Taxes in Europe compared
Top income tax, capital gains tax and VAT for 19 countries – at a glance.
| Country | Top income tax | Capital gains | VAT (standard) | Social security (employee) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 60.5 % | 42 % | 25 % | 0.2 % |
| Finland | 56 % | 34 % | 25.5 % | 10.17 % |
| Austria | 55 % | 27.5 % | 20 % | 18.07 % |
| Belgium | 53.5 % | 10 % | 21 % | 13.07 % |
| Portugal | 53 % | 28 % | 23 % | 11 % |
| Ireland | 52 % | 33 % | 23 % | 4.2 % |
| Sweden | 52 % | 30 % | 25 % | 7 % |
| Netherlands | 49.5 % | 36 % | 21 % | 0 % |
| France | 49 % | 31.4 % | 20 % | 22 % |
| Germany | 47.475 % | 26.375 % | 19 % | 21 % |
| Norway | 47.4 % | 37.84 % | 25 % | 7.6 % |
| Spain | 47 % | 19 % | 21 % | 6.5 % |
| Luxembourg | 45.78 % | 0 % | 17 % | 12.95 % |
| Switzerland | 45 % | 0 % | 8.1 % | 11.5 % |
| United Kingdom | 45 % | 24 % | 20 % | 8 % |
| Greece | 44 % | 15 % | 24 % | 13.37 % |
| Italy | 43 % | 26 % | 22 % | 9.19 % |
| Poland | 36 % | 19 % | 23 % | 13.71 % |
| Czechia | 23 % | 15 % | 21 % | 11.6 % |
Top income tax = highest marginal rate on earned income incl. across-the-board surcharges (e.g. solidarity, municipal tax); federal countries (CH, ES, IT, SE) shown as a representative top value. Capital gains = typical rate for private investors; special cases: CH/LU long-term gains tax-free, NL taxes a notional return, NO/DK tiered.
Social security (employee) = representative employee share in % of gross below contribution ceilings; DK ~0 and NL 0 because funded via taxes/income tax there (AM-bidrag/volksverzekeringen sit in the income-tax column); CH incl. occupational pension, excl. private health. The columns are not simply additive.
As of 2026. General education, not tax advice. Rates and allowances change – seek professional advice before deciding.
Your data stays with you. Full stop.
Kontoo collects, sees and stores none of your personal financial data – no account, no cloud, everything runs on your device. The free version is funded by ads (Google AdSense, only with your consent); with Kontoo Premium it is ad- and tracking-free.