WorldTax Compareโ† All Comparisons

Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait
Tax Rate Comparison

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

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia
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% / 20%
No personal income tax; competitive positioning maintained
No change
0%
No personal income tax
No change
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
15%
15% VAT stable; GCC harmonization efforts
No change
5%
VAT introduction at 5% expected 2025โ€“2026
โ–ฒ +5.0pp vs 2025
Corporate Tax Rate
Corporate Tax Rate
20%
20% CIT; special economic zone (NEOM etc.) benefits
No change
15%
15% foreign; domestic minimum tax for Pillar Two
No change
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
20%
20% via CIT framework
No change
0%
No CGT
No change
Social Security & Payroll
Social Security / Payroll
~22.5%
GOSI contribution rates stable; expat levy increasing
No change
~16%
PIFSS stable; expat levy discussions ongoing
No change
State, Regional & Local Taxes

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia โ€” Zakat, Salam & Municipality Fees

Saudi Arabia has no local or regional income taxes on individuals โ€” the Kingdom operates as a unitary state for tax purposes. Municipalities (amanaat) collect fees for commercial licences, land use, and services. Zakat (Islamic wealth levy at 2.5% of Zakat base) applies to Saudi nationals and GCC citizens with business income, instead of income tax. Foreign companies pay CIT at 20%. The government levies municipality fees of 2.5% on commercial and residential rents. Vision 2030 is transforming the fiscal landscape.

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.

Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait: Key Tax Differences (2026)

๐Ÿ’ฐ Income Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia has a higher top income tax rate (0% / 20% vs 0%). ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ Kuwait is more favourable for high earners.

๐Ÿ›’ VAT/Sales Tax: Saudi Arabia has a higher consumption tax (15% vs 5%).

๐Ÿข Corporate Tax: ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ Kuwait offers a lower corporate rate (15% vs 20%), which can influence business location decisions.

๐Ÿ“ˆ Capital Gains: ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ Kuwait taxes investment gains at a lower rate (0% vs 20%), benefiting investors.

Related Comparisons

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ญ BahrainTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช GermanyTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ด๐Ÿ‡ฒ OmanTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ถ๐Ÿ‡ฆ QatarTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab EmiratesTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United KingdomTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United StatesTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ChinaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท FranceTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ IndiaTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต JapanTax comparison๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia vs ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ AustraliaTax comparison