What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover

The Australian Taxation Office publishes ranges for small businesses' main costs as a share of turnover, by industry and size. This page sets them out by industry and turnover band.

The ranges come from tax returns and activity statements of small businesses in each industry. The ATO publishes them so businesses can compare their own figures. This page reproduces them and is not connected with the ATO.

Machinery and equipment repair and maintenance

Industry: Machinery and equipment repair and maintenance

In Machinery and equipment repair and maintenance, the ATO's range for businesses with turnover of more than A$600,000 was 19% to 34% of turnover on labour in 2023-24.

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The ATO's ranges for Machinery and equipment repair and maintenance, turnover of A$200,001 to A$600,000, 2023-24Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover. The table below gives the same figures.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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onestepright, "What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover", updated October 2026, https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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<a href="https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band"><img src="https://onestepright.com/embed/small-business-cost-ratios/ratios-band.png" alt="The ATO's ranges for Air conditioning, refrigeration and heating services, turnover of more than A$600,000, 2023-24. From onestepright.com. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright." width="704" height="432" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>
Cost ratios for Machinery and equipment repair and maintenance, by turnover band, 2023-24
Turnover (A$)Cost of sales (%)Labour (%)Rent (%)Motor vehicle (%)Total expenses (%)
50,000 to 200,00017 to 3522 to 386 to 116 to 1047 to 68
200,001 to 600,00019 to 3919 to 364 to 84 to 754 to 76
More than 600,00031 to 4919 to 342 to 42 to 477 to 87

Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

Set your own costs as a share of turnover beside your industry's range. A figure outside the range is a question to ask about your prices and costs.

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Small business cost ratios by industry · onestepright