UK vs Australia Salary: Who Takes Home More?

Updated May 31, 2026 · 6 min read

The UK-to-Australia move is one of the most well-worn migration paths in the world — and the take-home maths is part of the appeal. On the same salary, Australians simply keep more of their pay, and that’s before you count superannuation.

Same 100k salary, side by side

United Kingdom (£100,000): roughly £68,600 take-home — about 69%. Income tax (~£27,400) plus National Insurance (~£4,000).
Australia (A$100,000, with private cover): roughly A$77,200 take-home — about 77%. Income tax plus the 2% Medicare Levy.

Two things make Australia look even better: (1) superannuation — your employer pays 12% of your salary into retirement on top of your pay, not out of it; and (2) Australia’s tax-free threshold ($18,200) and lack of a brutal £100k allowance taper mean higher earners keep more.

The £100k trap vs the tax-free threshold

In the UK, earnings between £100,000 and £125,140 are hit by a 60% effective marginal rate as the personal allowance is withdrawn — see our UK take-home guide. Australia has no equivalent cliff, so the gap widens at higher salaries.

But it’s not all one-sided

Currency & salaries. £100,000 is worth far more than A$100,000, and many roles pay a higher number in the UK — so a true like-for-like move is closer than the percentages suggest.
Cost of living. Sydney and Melbourne rank among the world’s pricier cities.
Healthcare. Both have public systems (NHS / Medicare), so that’s broadly a wash.

The honest verdict

On take-home percentage, Australia clearly wins — and super sweetens it further. Whether the move pays off depends on the actual salary offered and where you live, but the tax system is firmly in Australia’s favour.

Run your own numbers