Data updated for 2026
Corporate and Dividend Tax Rates by Country 2026
How much can a business owner actually keep from €100,000 in company profits? This table compares the combined corporate + dividend extraction tax across 25+ countries, sorted from lowest to highest effective rate.
Cyprus Non-Dom: 17.3% effective rate
15% corporate tax + 2.65% GHS on dividends. EU member. 0% CGT on shares. 0% on foreign passive income under Non-Dom.
€82,750
kept per €100k profit
Effective Rate Comparison
Entrepreneur model: €100k company profit, fully extracted as dividends. Sorted lowest to highest.
Cash flow: 4-14 weeks to receive 6/7 refund. Complex administration.
No EU access. No SEPA banking. Extreme summer heat. No EU passport benefits.
Not EU. High cost of living. Requires physical presence and substance.
Not EU. High cost of living. Residence permit requires significant assets or employment.
Tax deferred if profits retained. Social contributions (33% combined) are high.
High personal income tax (44% top rate) if taking salary. High EFKA social contributions.
ZUS mandatory social contributions: €6,000-15,000/year for self-employed regardless of profit.
US citizens taxed on worldwide income regardless of residence. FATCA/FBAR apply.
IFICI (NHR successor) offers reduced rates for specific professions only.
| # | Country | Corp Tax | Div Tax | Effective Rate | Keep from €100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 35% | 0% | €94,750 | |
| 2 | 🇦🇪 UAE / DubaiNon-EU | 9% | 0% | €91,000 | |
| 3 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 10% | 5% | €85,500 | |
| 4 | 🇸🇬 SingaporeNon-EU | 17% | 0% | €83,000 | |
| 5 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus (Non-Dom)recommended | 15% | 2.65% | €82,750 | |
| 6 | 🇨🇭 SwitzerlandNon-EU | 18% | 0% | €82,000 | |
| 7 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 0% | 20% | €80,000 | |
| 8 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 9% | 15% | €77,350 | |
| 9 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 22% | 5% | €74,100 | |
| 10 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 19% | 19% | €65,610 | |
| 11 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 15% | 25% | €63,750 | |
| 12 | 🇺🇸 USANon-EU | 21% | 23.8% | €60,200 | |
| 13 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 19% | 29% | €60,000 | |
| 14 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 20% | 26% | €59,200 | |
| 15 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 21% | 28% | €56,880 | |
| 16 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 24% | 26% | €56,240 | |
| 17 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 23% | 27.5% | €55,825 | |
| 18 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 20.6% | 30% | €55,580 | |
| 19 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 25% | 28% | €54,000 | |
| 20 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 25% | 30% | €52,500 | |
| 21 | 🇫🇷 France | 25% | 30% | €52,500 | |
| 22 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 30% | 26.4% | €52,320 | |
| 23 | 🇳🇴 NorwayNon-EU | 22% | 37.8% | €48,500 | |
| 24 | 🇬🇧 UKNon-EU | 25% | 39.35% | €45,500 | |
| 25 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 22% | 42% | €45,200 |
Nominal Tax Rates — Key Figures
Standard published rates for reference. Actual burden depends on income level and structure.
| Country | Top Income | CGT (Shares) | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
🇲🇹Malta | 35% | 0% | Yes |
🇦🇪UAE / Dubai | 0% | 0% | No |
🇧🇬Bulgaria | 10% | 10% | Yes |
🇸🇬Singapore | 22% | 0% | No |
🇨🇾Cyprus (Non-Dom) | 35% | 0% | Yes |
🇨🇭Switzerland | 40% | 0% | No |
🇪🇪Estonia | 20% | 0% | Yes |
🇭🇺Hungary | 15% | 15% | Yes |
🇬🇷Greece | 44% | 15% | Yes |
🇵🇱Poland | 32% | 19% | Yes |
🇮🇪Ireland | 40% | 33% | Yes |
🇺🇸USA | 37% | 23.8% | No |
🇳🇱Netherlands | 49.5% | 31% | Yes |
🇫🇮Finland | 56.95% | 30% | Yes |
🇵🇹Portugal | 48% | 28% | Yes |
🇮🇹Italy | 43% | 26% | Yes |
🇦🇹Austria | 55% | 27.5% | Yes |
🇸🇪Sweden | 52% | 30% | Yes |
🇪🇸Spain | 47% | 28% | Yes |
🇧🇪Belgium | 50% | 0% | Yes |
🇫🇷France | 49% | 30% | Yes |
🇩🇪Germany | 47.5% | 26.4% | Yes |
🇳🇴Norway | 47.4% | 37.8% | No |
🇬🇧UK | 45% | 24% | No |
🇩🇰Denmark | 56% | 42% | Yes |
Social contributions shown are employee portion only. Employer contributions are additional (not shown). Cyprus: 8.8% employee capped at €66,612/year.
