Brisbane
Origin gross
$100,000
- COL index
- 101.3
- Take-home
- $77,480
- Tax
- Federal PAYG
Locked A$100,000 vignette: need about $100,000 in Gold Coast (0%). Rent/market COL 101.3 → 101.3, with federal PAYG take-home.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
COL-adjusted verdict
$100,000 in Gold Coast vs $100,000 in Brisbane.
Origin gross
$100,000
Equivalent gross
$100,000
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.
Brisbane
Brisbane (QLD)
From 30 September 2024 a rental bond cannot exceed 4 weeks’ rent. Bonds are held by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA).
Gold Coast
Gold Coast (QLD; Rest of Qld prices)
Gold Coast uses the Queensland state/territory median weekly rent (ABS does not publish a separate Gold Coast rent series in this release). From 30 September 2024 a rental bond cannot exceed 4 weeks’ rent. Bonds are held by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA).
Rent delta ≈ $0/mo ($0/yr). Affordability at equivalent gross: Affordable (~29.1% of gross).
Same COL ratio applied across gross levels — equivalent in Gold Coast and take-home at that equivalent.
| Gross in Brisbane | Equiv. in Gold Coast | Change | TH origin | TH at equiv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $75,000 | 0% | $60,480 | $60,480 |
| $100,000Headline | $100,000 | 0% | $77,480 | $77,480 |
| $125,000 | $125,000 | 0% | $94,480 | $94,480 |
| $150,000 | $150,000 | 0% | $110,430 | $110,430 |
| $200,000 | $200,000 | 0% | $140,130 | $140,130 |
$75,000 in Brisbane
$100,000 in Brisbane
$125,000 in Brisbane
$150,000 in Brisbane
$200,000 in Brisbane
| Metric | Brisbane | Gold Coast |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent gross (locked vignette) | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| COL index (ABS median rent) | 101.3 | 101.3 |
| Take-home at vignette / equivalent | $77,480 | $77,480 |
| Take-home if same gross in destination | $77,480 | $77,480 |
| Tax | Federal PAYG | Federal PAYG |
| ABS median rent / mo (April 2025) | $2,427/mo | $2,427/mo |
| ABS median established house (June Quarter 2026) | $1,155,000 | $800,000 |
| Bond estimate (state/territory cap) | $2,240 | $2,240 |
Locked vignette
A$100,000 gross in Brisbane, 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.
Read the verdict banner
See whether Gold Coast needs more or less gross than Brisbane on the locked vignette.
Compare the scoreboard
Check COL, equivalent gross, and take-home on both sides before negotiating.
Scan the salary ladder
See how the equivalent target scales from A$75k through A$200k on this corridor.
Open the calculator
Personalize at /australia-relocation-salary-calculator with your real offer and cities.
This page holds a locked Australia relocation salary vignette (A$100,000 gross, resident PAYG with private health) moving from Brisbane to Gold Coast. 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.
On this vignette the COL-adjusted target is essentially level with Brisbane. Live rents and your personal offer can still move the number.
Modeled take-home stays ≈ $77,480 in Brisbane and ≈ $77,480 at the equivalent gross in Gold Coast. Same-gross take-home in Gold Coast is ≈ $77,480 (federal schedule — matches origin at equal gross).
COL indexes are ABS median weekly rents by state/territory (April 2025; released 28 May 2025): Australia = 100 (mean of eight jurisdictions). Brisbane is 101.3; Gold Coast is 101.3.
ABS median weekly rent as monthly: $2,427/mo in Brisbane vs $2,427/mo in Gold Coast (April 2025). Established house medians (June Quarter 2026): $1,155,000 vs $800,000. 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.
Brisbane (QLD) and Gold Coast (QLD) 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.
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.
Origin gross × (destination COL ÷ origin COL). On this corridor: $100,000.
State/territory median weekly rent ÷ mean of eight ABS jurisdictions × 100 (April 2025). Australia = 100. Not a street-level quote.
Federal PAYG (income tax + Medicare levy) if you earn the equivalent gross in Gold Coast: ≈ $77,480.
State/territory bond-cap estimate for Gold Coast: ≈ $2,240 (official weeks/months of rent rules).
Myth: “Same take-home in Brisbane and Gold Coast means the same lifestyle.”
Fact: Federal PAYG take-home matches at equal gross; ABS rent COL (101.3 vs 101.3) 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.
Compare any two Australian cities
Prefer the reverse corridor? Gold Coast → Brisbane