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There's no single best-paid city for tradespeople. It depends on the trade, and the order changes a lot from one to the next.
SEEK salary bands, refreshed 1 October 2026:
Electrician- Sydney - $100,000-$120,000- Brisbane - $95,000-$115,000- Melbourne - $85,000-$105,000
Plumber- Brisbane - $95,000-$105,000- Melbourne - $90,000-$100,000- Sydney - $75,000-$95,000
Air conditioning and refrigeration technician- Melbourne - $120,000-$140,000- Brisbane - $95,000-$115,000- Sydney - $95,000-$110,000
Fire technician- Brisbane - $110,000-$120,000- Sydney - $100,000-$115,000- Melbourne - $95,000-$105,000
Industrial electrician- Brisbane - $115,000-$135,000- Sydney - $115,000-$125,000- Melbourne - $100,000-$120,000
Melbourne pays aircon techs the most by a long way. Its band starts above the top of Sydney's.
Sydney pays plumbers the least. The bottom of Sydney's band is $20,000 under Brisbane's.
Brisbane leads on fire and industrial work. Queensland's industrial and resources demand pulls rates up.
Melbourne pays general electricians the least. It's the cheapest of the three for the trade most people assume pays best.
Use your own city's band, not a national average. A national number will overpay in one city and lose candidates in another.
If you hire across more than one city, set rates per city. A single company-wide rate for "electrician" will be too high in Melbourne and too low in Sydney.
The gaps are big enough to matter if you're open to moving. A Sydney plumber moving to Brisbane, or a Brisbane aircon tech moving to Melbourne, could see a real lift. Check the licensing rules first, because each state handles interstate licences differently.
Cost of living, family and the job itself all matter more than a band on a website. But it's worth knowing where you stand.
HJ Recruitment places permanent electrical, plumbing, HVAC and refrigeration, fire and solar tradespeople in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. See the roles we're recruiting for now, or talk to us if you're hiring.
Sources- SEEK - Electrician salary, Sydney- SEEK - Plumber salary, Brisbane- SEEK - Air conditioning and refrigeration technician salary, Melbourne- SEEK - Fire technician salary, Brisbane- SEEK - Industrial electrician salary, Brisbane