Country Notes and Caveats
Malta
35% corporate tax paid upfront. 6/7 refund mechanism reduces effective corporate tax to ~5%. Dividend to shareholder: 0% after refund.
Cash flow: 4-14 weeks to receive 6/7 refund. Complex administration.
UAE / Dubai
9% corporate tax (from June 2023). No personal income tax, no dividend tax, no CGT.
No EU access. No SEPA banking. Extreme summer heat. No EU passport benefits.
Bulgaria
10% flat corporate tax. 5% dividend WHT for residents. 10% flat personal income tax.
Singapore
17% corporate tax. Dividends are one-tier: no further tax at shareholder level. No CGT.
Not EU. High cost of living. Requires physical presence and substance.
Cyprus (Non-Dom)
15% corporate tax (from Jan 2026). Non-Dom: 0% income tax + 0% SDC on dividends. Only 2.65% GHS (capped at €180,000 income). 0% CGT on shares worldwide.
Switzerland
Corporate tax varies by canton: 11-21% (average ~18%). 35% dividend WHT withheld but fully refundable to Swiss residents. 0% CGT on private share sales.
Not EU. High cost of living. Residence permit requires significant assets or employment.
Estonia
0% on retained profits. 20% corporate tax only when profits are distributed. No separate dividend tax — the 20% applies at distribution level. 0% CGT.
Tax deferred if profits retained. Social contributions (33% combined) are high.
Hungary
9% corporate tax (EU lowest). 15% flat personal income tax on dividends. Additional social contributions may apply.
Greece
22% corporate tax. 5% dividend tax for residents (reduced from 10% in 2020). 15% CGT on listed shares.
High personal income tax (44% top rate) if taking salary. High EFKA social contributions.
Poland
19% CIT (9% for small businesses under PLN 2M). 19% flat dividend tax for individuals.
ZUS mandatory social contributions: €6,000-15,000/year for self-employed regardless of profit.
Ireland
15% corporate tax (aligned with OECD Pillar Two). Dividends taxed as income (25%+ effective). 33% CGT on share disposal.
USA
21% federal corporate tax. 20% LTCG tax + 3.8% NIIT = 23.8% on qualified dividends. State taxes additional (varies 0-13%).
US citizens taxed on worldwide income regardless of residence. FATCA/FBAR apply.
Netherlands
19% CIT on first €200k (25.8% above). Box 2 dividend tax: 24.5% up to €67,804 + 33% above. ZZP (freelancer) deductions significantly reduced from 2025.
Finland
20% corporate tax. Listed company dividends: 85% taxable at 30%/34% = ~26% effective. Top marginal income rate 56.95% (state + municipal).
Portugal
21% IRC. 28% flat withholding on dividends. NHR regime ended January 2024 for new applicants.
IFICI (NHR successor) offers reduced rates for specific professions only.
Italy
24% IRES corporate tax (+ ~3.9% IRAP regional). 26% flat tax on dividends (sostitutiva). Note: €200,000 flat tax regime available for new residents (neo-residenti).
Austria
23% corporate tax. 27.5% KESt on dividends. Top income tax rate 55% (above €1M). High social contributions for employees.
Sweden
20.6% corporate tax. 30% flat capital income tax on dividends. Top personal income tax ~52% (state 20% + municipal ~32%).
