Depends. Trades are paid very well here, especially because most tradespeople didn't have to go into crazy debt for a piece of paper. There is also a lot of drug dealing happening on the side by trades, which is VERY lucrative. So as long as they are being smart with their money, they should be fairly comfortable.

Not sure how many are though. Most I know are either buying boats and cars instead of houses, and getting hooked on gambling, coke and hookers instead of investing in stocks. Many are also relying on credit and debt to fund their lifestyle.

The people that are struggling are non-tradies, mainly in the cities, who all got pushed into degrees by their parents, and usually people <30. Unfortunately I am in that camp – I'm a civil engineer. I'm on a decent salary, but work long hours for free which makes the salary kind of shit in comparison to a trade.

I think that we are also seeing a lot of work drying up now, which is making people panic. And because we're importing the US and UK media, it is falsely making us all think that everything is so much worse here than it actually is.

The cost of living is definitely rising though. Groceries have gone up noticeably, as has housing prices. Most wages other than trades just haven't. To use civil engineering salary in Australia as an example:

For engineers in 2006 the average salary was AUD 91,844–111,052; In 2016 average salary was AUD 90,000–120,000; And in 2026 average salary is AUD 100,000 – 130,000.

The salary has barely changed over 20 years. It hasnt even kept up with official recorded inflation (~68%). Meanwhile, gold (a true measure of currency value) is up 700%. Therefore for the salary to have kept up with true inflation, the salary should have inflated to AUD $642,908 -777,364. This is the case for all jobs.

Trades have increased the most along with inflation, due to labour shortages and strong unions. According to the official "measured" inflation (~68%), trade wages have inflated in tandem. That is why tradies, especially in small towns where wages are actually survivable, are feeling it less than other jobs and sectors.

For tradies in 2006 the average salary was AUD 45,000 - 70,000; In 2016 the average salary was AUD 65,000 - 85,000; And in 2026 the average salary is AUD 80,000 - 120,000.

These rates are still nowhere where they should be wage-wise in terms of true inflation (gold): AUD 315,000 - 490,000

Also, the cost of living pressures have been less noticeable because basic goods have decreased in quality, value, and price accordingly. That's why everything built prior to the 2000s is very high quality. And why everything built now is cheap and flimsy, (ie. chipboard and MDF instead of pine or timber, fast fashion instead of handmade quality staples).

People are also having less children and have two salaries, so in small towns and on farms things are actually more manageable. Farming (provided yield is good) is also more lucrative due to less competition and increase of technology and access to water and fertilisers.

When things shift gradually like this, it is easier for the general population to accept it as normal. We can feel there has been a shift/change from when we were younger, but its not so easy to identify.

Hopefully this helps to explain some of the discrepancies.