Where you keep the most of what you earn: top income tax rates in 73 countries, the places with no income tax at all, special deals for new residents, wealth taxes and the cost of leaving. Rates checked 2026-10-15.
Short answer: the United Arab Emirates, Monaco, the Gulf states and a handful of Caribbean islands levy no personal income tax. In Europe the lowest top rates are in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Estonia, Czechia. In Asia, Hong Kong caps salaries tax at 16% and Singapore tops out at 24%. For wealthy newcomers, Italy, Greece and Switzerland offer fixed yearly taxes on foreign income, whatever its size.
Compare whole tax systems, including VAT, corporate tax, the tax wedge and the total tax burden, on tax by country.
What would your salary leave you with? The salary around the world calculator works out income tax, social security, take-home pay and buying power for your exact salary in 30 countries.
This page compares headline rules. It is not tax advice: what you actually pay depends on residency rules, tax treaties, social security, the type of income and where you are a citizen. Speak to a qualified adviser before you move.
| Where | What to know |
|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | No tax on salaries, dividends or capital gains for individuals. 5% VAT. |
| Monaco | No income tax for residents, except French citizens, who are taxed by France. |
| Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain | No personal income tax; Bahrain charges expatriates 1% social insurance. |
| Saudi Arabia | No income tax on salaries; Saudi and GCC nationals pay zakat on business assets. |
| Oman | No income tax today; a 5% tax on income above OMR 42,000 (about $109,000) starts in 2028. |
| The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bermuda | No income tax; Bermuda has a payroll tax shared by employer and employee. |
| Brunei, Vanuatu, St Kitts and Nevis | No personal income tax on residents. |
Low income tax is usually paid for in other ways: VAT, fees, high housing costs or oil revenue. Sources: International Insurance, PwC.
| # | Country | Top income tax rate | Note | Top 1% income from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 0% | no personal income tax | $450,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 2 | Bulgaria | 10% | flat | $125,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 3 | Romania | 10% | flat | $139,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 4 | Hungary | 15% | flat | $132,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 5 | Hong Kong | 16% | standard-rate cap | $495,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 6 | Cambodia | 20% | – | $25,800 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 7 | Estonia | 22% | flat | $196,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 8 | Russia | 22% | residents, from 2025 | $124,000 | Wikipedia |
| 9 | Czechia | 23% | – | $133,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 10 | Singapore | 24% | – | $696,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 11 | Costa Rica | 25% | – | $226,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 12 | Nigeria | 25% | – | $15,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 13 | Brazil | 27.5% | – | $160,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 14 | Egypt | 27.5% | – | $43,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 15 | Bangladesh | 30% | – | $21,500 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 16 | Malaysia | 30% | – | $81,400 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 17 | Peru | 30% | – | $134,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 18 | Rwanda | 30% | – | $18,100 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 19 | Tanzania | 30% | – | $19,400 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 20 | Côte d’Ivoire | 32% | – | $42,100 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 21 | Lithuania | 32% | – | $153,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 22 | Canada | 33% | federal; plus 11.5–21.8% provincial | $315,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 23 | Croatia | 33% | – | $146,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 24 | Argentina | 35% | – | $144,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 25 | Cyprus | 35% | – | $136,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 26 | Ethiopia | 35% | – | $10,800 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 27 | Ghana | 35% | – | $52,200 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 28 | Indonesia | 35% | – | $40,100 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 29 | Kenya | 35% | – | $31,300 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 30 | Malta | 35% | – | $242,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 31 | Mexico | 35% | – | $209,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 32 | Pakistan | 35% | salaried; 45% non-salaried | $17,800 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 33 | Philippines | 35% | – | $37,200 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 34 | Slovakia | 35% | – | $101,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 35 | Thailand | 35% | – | $71,100 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 36 | Vietnam | 35% | – | $36,400 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 37 | Latvia | 36% | – | $125,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 38 | Poland | 36% | incl. 4% solidarity levy | $133,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 39 | Uruguay | 36% | – | $230,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 40 | Morocco | 37% | – | $49,400 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 41 | United States | 37% | federal; plus state tax up to 13.3% | $591,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 42 | Colombia | 39% | – | $102,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 43 | India | 39% | incl. surcharge, new regime | $29,100 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 44 | New Zealand | 39% | – | $266,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 45 | Norway | 39.6% | – | $495,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 46 | Switzerland | 39.7% | highest canton capital | $454,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 