Did your pay rise beat inflation?
A raise only counts if it outpaces prices. See your pay in real terms — and what actually lands in your account — or flip to bonus mode for the tax on a lump sum.
ABS CPI, year to May 2026
Your +5.1% pay rise
beat inflation — in real terms you're +1.0% better off
At 4.0% inflation, your new $89,300 is worth $85,865 in last year's money — $900 more purchasing power than simply keeping pace.
+5.1%
+1.0%
+$900
$85,865
What actually lands in your account
$67,280
$70,204
+$2,924
Of your $4,300 gross rise you actually keep $2,924 after tax — tax and levies take $1,376 (32% of the rise, at a 30% marginal rate).
Real-wage maths deflate your new pay by CPI. Take-home compares resident tax + 2% Medicare levy on each salary (single, with hospital cover). Inflation: ABS — Consumer Price Index, Australia (year to May 2026) — editable above. A guide, not financial advice.