Chef Salary in Australia (2026) — Average Pay by City

Chef pay in Australia: Sydney leads, Adelaide trails

The Australia national median for a chef is $166,000 a year. Among 5 metros with observed data, pay runs from about $100,000 in Adelaide to $123,000 in Sydney (1.2×).

Chefs plan menus, prepare food, and lead kitchen teams. Common screening skills include Cooking, Menu design, Leadership, and Food safety.

A modeled national band runs about $106,200–$239,000 around that midpoint. Skills lists and occupation assessments gate several of the best-paid covered roles. Employment outlook for the occupation is sketched at +5% over a decade — a national demand guess, not a hiring guarantee in every Australian city.

Sydney sits -26% vs the national median; Adelaide sits -40%. Relocating inside Australia for this title can move cash more than a small raise at the same desk. Open a city page for take-home and rent context — this national page is the map, not the offer.

Australia shows about 2.9% CPI in 2025. A chef raise that trails inflation is a real-pay cut even if it still beats last year’s peers. This occupation is also covered in 39 other countries — useful for remote or relocation shortlists, after FX and local tax. Nearby skilled trades titles on this site include Electrician, Plumber, Carpenter, and Welder.

How to use Chef pay data in Australia

Start with the national median ($166,000), then pick the metro where you would actually work. Observed city rows below are stronger than a pay-index guess. If your city is missing, stay on this page for the country figure and check the Australia hub for other careers.

Convert gross through the salary calculator before comparing two cities — tax and rent often reorder a cash ranking. Figures are estimates for research, not employer bands.

National band vs top metro

National sketch: $106,200 (10th) → $166,000 (median) → $239,000 (90th). Sydney’s observed median is $123,000, with a local band about $85,800–$176,000. If an offer is “at the Australia median” but the job is in Sydney, you may still be under local market.

Chef salary by city in Australia

Cities below have observed metro percentiles for this role. Prefer these over national-only estimates when you are relocating to a specific market.

City	Per year	Per month	vs. national
Sydney, NSW	$88,118	$7,379	-26%
Melbourne, VIC	$85,969	$7,164	-28%
Perth, WA	$79,521	$6,663	-33%
Brisbane, QLD	$77,372	$6,448	-35%
Adelaide, SA	$71,640	$5,946	-40%

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chef make in Australia?

The national median is about $166,000 per year. Across 5 observed cities, pay ranges from about $100,000 to $123,000.

Which Australia city pays chefs the most?

Sydney, NSW leads observed metros at about $123,000 per year (-26% vs national).

Which Australia city pays chefs the least?

Among observed cities, Adelaide, SA is on the lower end at about $100,000 per year.

How many Australia cities have chef salary data?

5 metros list observed chef percentiles in AUD on this site.

Is chef in demand in Australia?

Occupation-level employment is projected at about +5% over ten years. Local hiring still follows Australian industry mix.

Chef Salary in Australia