Malaysia vs South Africa
Tax Rate Comparison
Enter your income below for a personal tax estimate, then scroll down for full rate breakdowns.
๐ฐ Personal Income Tax Calculator
Enter your income to see your estimated annual tax liability in each country โ side by side.
๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia โ State & Local Authority Taxes
Malaysia's 13 states and 3 federal territories have limited independent taxing powers. States levy quit rent (cukai tanah) on land, assessment rates (cukai pintu/taksiran) on property through local councils, and royalties on natural resources. Petroleum royalties are a major state revenue in Sabah, Sarawak, and Terengganu. Local councils (majlis perbandaran) levy property assessment at 6%โ12% of estimated annual rental value. No state income taxes exist โ this is federal.
๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa โ Provincial & Municipal Taxes
South Africa's 9 provinces do not levy their own income tax โ this is national. Municipalities levy property rates (0.5%โ2.5% of assessed value/year), utilities, and refuse levies. Cape Town and Johannesburg have relatively higher municipal rates. Load-shedding prompted energy-related tax credits in recent budgets.
Malaysia vs South Africa: Key Tax Differences (2026)
๐ฐ Income Tax: ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa has a higher top income tax rate (0โ30% vs 18โ45%). ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia is more favourable for high earners.
๐ VAT/Sales Tax: South Africa has a higher consumption tax (10% vs 16%).
๐ข Corporate Tax: ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia offers a lower corporate rate (24% vs 27%), which can influence business location decisions.
๐ Capital Gains: ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa taxes investment gains at a lower rate (18% vs 30%), benefiting investors.