Original data · v2026.1 · Last reviewed June 2026
The Global Take-Home Pay Index
What a single earner actually keeps after tax, computed across 8 countries at four standardized income levels — straight from each country's statutory tax tables, not a survey. Free to read and cite.
Headline findings
- Lightest tax at $100,000United States20.8% effective · $79,180 kept
- Heaviest tax at $100,000Pakistan35.0% effective · $65,038 kept
- Spread across 8 countries14.1 pointsdifference in effective rate at this income
Effective tax rate by country
Total income tax and social contributions as a share of gross, at each USD-equivalent salary. Lower is better for the earner.
| Country | $30,000 | $60,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 | Tax year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 12.4% | 16.0% | 20.8% | 24.1% | 2025 |
| United Kingdom | 13.1% | 20.6% | 28.6% | 36.3% | 2026/27 |
| Canada (Ontario) | 20.2% | 26.7% | 30.3% | 34.8% | 2025 |
| Australia | 11.6% | 21.8% | 26.8% | 32.3% | 2025/26 |
| Ireland | 11.1% | 23.2% | 34.0% | 40.0% | 2026 |
| New Zealand | 16.0% | 24.6% | 28.5% | 31.7% | 2025/26 |
| India | 13.2% | 22.2% | 25.8% | 27.6% | 2025/26 (new regime) |
| Pakistan | 25.3% | 32.8% | 35.0% | 36.0% | 2025/26 |
Take-home pay (USD-equivalent)
What's left after tax, converted back to USD at indicative rates as of June 2026. Directional — use the calculators for exact local figures.
| Country | $30,000 | $60,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $26,285 | $50,390 | $79,180 | $113,791 |
| United Kingdom | $26,055 | $47,655 | $71,364 | $95,515 |
| Canada (Ontario) | $23,952 | $43,991 | $69,696 | $97,745 |
| Australia | $26,516 | $46,916 | $73,213 | $101,519 |
| Ireland | $26,684 | $46,101 | $66,028 | $89,928 |
| New Zealand | $25,209 | $45,223 | $71,506 | $102,435 |
| India | $26,054 | $46,694 | $74,214 | $108,614 |
| Pakistan | $22,425 | $40,298 | $65,038 | $95,963 |
Each row is taxed in local currency; e.g. United Kingdom figures derive from £79,000 gross → £56,377 take-home at the $100,000 tier.
What's deducted, by country
- United States
- Federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare (no state tax).
- United Kingdom
- Income tax and National Insurance.
- Canada (Ontario)
- Federal and Ontario income tax, CPP, and EI.
- Australia
- Income tax and the Medicare levy.
- Ireland
- Income tax, USC, and PRSI.
- New Zealand
- Income tax (PAYE) and the ACC levy.
- India
- Income tax and cess under the new regime.
- Pakistan
- FBR salaried income tax and surcharge.
Methodology & honest limits
Every figure is computed from the same open tax engine that powers our country salary calculators, for a single filer with no pension or retirement contributions, no student loan, and no dependants, using each country's latest modelled tax year. Deductions are employee-side only — income tax plus social contributions (e.g. National Insurance, FICA, CPP/EI, PRSI, ACC) where they apply; employer costs are excluded. Local-currency effective rates are exact for these assumptions. Gross incomes are standardized in USD and converted to local currency at indicative mid-market rates as of June 2026, so the USD take-home columns are directional rather than precise.
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated in this index?
Every figure is computed from the same open tax engine that powers our country salary calculators, for a single filer with no pension or retirement contributions, no student loan, and no dependants, using each country's latest modelled tax year. Deductions are employee-side only — income tax plus social contributions (e.g. National Insurance, FICA, CPP/EI, PRSI, ACC) where they apply; employer costs are excluded. Local-currency effective rates are exact for these assumptions. Gross incomes are standardized in USD and converted to local currency at indicative mid-market rates as of June 2026, so the USD take-home columns are directional rather than precise.
Which country has the lowest income tax on a high salary?
Of the 8 countries modelled, a single earner on a $100,000-equivalent salary keeps the most in the United States (an effective 20.8% in tax and contributions) and the least in Pakistan (35.0%) — a spread of about 14.1 percentage points.
Are employer costs or pension contributions included?
No. These are employee-side deductions only — income tax plus mandatory social contributions where they apply. Voluntary pension or retirement contributions, student loans, and dependants are excluded so the comparison stays like-for-like. To model your own pension or student loan, use the matching country salary calculator.
Why are the cross-country (USD) figures only directional?
Each country is taxed in its own currency. To line them up, gross incomes are standardized in USD and converted to local currency at indicative mid-market rates as of June 2026. Exchange rates move, so treat the USD take-home columns as directional; the local-currency effective rates are exact for the modelled assumptions.
Can I cite this data?
Yes. The Global Take-Home Pay Index is free to cite with attribution to Thrivelance and a link back to this page. A machine-readable markdown version is available to AI agents and tools via content negotiation on this URL.
Put the data to work
Model your own number with the calculators behind this index.