.
Yes — take-home figures use federal PAYG (income tax + Medicare levy) for 2026–27. Australian personal income tax is federal only, so modeled take-home at equal gross is the same in every city. Private hospital cover is assumed (Medicare levy surcharge $0); HELP/HECS is not modeled on this page.
ABS median weekly rent by state/territory ÷ mean of the eight ABS jurisdictions × 100 (April 2025). Adelaide is 89.5; Sydney is 117.6.
Open the Australia relocation salary calculator (/australia-relocation-salary-calculator) and enter your gross and cities.
About $2,817 per month (from ABS median weekly rent A$650/wk for NSW, April 2025 — Maximum rental bond is 4 weeks’ rent. Bond must be lodged with NSW Fair Trading (Rental Bonds Online).).
State/territory bond-cap estimate is about $2,600. Actual bonds vary — confirm with the agent and lodge with the bond authority.
Yes — open Sydney → Adelaide (/australia-relocation-salary-calculator/compare/sydney-to-adelaide) for the reverse locked vignette.