Hobart
Origin gross
$100,000
- COL index
- 77.8
- Take-home
- $77,480
- Tax
- Federal PAYG
Locked A$100,000 vignette: need about $120,951 in Melbourne (+21%). Rent/market COL 77.8 → 94.1, with federal PAYG take-home.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
COL-adjusted verdict
$120,951 in Melbourne vs $100,000 in Hobart — gap ≈ $20,951.
Origin gross
$100,000
Equivalent gross
$120,951
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.
Hobart
Hobart (TAS)
Maximum bond is generally 4 weeks’ rent; lodged with the Rental Deposit Authority.
Melbourne
Melbourne (VIC)
Bond generally cannot exceed one month’s rent when weekly rent is $900 or less. Above $900/week there is no fixed statutory maximum (VCAT may set a higher bond).
Rent delta ≈ $390/mo ($4,680/yr). Affordability at equivalent gross: Affordable (~22.4% of gross).
Same COL ratio applied across gross levels — equivalent in Melbourne and take-home at that equivalent.
| Gross in Hobart | Equiv. in Melbourne | Change | TH origin | TH at equiv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $90,713 | +21% | $60,480 | $71,165 |
| $100,000Headline | $120,951 | +21% | $77,480 | $91,727 |
| $125,000 | $151,189 | +21% | $94,480 | $111,155 |
| $150,000 | $181,427 | +21% | $110,430 | $129,600 |
| $200,000 | $241,902 | +21% | $140,130 | $162,338 |
$75,000 in Hobart
$100,000 in Hobart
$125,000 in Hobart
$150,000 in Hobart
$200,000 in Hobart
| Metric | Hobart | Melbourne |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent gross (locked vignette) | $100,000 | $120,951 |
| COL index (ABS median rent) | 77.8 | 94.1 |
| Take-home at vignette / equivalent | $77,480 | $91,727 |
| Take-home if same gross in destination | $77,480 | $77,480 |
| Tax | Federal PAYG | Federal PAYG |
| ABS median rent / mo (April 2025) | $1,863/mo | $2,253/mo |
| ABS median established house (June Quarter 2026) | $750,000 | $850,000 |
| Bond estimate (state/territory cap) | $1,720 | $2,253 |
Locked vignette
A$100,000 gross in Hobart, 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 Melbourne needs more or less gross than Hobart 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 Hobart to Melbourne. 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.
Melbourne needs about $20,951 more gross than Hobart ($120,951 vs $100,000) to match rent-relative purchasing power.
Modeled take-home stays ≈ $77,480 in Hobart and ≈ $91,727 at the equivalent gross in Melbourne. Same-gross take-home in Melbourne 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). Hobart is 77.8; Melbourne is 94.1.
ABS median weekly rent as monthly: $1,863/mo in Hobart vs $2,253/mo in Melbourne (April 2025). Established house medians (June Quarter 2026): $750,000 vs $850,000. 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.
Hobart (TAS) and Melbourne (VIC) 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: $120,951.
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 Melbourne: ≈ $91,727.
State/territory bond-cap estimate for Melbourne: ≈ $2,253 (official weeks/months of rent rules).
Myth: “Same take-home in Hobart and Melbourne means the same lifestyle.”
Fact: Federal PAYG take-home matches at equal gross; ABS rent COL (77.8 vs 94.1) 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? Melbourne → Hobart