Accountant Cost in Melbourne (2026)
Quick Answer
Partially verifiedIn Melbourne, an accountant typically costs about A$150-A$400 per hour for general small-business or tax/accounting work, with basic individual tax returns often around A$150-A$300 and more complex business accounting, BAS, payroll or advisory work costing more. Exact prices vary a lot by scope, urgency and whether you use a suburban tax agent, a CBD accounting firm or a specialist business adviser. Where exact Melbourne-wide published prices are limited, the ranges below are clearly marked as estimates.
Overview
Accountant pricing in Melbourne depends heavily on the type of work you need. For straightforward tasks such as an individual tax return, fees are usually far lower than for bookkeeping clean-up, business tax compliance, BAS lodgements, payroll support, company accounts or strategic tax planning. Small businesses in Melbourne commonly encounter either hourly billing, fixed-fee monthly packages, or one-off project fees for year-end accounts and tax returns. Boutique suburban firms may sit at the lower end of the market, while CBD firms, specialist tax advisers and chartered firms with advisory capability tend to charge more. For verified reference points, CPA Australia notes that tax agents and accountants may charge a fee for preparing and lodging tax returns and that this fee is generally tax deductible if related to managing your tax affairs. The Victorian Small Business Commission also points businesses to professional bookkeeping and accounting support as part of managing obligations, though it does not set prices. Because there is no single regulated fee schedule for accountants in Melbourne, most market pricing is determined by experience level, qualifications, turnaround time, software stack and the complexity of your records. As a practical guide, individuals usually pay a few hundred dollars, while small businesses often spend from several hundred dollars for one-off compliance jobs to several thousand dollars per year for ongoing support.
What It Costs
| Item | Cost | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant hourly rate in Melbourne(per hour) Estimated range based on typical market rates charged by Australian metropolitan accounting and tax practices for general compliance and advisory work; Melbourne varies by firm size, seniority and complexity. | ~A$150 – A$400 | Estimated range |
| Individual tax return(per return) Estimated market range for a straightforward to moderately complex return prepared by a registered tax professional in Melbourne. CPA Australia confirms accountants/tax agents commonly charge a fee, but does not publish a standard price. | ~A$150 – A$300 | Estimated range |
| Small business BAS preparation and lodgement(per BAS) Estimated range for accountant-prepared BAS for a small Melbourne business. Cost varies with transaction volume, bookkeeping quality and whether reconciliation work is needed. ATO source supports the BAS obligation, not the market fee. | ~A$150 – A$500 | Estimated range |
| Annual small business tax return and financial statements(per year) Estimated range for a small sole trader or company needing year-end accounts and tax return preparation in Melbourne. Costs increase for companies, trusts, poor records, inventory, payroll and multiple revenue streams. | A$1,200 – A$3,500 | Partially verified |
| Monthly accounting/bookkeeping support package for a small business(per month) Estimated Melbourne range for recurring support covering bookkeeping oversight, payroll processing, software reconciliation and periodic accountant review. Business Victoria is an official Victorian source for small business support, though it does not set package prices. | ~A$250 – A$1,500 | Estimated range |
What’s Typically Included
- Tax return preparation and lodgement
- BAS or GST compliance support
- Financial statement preparation
- Bookkeeping review or reconciliation
- Payroll and super compliance support
- General small-business tax advice
Common Jobs & Typical Prices
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Regulator / licensing: Tax Practitioners Board
Variants & Configurations
Duration
A simple individual return may take under an hour once documents are ready; business compliance jobs can take several hours to several weeks depending on record quality and scope.
How Fees Work
Common fee structures in Melbourne are hourly billing, fixed fees for tax returns and BAS, and monthly packages for ongoing business support.
Factors Affecting Price
- Whether you need a basic tax return, BAS, payroll help, year-end accounts or strategic tax advice
- Business structure and complexity, such as sole trader, company, trust, multiple entities or high transaction volume
- Quality of your bookkeeping records and whether the accountant must clean up reconciliations first
- Experience and qualifications of the practitioner, including registered tax agent, CPA or Chartered Accountant
- Firm location and positioning, with CBD and specialist advisory firms often charging more than suburban compliance-focused practices
- Turnaround time, software integrations and whether fees are hourly, fixed-fee or monthly packaged services
Local Context
In Melbourne, accountant fees are usually quoted in Australian dollars and may be billed either GST-inclusive or plus GST for business clients, so it is worth confirming this upfront. Tipping is not expected. Many small businesses use cloud accounting platforms such as Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, and fees often rise if the accountant must clean up unreconciled transactions before BAS or year-end lodgement. Inner-city specialist firms often charge more than suburban practices, but local accessibility can matter less now that much accounting work is done remotely.
Some figures here are still being verified.
Where a verified figure isn’t available yet, we say so rather than guess. For the most current pricing, check the official source below.
All figures are in AUD and should be checked for GST treatment, as some business quotes are provided before GST.
Sources & References
Every price on this page is traced to a documented source. Last checked 24 September 2026.
- ASIC - Small business · government
Supports company and small-business compliance context that often increases accounting scope and cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an accountant charge per hour in Melbourne?+
A reasonable market estimate is about A$150-A$400 per hour. Junior or compliance-focused work is often at the lower end, while senior tax advisory or complex business work can exceed that range.
How much does a tax return cost with an accountant in Melbourne?+
For a straightforward individual tax return, many people should expect roughly A$150-A$300. If you have rental property, capital gains, sole trader income or multiple investment schedules, the fee can rise materially.
Do Melbourne accountants offer fixed fees?+
Yes. Fixed-fee pricing is common for tax returns, BAS lodgements and monthly small-business packages, while advisory, clean-up work and complex tax matters are often billed hourly or by project.
Are accountant fees tax deductible in Australia?+
Often yes, where the fee relates to managing your tax affairs or earning assessable income. CPA Australia notes that tax-related accounting fees are generally deductible, but personal or non-deductible advice components may not be.
Why do some accountants in Melbourne cost much more than others?+
The largest drivers are complexity, turnaround speed, level of adviser seniority, whether bookkeeping is already tidy, and whether you need simple compliance or proactive tax planning and business advice.
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