WorldTax Compareโ† All Comparisons

Spain vs United Arab Emirates
Tax Rate Comparison

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

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain
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
19โ€“47%
National rates stable; community variation continues
No change
0%
No personal income tax; unlikely to change short-term
No change
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
4โ€“21%
Basic food VAT returning toward normal rates
No change
5%
5% stable; GCC coordination maintained
No change
Corporate Tax Rate
Corporate Tax Rate
25%
25% standard; digital services levy discussions
No change
9%
Corporate tax compliance and reporting maturing
No change
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
19โ€“28%
Progressive savings tax maintained
No change
0%
No CGT; free zone benefits under review for Pillar Two
No change
Social Security & Payroll
Social Security / Payroll
~37.2%
MEI surcharge continues gradual increase to 2032
โ–ฒ +0.2pp vs 2025
~17.5%
Emiratisation targets affecting employer costs
No change
State, Regional & Local Taxes

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain โ€” Autonomous Community & Municipal Taxes

Spain's 17 autonomous communities set their own half of income tax. Madrid applies significant reductions while Catalonia has higher regional rates. The Basque Country and Navarre have special tax regimes (concierto econรณmico). Municipal taxes include IBI (property tax) and IAE (business activity tax). Effective top rates (national + regional) range from ~43% (Madrid) to ~54% in some communities.

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.

Spain vs United Arab Emirates: Key Tax Differences (2026)

๐Ÿ’ฐ Income Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain has a higher top income tax rate (19โ€“47% vs 0%). ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates is more favourable for high earners.

๐Ÿ›’ VAT/Sales Tax: Spain has a higher consumption tax (4โ€“21% vs 5%).

๐Ÿข Corporate Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates offers a lower corporate rate (9% vs 25%), 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 28%), benefiting investors.

Related Comparisons

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ AustraliaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท FranceTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช GermanyTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช IrelandTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ NetherlandsTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ SwitzerlandTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United KingdomTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United StatesTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฑ AlbaniaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡พ BelarusTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฆ Bosnia and HerzegovinaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain vs ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ BulgariaTax comparison