Salary Comparison

Security Engineer Salary:
Sydney vs Tokyo

Side-by-side gross salary, after-tax take-home pay, and purchasing power comparison. Updated June 2026.

Sydney
$167,040
/ year
+29%
difference
Tokyo
$129,218
/ year
Bottom line: Sydney wins on all three metrics โ€” higher salary, more take-home pay, and greater purchasing power. How is this calculated? โ†’
Metric
Sydney
Tokyo
Median Gross Salary
Annual, before tax
$167,040โœ“ higher
$129,218
Entry Level
0โ€“2 years experience
$108,024โœ“ higher
$83,565
Senior Level
8+ years experience
$258,298โœ“ higher
$199,813
Est. Take-Home Pay
After income tax + FICA
$103,565โœ“ higher
$87,868
Purchasing Power
Equivalent in median-CoL city
$123,733โœ“ higher
$95,717
Cost of Living Index
Relative to US median (1.00)
1.35ร—โœ“ lower
1.35ร—
Percentile 10 (Low)
Bottom 10% of earners
$164,196
$12,367,620โœ“ higher
Percentile 90 (High)
Top 10% of earners
$392,613
$29,572,324โœ“ higher

What if you move from Sydney to Tokyo?

Gross salary change
$37,822
29% decrease
Take-home change
$15,697
per year after tax
Purchasing power change
$28,016
equivalent real income

Take-home pay is estimated using 2024 US federal tax brackets (single filer) + 7.65% FICA, or a blended international effective rate. Purchasing power converts gross salary to an equivalent in a US median cost-of-living city (index 1.00ร—). Full methodology โ†’

Salary Range Comparison

Sydney$167,040
P10: $164,196Median: $167,040P90: $392,613
Tokyo$129,218
P10: $12,367,620Median: $129,218P90: $29,572,324

Frequently Asked Questions

โ–ถDoes a Security Engineer earn more in Sydney or Tokyo?

The median Security Engineer salary in Sydney is A$253,901/yr compared to ยฅ19,124,264/yr in Tokyo. Sydney pays 29% more in gross terms.

โ–ถIs a Security Engineer salary worth more in Sydney or Tokyo after cost of living?

After adjusting for local cost of living, your Sydney salary has the purchasing power of $123,733/yr in a median-cost city, vs $95,717/yr for Tokyo. Sydney offers stronger real purchasing power.

โ–ถWhat is the take-home pay for a Security Engineer in Sydney vs Tokyo?

After estimated taxes, a Security Engineer in Sydney takes home approximately $103,565/yr, vs $87,868/yr in Tokyo. These are estimates based on standard federal tax rates and do not account for state/local taxes or deductions.