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.

Cleaning services – building and other industrial

Industry: Cleaning services – building and other industrial

In Cleaning services – building and other industrial, the ATO's range for businesses with turnover of more than A$250,000 was 35% to 56% of turnover on labour in 2023-24.

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The ATO's ranges for Cleaning services – building and other industrial, turnover of A$50,000 to A$115,000, 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$600,000, 2023-24. From onestepright.com. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright." width="704" height="432" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>
Cost ratios for Cleaning services – building and other industrial, by turnover band, 2023-24
Turnover (A$)Cost of sales (%)Labour (%)Rent (%)Motor vehicle (%)Total expenses (%)
50,000 to 115,000Not published31 to 48Not published7 to 1130 to 53
115,001 to 250,000Not published29 to 47Not published5 to 946 to 69
More than 250,000Not published35 to 56Not published3 to 569 to 85

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.

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Small business cost ratios by industry · onestepright