WorldTax Compareโ† All Comparisons

United Arab Emirates vs Kuwait
Tax Rate Comparison

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

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates
vs
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ Kuwait
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
0%
No personal income tax; unlikely to change short-term
No change
0%
No personal income tax
No change
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
5%
5% stable; GCC coordination maintained
No change
5%
VAT introduction at 5% expected 2025โ€“2026
โ–ฒ +5.0pp vs 2025
Corporate Tax Rate
Corporate Tax Rate
9%
Corporate tax compliance and reporting maturing
No change
15%
15% foreign; domestic minimum tax for Pillar Two
No change
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
0%
No CGT; free zone benefits under review for Pillar Two
No change
0%
No CGT
No change
Social Security & Payroll
Social Security / Payroll
~17.5%
Emiratisation targets affecting employer costs
No change
~16%
PIFSS stable; expat levy discussions ongoing
No change
State, Regional & Local Taxes

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.

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ Kuwait โ€” No Sub-National Tax Variation

Kuwait is a city-state with no local or regional income taxes. All taxation is national. Kuwait has no income tax on individuals (citizens or expatriates). Foreign companies operating in Kuwait pay corporate income tax at 15%. National Labour Support Tax (NLST) at 2.5% applies to Kuwaiti listed company profits. Zakat at 1% applies to Kuwaiti company profits. The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) manages the state's sovereign wealth fund, which generates significant non-tax revenue reducing fiscal dependency.

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.

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

๐Ÿ’ฐ Income Tax: United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have similar top income tax rates (0% vs 0%).

๐Ÿ›’ VAT/Sales Tax: Both countries have comparable consumption tax rates (5% vs 5%).

๐Ÿข Corporate Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates offers a lower corporate rate (9% vs 15%), which can influence business location decisions.

Related Comparisons

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ญ BahrainTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช GermanyTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ด๐Ÿ‡ฒ OmanTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ถ๐Ÿ‡ฆ QatarTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi ArabiaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ SingaporeTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ SwitzerlandTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United KingdomTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United StatesTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ChinaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท FranceTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates vs ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ IndiaTax comparison