Costa Rica vs Barbados
Tax Rate Comparison
Enter your income below for a personal tax estimate, then scroll down for full rate breakdowns.
💰 Personal Income Tax Calculator
Enter your income to see your estimated annual tax liability in each country — side by side.
Individual Income Tax (Top Marginal Rate)
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
Corporate Tax Rate
Capital Gains Tax
Social Security & Payroll
🇨🇷 Costa Rica — Municipal Taxes
Costa Rica's 84 cantons (municipalities) levy the impuesto sobre bienes inmuebles (property tax at 0.25% of assessed value), business licences (patente municipal), and construction permits. The Municipalidad de San José and other urban cantons have highest rates. National taxes are administered by the Ministry of Finance (Hacienda). Costa Rica underwent significant fiscal reform in 2018–19 to address a fiscal deficit, converting the sales tax to a comprehensive VAT and modifying income tax.
🇧🇧 Barbados — Parish Councils & Land Tax
Barbados's 11 parishes have parish councils that levy land tax at 0.1%–0.7% of site value. Barbados has long been a significant international business and financial centre, particularly for Canadian companies. Major tax reform in 2019 aligned Barbados with OECD BEPS standards. A tiered corporate tax rate structure was introduced. Barbados was removed from the EU tax haven blacklist following these reforms and maintains competitiveness as an IFC.
Costa Rica vs Barbados: Key Tax Differences (2026)
💰 Income Tax: 🇧🇧 Barbados has a higher top income tax rate (0–25% vs 12.5–28.5%). 🇨🇷 Costa Rica is more favourable for high earners.
🛒 VAT/Sales Tax: Barbados has a higher consumption tax (13% vs 17.5%).
🏢 Corporate Tax: 🇧🇧 Barbados offers a lower corporate rate (9% vs 30%), which can influence business location decisions.
📈 Capital Gains: 🇧🇧 Barbados taxes investment gains at a lower rate (0% vs 15%), benefiting investors.