South Africa vs Japan
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
🇿🇦 South Africa — Provincial & Municipal Taxes
South Africa's 9 provinces do not levy their own income tax — this is national. Municipalities levy property rates (0.5%–2.5% of assessed value/year), utilities, and refuse levies. Cape Town and Johannesburg have relatively higher municipal rates. Load-shedding prompted energy-related tax credits in recent budgets.
🇯🇵 Japan — Prefectural & Municipal Inhabitant Tax
Japan's 47 prefectures levy inhabitant tax (住民税) at a flat 10% on top of national income tax — 4% prefectural + 6% municipal. A reconstruction special income tax of 2.1% of national tax applies through 2037. Property acquisition tax and fixed asset tax (1.4% of assessed value) are levied locally. Large cities impose additional taxes on large businesses.
South Africa vs Japan: Key Tax Differences (2026)
💰 Income Tax: South Africa and Japan have similar top income tax rates (18–45% vs 5–45%).
🛒 VAT/Sales Tax: South Africa has a higher consumption tax (16% vs 8–10%).
🏢 Corporate Tax: 🇿🇦 South Africa offers a lower corporate rate (27% vs 30.62%), which can influence business location decisions.
📈 Capital Gains: 🇿🇦 South Africa taxes investment gains at a lower rate (18% vs 20.315%), benefiting investors.