Australia
Data verified August 2026 · Sources
Australia's $72,018 PPP-adjusted average wage in 2025 holds 2.5% beneath its 2021 peak, as institutionally structured wage floors and notable industry differences shape a mixed profile, with consumer prices at 92.7 near the US benchmark.
Australia at a Glance
1Y Change
+1.1%
5Y Change
−1.4%
10Y Change
+2.2%
Historical Peak
$73,870 2021
Change From Peak
−2.5%
Overall Price Level
92.7
Australia’s Wage Story
Follow how PPP-adjusted average annual wages have changed in Australia using constant-price OECD data.
USD PPP, constant prices · missing years shown as gaps, never interpolated
Ten Years Ago
$70,450 (2015)
Historical Peak
$73,870 2021
Latest Wage
$72,018 2025
Data Coverage
Wage history: 1990–2025
Reported observations: 36
Missing wage years: None
Latest price data: 2024 · 8 of 8 categories available
A Modest Decade With a Recent Dip
Australian wages moved +2.2% over a decade, −1.4% across five years, and +1.1% in the latest year. At $72,018 in 2025 the level is 2.5% below the 2021 peak of $73,870, so the profile mixes a modest decade gain with a recent dip and a tentative recovery. Ten years ago the figure was $70,450 in 2015, which means most of the decade's net gain arrived before the five-year slide began.
Why the Five-Year Slide Is Not Broad Weakness
Australia is a high-wage OECD economy with institutionally structured wage floors and notable industry differences, which means the −1.4% five-year change partly reflects specific sector dynamics rather than broad weakness. The +1.1% latest-year move turning positive after a negative five-year figure signals the post-2021 dip may be bottoming out. Recent readings also sit against a period when elevated inflation eroded purchasing power before wage growth strengthened again — context for the dip, not a cause proven by this series.
Prices Sitting Close to the U.S. Line
For 2024, Australia's overall consumer price level comes in at 92.7 against the US yardstick of 100 — one of the narrowest gaps in the OECD set. The figure is an index position, not a dollar amount, and it belongs to a different dataset from the wage series above; the two should inform each other without being merged. The wage record itself begins in 1990 and offers 36 reported observations.
Australia’s Everyday Price Profile
Compare eight consumer price categories in Australia with the United States reference value of 100.
Overall
Food
Clothing
Housing
Health
Transport
Recreation
Restaurants & Accommodation
What Stands Out
Highest: Restaurants & Accommodation
Restaurants & Accommodation has the highest relative price level of the 8 reported categories in 2024, at 115 against the United States reference of 100. That is +15.0 index points from the benchmark and 14.0 points ahead of the next category, Food at 101.
Lowest: Clothing
Clothing is the lowest of the reported categories in 2024 at 69.5, −30.5 index points against the United States benchmark of 100. The spread between the highest and lowest reported categories is 45.5 index points, which shows how uneven the 2024 price profile is across categories.
Overall vs United States
The overall price level for 2024 is 92.7, below the United States benchmark (−7.3 index points). Looking across the profile, of the 8 reported categories, 2 read above 100 and 6 below it, so the overall figure summarizes a spread of category positions rather than a uniform level.
Compare Australia
Choose another OECD economy to compare wages, historical changes and all eight consumer price categories.
Frequently Asked Questions About Australia
What is the average annual wage in Australia?
Australia's 2025 average wage is $72,018. The level sits below its 2021 peak.
How has the average wage changed in Australia?
The decade change is +2.2%, but the five-year figure is -1.4% and the latest-year change +1.1%. The shift to positive in the latest year may signal recovery from the post-2021 dip. Horizons use exact target years.
What are consumer price levels like in Australia?
Australia's overall consumer price index is 92.7 for 2024, below the US at 100. That is a relative index standing, not a dollar amount or inflation rate.
How far is Australia's wage from its peak?
Australia's 2025 wage of $72,018 is 2.5% below the 2021 high of $73,870. The +1.1% latest-year change indicates the post-peak dip may be bottoming out. The chart keeps both points visible.