Why headline salaries mislead
Job offers compete on a single number, but that number hides four things: marginal tax, super, costs the job forces you to carry, and time. Because each extra dollar is taxed at your top rate, a $10,000 salary gap shrinks to roughly $6,800 after tax for most middle incomes — and that's before the new job's commute starts eating what's left.
Commuting is an after-tax cost, which makes it more expensive than it looks. Spending $60 a week on transport over 48 working weeks costs $2,880 of take-home pay — you'd need a pay rise of over $4,000 to cover it. A remote or hybrid role effectively pays you that difference, which is why this calculator scales commute costs by your work-from-home days and any employer transport subsidy.
Super deserves a seat at the table. An employer paying 13% or 14% instead of the 12% minimum is adding real compensation — about $1,800–$3,600 a year on a $90,000 base — it just lands in your fund rather than your account. The comparison shows both the total package including super and the cash-in-pocket figures, and flags when they point at different winners.
The true hourly rate keeps the hours honest. Divide what you actually keep by the hours you actually work: a "bigger" job that demands 50-hour weeks can pay less per hour of your life than a smaller one at 38. When offers are close, this is often the number that should decide.
Salaries, bonuses and allowances are treated as taxable income under the selected year's ATO rates; leave loading, equity, and non-cash perks aren't modelled. General information only — not tax or financial advice.