WorldTax Compareโ† All Comparisons

Malaysia vs South Korea
Tax Rate Comparison

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

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia
vs
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea
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
0โ€“30%
30% top rate; Pillar Two compliance measures
No change
6โ€“45%
Stable; political debate on top rate reduction
No change
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
10%
Service tax 8% maintained; GST return unlikely
No change
10%
Standard 10% maintained
No change
Corporate Tax Rate
Corporate Tax Rate
24%
24% stable; potential reduction discussed for competitiveness
No change
9โ€“24%
Competitiveness discussions vs global peers
No change
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
10โ€“30%
CGT on unlisted shares fully embedded in system
No change
0โ€“45%
Financial income taxation reform continuing
No change
Social Security & Payroll
Social Security / Payroll
~23%
EPF reviewing contribution rates and fund adequacy
No change
~18.5%
Contribution rates stable; pension reform discussion
No change
State, Regional & Local Taxes

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ 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%โ€“12% of estimated annual rental value. No state income taxes exist โ€” this is federal.

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea โ€” Local Income Tax & Resident Tax

South Korea's 17 metropolitan/provincial governments levy local income tax at 10% of national income tax. Property holding tax (Jongbu-se) is a national progressive tax on higher-value properties. Local education taxes and acquisition taxes apply to property transfers. Seoul has higher effective rates due to property values.

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.

Malaysia vs South Korea: Key Tax Differences (2026)

๐Ÿ’ฐ Income Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea has a higher top income tax rate (0โ€“30% vs 6โ€“45%). ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia is more favourable for high earners.

๐Ÿ›’ VAT/Sales Tax: Both countries have comparable consumption tax rates (10% vs 10%).

๐Ÿข Corporate Tax: Corporate rates are similar in both countries (24% vs 9โ€“24%).

๐Ÿ“ˆ Capital Gains: ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia taxes investment gains at a lower rate (30% vs 45%), benefiting investors.

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