47 | Chile | 40% | – | $203,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 48 | Taiwan | 40% | – | $318,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 49 | Uganda | 40% | – | $20,800 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 50 | Turkey | 40.8% | – | $163,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 51 | Senegal | 43% | – | $29,400 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 52 | Greece | 44% | – | $133,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 53 | Australia | 45% | plus 2% Medicare levy | $398,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 54 | China | 45% | – | $94,100 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 55 | Finland | 45% | – | $237,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 56 | Japan | 45% | plus 2.1% surtax and about 10% local tax | $277,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 57 | South Africa | 45% | – | $112,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 58 | South Korea | 45% | plus 10% local surtax | $186,000 | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
| 59 | United Kingdom | 45% | Scotland higher | $321,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 60 | Luxembourg | 45.8% | incl. solidarity tax | $1.06 million | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 61 | Iceland | 46.3% | – | $420,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 62 | Italy | 47.2% | incl. regional and municipal | $193,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 63 | Germany | 47.5% | incl. solidarity surcharge | $329,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 64 | Ireland | 48% | incl. USC | $515,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 65 | Netherlands | 49.5% | – | $330,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 66 | Slovenia | 50% | – | $151,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 67 | Sweden | 52.3% | incl. average municipal | $279,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 68 | Portugal | 53% | incl. solidarity surtax | $164,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 69 | Belgium | 53.5% | – | $300,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 70 | Spain | 54% | highest region | $188,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 71 | Austria | 55% | – | $291,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 72 | France | 55.4% | incl. surtax and social charges | $261,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
| 73 | Denmark | 60.5% | incl. labour market tax | $355,000 | Tax Foundation 2026 |
Click a column to sort. European rates are Tax Foundation’s combined top rates, including surcharges and average local taxes; other rates are PwC’s headline national rates, so local taxes come on top where the note says so. “Top 1% income from” is the pre-tax income per adult needed to join each country’s top 1% (WealthPercentile model, US dollars at ECB rates of 2026-10-09).
Several countries compete for wealthy or skilled newcomers with time-limited deals. They usually require that you have not lived there for years, and many only cover foreign income.
A fixed €200,000 a year covers all foreign income, plus €25,000 per family member, for up to 15 years. Italian income is taxed normally. The draft 2026 budget proposed €300,000 for new arrivals.
Who qualifies: People moving their tax residence to Italy who were not resident in most of the previous ten years.
Source: Baker McKenzie
A fixed €100,000 a year covers all foreign income, plus €20,000 per family member, for up to 15 years.
Who qualifies: Not Greek tax resident in 7 of the last 8 years, and €500,000 invested in Greece within three years.
Source: Private Law wiki
Tax is based on living costs instead of income: at least seven times the rent, and at least CHF 400,000 for federal tax. Abolished in Zurich, Basel and three other cantons.
Who qualifies: Foreign nationals arriving for the first time (or after ten years away) who do not work in Switzerland.
Source: Bucher Tax
24% flat on Spanish work income up to €600,000 (47% above) for six years; most foreign income is exempt. Wealth tax still applies.
Who qualifies: Employees, directors, entrepreneurs and remote workers not resident in Spain in the previous five years.
Source: Costa Luz Lawyers
20% flat on qualifying Portuguese work income for ten years; most foreign income exempt, but not foreign pensions.
Who qualifies: New residents (not resident in the past five years) in research, teaching, certified start-ups or other listed skilled jobs.
Source: Private Law wiki
No Special Defence Contribution on dividends for non-domiciled residents for 17 years; residency possible with 60 days a year under conditions.
Who qualifies: Individuals not domiciled in Cyprus.
Source: Savva & Associates
Since April 2025 the old non-dom rules are gone. New arrivals pay no UK tax on foreign income and gains for their first four years of residence.
Who qualifies: People not UK tax resident in any of the previous ten years.
Source: ACCA
Only three European countries still tax total net wealth every year. If you have large savings, this can matter more than the income tax rate.
| Country | Rule (2026) |
|---|---|
| Norway | 1.0% above NOK 1.9 million (about €173,000) of net wealth, 1.1% above NOK 21.5 million |
| Spain | Regional rates from 0.16% to 3.5% (some regions exempt up to €3 million), plus a national solidarity tax of 1.7–3.5% above €3 million |
| Switzerland | Set by each canton on worldwide net wealth (excluding foreign real estate); rates and allowances vary widely |
| France | No general wealth tax since 2018, but a real-estate wealth tax of up to 1.5% on net property above €1.3 million |
Source: Tax Foundation, Wealth taxes in Europe (2026).
For income tax, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Estonia, Czechia have the lowest top rates (10–23%). Monaco has no income tax for residents other than French citizens.
Denmark, with a top rate of 60.5%, followed by France (55.4%) and Austria (55%).
Yes, if you really move: change your residence, meet the new country’s rules and settle any exit tax at home. Pretending to live somewhere you do not is tax evasion.
Use the calculator to compare your income or net worth with any of the 77 countries, or see where a $100,000 income is common.