Spain
25% corporate tax. 28% savings tax on dividends (19% up to €6k, 21% €6k-50k, 23% €50k-200k, 27% €200k-300k, 28% above). Beckham Law (SETR): 24% flat on Spanish-source income for 6 years.
Belgium
25% corporate tax. 30% roerende voorheffing on dividends. 0% CGT on private share sales (unless speculative or within 1 year: 33%).
France
25% IS corporate tax. 30% prelevement forfaitaire unique (PFU) on dividends (12.8% income + 17.2% social charges). Top marginal rate 45% income + ~17% social charges.
Germany
~30% effective corporate tax (15% KSt + ~15% Gewerbesteuer average). 26.375% Abgeltungsteuer on dividends (25% + 5.5% solidarity). Exit tax (Wegzugsteuer) applies on unrealised gains when leaving.
Norway
22% corporate tax. Dividend tax (skjermingsfradrag model): 37.84% effective on distributions above the risk-free return. Exit tax on shares when leaving Norway.
UK
25% corporation tax (19% for small profits under £50k). 39.35% dividend tax for additional rate taxpayers. Non-Dom regime abolished April 2025. 24% CGT on share disposal.
Denmark
22% corporate tax. 42% capital income tax on dividends above DKK 61,000 (27% below). 56% top personal income tax. 150% car registration tax.
Methodology
Effective rate model: a company earns €100,000 gross profit. It pays corporate tax, then distributes all remaining profit as dividends to the sole owner. The owner pays dividend/distribution tax. Effective rate = (corporate tax + dividend tax) / €100,000. Does not include salary costs, social contributions on salary, or personal income tax on salary — this model assumes full dividend extraction. Real-world effective rates vary based on income level, salary vs dividend split, tax treaty provisions, and local social contributions. Data based on 2026 published rates. Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries 2026, EY Tax Guides 2026, KPMG Tax Rates Online.
Calculate Your Exact Cyprus Tax
Input your revenue, salary, and costs to get a precise breakdown of what you would pay in Cyprus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lowest effective tax rate for entrepreneurs in Europe?
Malta has the lowest at approximately 5.3% via the 6/7 refund mechanism, but requires 4-14 weeks to receive the refund. Bulgaria is at 14.5% (10% corp + 5% dividend). Cyprus Non-Dom is 17.3% (15% corp + 2.65% GHS on dividends) with no cash flow delay and EU membership.
How does Cyprus compare to Germany for a business owner earning €100k?
Germany: approximately €47,700 in taxes (47.7% effective rate) — €30,000 corporate tax + €18,000 dividend tax. Cyprus Non-Dom: approximately €17,250 in taxes (17.3% effective) — €15,000 corporate tax + €2,250 GHS. Annual saving: approximately €30,000 on €100k.
Is Cyprus Non-Dom the best tax option in the EU?
For entrepreneurs extracting profits as dividends, Cyprus Non-Dom (17.3% effective) is among the best in the EU — below Malta (5.3% but complex refund), Bulgaria (14.5%), Hungary (22.7%), and Greece (25.9%). Cyprus adds EU membership, established banking, English widely spoken, and the Mediterranean lifestyle.
What does this effective rate calculation include?
The effective rate assumes: company earns €100k profit, pays corporate tax, distributes remainder as dividends. Dividend/distribution tax applied at individual level. Totals divided by €100k. Does not include salary-related social contributions or local/state taxes. Real rates vary by income level.
Does this table apply to freelancers or only company owners?
The corporate + dividend model applies to business owners using a company structure (Ltd, GmbH, SAS, etc.). Freelancers taxed as self-employed face different (usually higher) effective rates in most countries. In Cyprus, self-employed pay 16.6% social insurance + GHS + income tax. The company structure is typically more efficient above €40-50k/year.
What is the effective tax rate for a UK expat moving to Cyprus?
UK: 25% corporate + 39.35% dividend tax on remainder = approximately 54.5% effective on €100k. Cyprus Non-Dom: 15% corporate + 2.65% GHS = approximately 17.3% effective. Annual saving on €100k: approximately €37,000. The UK abolished its non-dom regime in April 2025.
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