Port Augusta is a regional city located in northern South Australia, approximately 320km north of Adelaide. As the major service centre for outback South Australia, the city has a population of around 13,500 people. While it offers an appealing regional lifestyle, the cost of living as a GP here does present some unique financial considerations.
The average salary for a GP here is estimated to be $149 per 149 hours. Working full-time, this equates to an average annual salary of about $309,000. This is a higher salary compared to the Australian average, but the standard of living here is also greater than the national average. While this is a substantial income compared to the Australian average, the expenditure levels in the city are also above the national average.
Housing
Housing is typically the biggest expense for medical professionals when considering, the cost of living in Port Augusta. The median house price in the city is currently around $280,000, with units averaging $160,000. Rental properties can range from $250-400 per week for a standard 3-bedroom house. While housing is more affordable than capital cities, the supply of rental accommodation is limited, especially for larger families. GPs may need to consider purchasing a home to ensure long-term accommodation.
Salary
Private medical practitioners in Port Augusta earn approximately $250,000 per year before tax. However, running a medical practice also involves significant overheads. Staff wages, medical supplies, insurance, registration and professional development fees all need to be covered by the practice income. The fees of maintaining licensure and continuing medical education can amount to $10,000-15,000 annually.
Other expenses
The cost of living in Port Augusta is higher than in Adelaide because of its distant location, which also results in greater petrol, utility, and grocery prices. A family of four’s weekly grocery expenses usually fall between $250 and $350. Gas and electricity charges are generally often 20–30% more than in big cities. The closest large retail centres are more than 300 kilometres away, thus the total fee of necessary goods and services is further impacted by online delivery and freight charges.
Some key costs of living expenses in Port Augusta:
- Housing: Here, the typical cost of a home is approximately $300,000. A three-bedroom house can be rented for between $300 and $400 a week.
- Utilities: Depending on home consumption, average monthly prices for gas, electricity, water, and internet can range from $300 to $500.
- Food: Because of the city’s distant location, grocery expenses are comparable to or somewhat higher than the national average.
- Transportation: The city is located in a regional area, so owning a car is necessary. Compared to big cities, the price of fuel, registration, and insurance is higher.
- Healthcare: As a GP, your medical fees would be largely covered, but you’d need to budget for family expenses.
Overall, the lucrative pay in the city is somewhat countered by the high cost of housing, utilities, and commuting, which causes the cost of living to fluctuate. Although careful planning would be necessary, based on average reported incomes, you would still be able to live comfortably in the city at a middle-to-high salary level as a general practitioner. Working as a general practitioner here offers substantial lifestyle benefits, as it is one of the few regional centres catering to outback populations. Check out the GP opportunities in Port Augusta with Medfuture today. However one must carefully weigh the financial reality of practice overheads, housing expenditures, and overall living expenses. Although salaries appear to be on pace with capital cities, Port Augusta’s greater living costs lower disposable income.
