ADF Posting Cost Calculator
What Defence actually pays for under PACMAN — and the parts of a posting that land on you. DHA eligibility, removal, disturbance allowance, the Imposed Restriction (IR) trap, and the costs no one quotes at recruitment.
Estimates are anchored to public PACMAN bands and DHA-published policy. Exact payable amounts depend on your classification, posting message, and the PACMAN edition in force at the time. Verify everything through your CO and the PACMAN web book at defence.gov.au/payandconditions.
Disturbance allowance is paid as a lump sum to offset the “cost of being disturbed”. PACMAN-anchored bands shown reflect family status. Physical removal of household effects (HHE) under PACMAN Chapter 6 is contracted by Defence — typically zero out-of-pocket if compliant with the inventory and insurance process (RMMRA).
- Spouse employment gap: Estimated 3 months at $7,500–$15,000 (lost net income). Top documented reason for ADF voluntary separation in Defence retention surveys.
- School transition: 1 school-age child. Defence School Transition Aide (DSTA) program supports continuity at the receiving school — paid to the school, not the family. Uniforms, enrolment fees, lost school camp deposits typically out-of-pocket.
- One-off out-of-pocket: ~$1,100–$3,400 (curtains/blinds top-up beyond reimbursement caps, vehicle re-registration between states, driver licence transfer, utility connections, fridge/freezer transit stand-down, replacing items that don't survive the move).
- Home equity: If renting at current base — break-lease fees vary by state. Defence will reimburse reasonable break-lease costs with documentation.
- Posting cycle wear-and-tear: Documented in ADF family research as a primary driver of family stress and child wellbeing impact — not a line item PACMAN can reimburse.
- Removal of HHE — packing, transit, insurance under RMMRA. Carrier-covered at ~100%.
- Disturbance allowance — lump sum, paid to your account before/after the move.
- Travel & accommodation in transit — flights or kilometric, plus TA per night.
- Housing at destination — DHA quarter if eligible, or rent allowance (RA) up to a classification cap.
- DSTA — funded (available) to support a receiving school's transition support for ADF children.
- Open Arms — DVA-funded counselling for serving and ex-serving members and families is free at point of access.
The financial cost of an ADF posting is mostly covered if you stay inside the policy lanes (DHA, RMMRA carrier, RA, DA, TA). The life cost—spouse career, kids' schooling, mortgage transactions, friend networks—is consistently the part that drives separations and family stress. Plan the posting cycle as a multi-year cost on your career partner and household, not just a moving budget.
PACMAN — Pay and Conditions Manual (defence.gov.au/payandconditions) · Defence Housing Australia (dha.gov.au) · Defence School Transition Aide program (defence.gov.au/education) · Open Arms — Veterans & Families Counselling (openarms.gov.au) · Department of Veterans' Affairs (dva.gov.au) — family wellbeing reports.