New Research Reveals You Need to Earn a Six-Figure Salary to Have True Happiness

Haha, yikes.

A new report by financial education website Expensivity has revealed that the cost of happiness in Australia requires an annual income of $176,500.

There goes my serotonin.

They calculated this number based on things like the cost of living and purchasing power, and attributed it to levels of satisfaction in over 160 countries.

If you think Australia’s number is a bit high, you’re not wrong, but you’ll also be shocked to find out that Bermuda, Israel, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Japan, Iceland and the US all ranked above $100,000 a year.

Can't wait to have enough money to buy my happiness.

— Twa. (@twitwa_) March 19, 2021

*Insert joke about millennials and avo toast.*

Australia actually ranked as the second-most expensive place to get your smiles on, with Bermuda taking out the top spot.

This is honestly some pretty devastating news to hear, so has anyone got a few spare dollars to cheer me up?

All jokes aside, Expensivity did acknowledge that the best things in life are free, including love, exercise and creativity, so if you earn below $176,500 a year, you don’t need to suddenly be concerned about your happiness.

On the flip side, they also calculated the countries where it is the least expensive to buy happiness. Starting with Suriname at just $8,900 per year, then closely followed by Argentina, Angola, Kyrgyzstan and Iran.

So, if you’re not willing to move halfway across the world for happiness, it looks like us Aussie plebs will have to do our best to work off that HECS debt, finish those Afterpay payments and get ourselves a hefty paying job.

If you think money can’t buy the happiness, then transfer it to my account.

— anis💗 (@anishssnddn_) March 19, 2021

Understandably, this is kind of disappointing news to hear if you’re a young person. But it’s important to remember that this is just the figures of one study, and you can find happiness however you want.

You can find out more info on how to find happiness via money in the Expensivity report here.

Header Image: FJZEA via Getty Images