WorldTax Compareโ† All Comparisons

South Korea vs United Arab Emirates
Tax Rate Comparison

Enter your income below for a personal tax estimate, then scroll down for full rate breakdowns.

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea
vs
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates
Tax Year:

๐Ÿ’ฐ Personal Income Tax Calculator

Enter your income to see your estimated annual tax liability in each country โ€” side by side.

Enter your annual income above to see your personal tax comparison โ†’
Individual Income Tax (Top Marginal Rate)
Top Income Tax Rate
6โ€“45%
Stable; political debate on top rate reduction
No change
0%
No personal income tax; unlikely to change short-term
No change
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
10%
Standard 10% maintained
No change
5%
5% stable; GCC coordination maintained
No change
Corporate Tax Rate
Corporate Tax Rate
9โ€“24%
Competitiveness discussions vs global peers
No change
9%
Corporate tax compliance and reporting maturing
No change
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
0โ€“45%
Financial income taxation reform continuing
No change
0%
No CGT; free zone benefits under review for Pillar Two
No change
Social Security & Payroll
Social Security / Payroll
~18.5%
Contribution rates stable; pension reform discussion
No change
~17.5%
Emiratisation targets affecting employer costs
No change
State, Regional & Local Taxes

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea โ€” Local Income Tax & Resident Tax

South Korea's 17 metropolitan/provincial governments levy local income tax at 10% of national income tax. Property holding tax (Jongbu-se) is a national progressive tax on higher-value properties. Local education taxes and acquisition taxes apply to property transfers. Seoul has higher effective rates due to property values.

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates โ€” Emirate-Level Fees & Free Zone Benefits

The UAE has no federal income tax on individuals. Emirates impose municipality fees (~5%) on commercial rents and tourism/hotel fees of 10โ€“15%. Free Zones (DIFC, ADGM, Jebel Ali) offer 0โ€“9% corporate rates for qualifying activities. Real estate transfer fees of 4% apply in Dubai. Emiratisation targets are increasing employer costs.

โš ๏ธ Disclaimer: Rates shown are standard top/headline rates for informational purposes. Actual tax liability depends on income level, residency, deductions, and tax treaties. 2025โ€“2026 data reflects announced or enacted rates and may be subject to change. Not financial or legal advice.

South Korea vs United Arab Emirates: Key Tax Differences (2026)

๐Ÿ’ฐ Income Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea has a higher top income tax rate (6โ€“45% vs 0%). ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates is more favourable for high earners.

๐Ÿ›’ VAT/Sales Tax: South Korea has a higher consumption tax (10% vs 5%).

๐Ÿข Corporate Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates offers a lower corporate rate (9% vs 24%), which can influence business location decisions.

๐Ÿ“ˆ Capital Gains: ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates taxes investment gains at a lower rate (0% vs 45%), benefiting investors.

Related Comparisons

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ AustraliaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ CanadaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ChinaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช GermanyTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong KongTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ IndiaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต JapanTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ New ZealandTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ SingaporeTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ผ TaiwanTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United KingdomTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea vs ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United StatesTax comparison