It’s no secret Aussie lawyers can make serious money overseas. But the real question is: how much of it do you actually keep?

So we crunched the numbers on what a normal day costs in five global legal hubs — and the differences are… not small.

Meet Taylor — a 29-year-old corporate lawyer.

She wants the career leap, the lifestyle glow-up, and ideally, a healthier bank balance.

So we follow her through one “normal” workday in five cities: Sydney, London, New York, Dubai and the Caymans.

Same routine.
Same habits.
Same job.

Very different bill.

Let’s see where the money really goes.

Bright and early, Taylor wakes up in a one-bedroom apartment in the middle of the city. It’s the standard corporate expat arrangement.

Close to work, close to restaurants, close to coffee.

Here’s how much the monthly rent would set Taylor back in each location:

Calculated daily, and suddenly that apartment starts feeling more like a financial commitment than a convenience:

But now she’s up, let’s get to the first order of business: caffeine.

Taylor heads to a local cafe for her daily cappuccino - the unspoken cost of survival in corporate law.

Suddenly that Caymans coffee doesn’t taste so smooth…

Next up, Taylor hits the gym before she hits the office.

Here’s how much her monthly membership costs.

Which works out to about a daily cost of:

AirPods in.

Fit check.

Main-character energy activated.

Taylor takes a brisk (and free) stroll to work.

It’s finally 1:30 pm.

That means a casual lunch with an old friend. Taylor heads down the lifts to grab a bite at a (relatively) inexpensive local restaurant.

3pm hits. The post-meeting slump arrives.

She ducks into a convenience store for the classic Coke.

Alrightly. Still a bit of work left to do, but let’s make that an early tomorrow morning problem.

On the way home, Taylor swings by the supermarket for a top-up shop.

A small basket for the basics — fruit, milk, rice, eggs etc.

Quick one-way commute back home on public transport to get ready for an evening outing.

Email checking on pause, Taylor is ready to meet up with her friend for dinner.

A meal for two.
A couple of beers (because why not).
Nothing extravagant.

Just your standard “Thursday catch-up”.

For the dinner, Taylor’s half comes at around:

While each beer sets her back:

Alright, it’s late. Time for a cab home to close out Taylor’s busy day.

Now let’s add that up.

Every city.
Same routine.

Here’s the final bill for her day:

For more on how location, tax and salary stack up for Aussie lawyers abroad, check out our deep dive: “The surprising city where Australian lawyers earn the most.”

Source: Numbeo