An Indian man leaving Sydney has shared his income and monthly expenses in Australia. He said he earned around $10,000 before tax and spent about $3,900 (₹2.6 lakh) a month on rent, utilities, groceries, gym and going out.
An Indian man preparing to leave Australia has shared a detailed breakdown of his income, expenses and savings from his time in Sydney, sparking a discussion about the cost of living in the country. Divyaj Gautam, who goes by @psych.actually on Instagram, said he had 18 days left before leaving Australia permanently and decided to share the actual figures from his past year.
In an Instagram video, Gautam explained how his income changed after he arrived in Australia. He said his first job was at an Indian grocery store, where he worked six days a week and earned around $500 (₹34,000) per week.
How Did His Income Change In Australia?
According to Gautam, three months after arriving in Australia, he took up a retail job that brought in around $1,100 (₹75,000) per week. Around the same time, he started his own practice as a psychosocial risk consultant.
He said the consulting work paid around $3,000 (around ₹2 lakh) per month per client. With income from both jobs and his consulting practice, Gautam said he earned an average of around $10,000 (around ₹6.7 lakh) per month before tax.
After tax, he said his monthly income came to approximately $7,500 (approximately ₹5 lakh).
How Much Did He Spend In Sydney?
Gautam also shared a breakdown of his monthly expenses in Sydney. He said he spent around $2,400 (around ₹1.62 lakh) on rent, $350 (₹24,000) on utilities, $500 (₹34,000) on groceries and $100 (around ₹7,000) on his gym membership.
His monthly spending on going out was around $500 to $600 (₹34,000 to ₹40,000). Overall, he estimated that it cost him approximately $3,900 (around ₹2.6 lakh) a month to live in Sydney.
Based on his figures, Gautam said he was able to save around $3,600 (approximately ₹2.4 lakh) every month. He explained that he preferred to return to India with a financial cushion rather than leave with a fixed plan.
‘The Consulting Pays Me For A Service’
Reflecting on his experience, Gautam said his grocery store and retail jobs paid him for the hours he worked, while his consulting practice paid him for a service.
He said leveraging his professional skills helped him increase his earning potential and described the change as a turning point in his experience in Australia.
In his post, he wrote: “The two jobs paid me for my hours. The consulting pays me for a service. Same city, same me, that’s the only thing that changed.”
Gautam also said he plans to share more about his move from Sydney to India and asked followers to continue following his journey.
How Did Social Media React?
His income and expense breakdown prompted users to discuss whether his monthly budget accurately reflected the cost of living in Sydney, particularly for people supporting families.
One user commented: “Nope. Cannot live on 3900 monthly expenses, especially in Sydney in this day and age. You are probably paying 3k just rent per month. Add in utilities, groceries, social life. You are close to 6k monthly expenses.”
Another user wrote: “Your breakdown of expenses is for a single bachelor who is renting. The true cost for a family with kids is much higher: Home Mortgage – $3000 to 4000, Groceries – 1500 to 2000, Utility – 500, Petrol – 500, Kids School & Extra Curricular activities – 1000, Health Insurance – 500. Easily around 7000 per month without any eating out or other expenses. People migrate to Australia for the better quality of life eventhough it’s expensive.”
The reactions highlighted how living expenses can vary significantly depending on factors such as household size, housing arrangements, lifestyle and family responsibilities.