Singapore taxes residents on a progressive scale from 0% to 24%, with the first S$20,000 of taxable income free. Non-residents pay the higher of a flat 15% or the resident rates, with no reliefs. Tax is not withheld from your pay: the bill for income earned in 2026 (Year of Assessment 2027) arrives in 2027. On S$120,000 an Employment Pass holder pays about S$7,835 and keeps S$112,165, because there is no CPF for foreign employees.
Singapore taxes income earned in a calendar year in the following Year of Assessment (YA). Income earned in 2026 is assessed in YA2027, and these are the rates the calculator uses for it. You are generally a tax resident if you live or work in Singapore for 183 days or more in the year, and a non-resident if you stay for less. Your visa does not decide it. Singapore taxes income that arises in or is received in Singapore, and most foreign-sourced income received by individuals is generally exempt, so check IRAS if you have income from abroad.
Tax rates for residents
Residents are taxed on chargeable income, which is employment income less reliefs. Each slice is taxed at the rate for its band, so the top rate only applies above S$1 million.
Chargeable income
Rate
First S$20,000
0%
S$20,001 to S$30,000
2%
S$30,001 to S$40,000
3.5%
S$40,001 to S$80,000
7%
S$80,001 to S$120,000
11.5%
S$120,001 to S$160,000
15%
S$160,001 to S$200,000
18%
S$200,001 to S$240,000
19%
S$240,001 to S$280,000
19.5%
S$280,001 to S$320,000
20%
S$320,001 to S$500,000
22%
S$500,001 to S$1,000,000
23%
Over S$1,000,000
24%
Non-residents
Employment income of a non-resident is taxed at a flat 15% or at the resident rates with no reliefs, whichever gives the higher tax. At most salary levels the flat 15% is the higher figure, so a non-resident on S$60,000 pays S$9,000, against S$1,950 under resident rates.
CPF contributions
The Central Provident Fund (CPF) is the compulsory savings scheme for citizens and permanent residents (PRs). Foreign employees on an Employment Pass or S Pass do not contribute. The employee share depends on age for citizens, and PRs pay graduated lower rates in their first two years before the full rates apply from the third year. The calculator applies it to monthly pay up to a S$8,000 ceiling and uses these employee rates.
Citizens and PRs aged 55 or under: 20% (modelled for the citizen example)
Above 55 to 60: 18%
Above 60 to 65: 12.5%
Above 65 to 70: 7.5%
Above 70: 5%
PR, first year: 5% (second year 15%, as the calculator models it)
Your employer pays a further share on top of your salary. Your own share is deducted from your pay and is not taxed income, because it counts as a tax relief.
Reliefs in the calculator
The calculator gives an earned income relief of S$1,000 to every resident, plus a relief equal to your CPF contributions, up to a total cap of S$80,000. A real return can include more reliefs for a spouse, children, parents, course fees or voluntary top-ups, but the calculator does not model them.
Rules for YA2027 (income 2026). Every amount below is worked out by the calculator's own engine, the same one the tool runs.
How to calculate income tax on an Employment Pass with S$120,000
An Employment Pass holder who is a tax resident pays no CPF, so the only deduction is the S$1,000 earned income relief. Taxable income is S$119,000. That runs through the bands up to 11.5% and gives S$7,835 of income tax. You keep about S$112,165, or 93.5% of gross.
Gross paya year, before taxS$120,000
Earned income relief and CPF relieflowers the taxable incomeS$1,000
Income taxtax, taken from pay−S$7,835
Take-home pay93.5% of gross, S$9,347 a monthS$112,165
This is why take-home pay for foreign employees in Singapore looks high next to a citizen at the same salary. The tax is also not withheld from each payslip, so keep the money aside for the bill.
How much tax does an S Pass holder pay in Singapore on S$54,000?
S Pass holders are taxed like other foreign employees who are tax residents: no CPF and a S$1,000 relief. Taxable income is S$53,000, which falls partly in the 7% band, giving S$1,460 of income tax. You keep about S$52,540, or 97.3% of gross, and your next dollar is taxed at 7.0%.
Gross paya year, before taxS$54,000
Earned income relief and CPF relieflowers the taxable incomeS$1,000
Income taxtax, taken from pay−S$1,460
Take-home pay97.3% of gross, S$4,378 a monthS$52,540
An effective rate under 3% is typical in this income range because the first S$20,000 is free and the lower bands are narrow.
Take-home pay on S$120,000 in Singapore for a citizen aged 55 or under
A citizen pays 20% CPF on monthly pay up to the S$8,000 ceiling, which is S$19,200 a year, and the contribution is also a tax relief. Total reliefs are S$20,200, so taxable income is S$99,800 and income tax is S$5,627. You keep about S$95,173, or 79.3% of gross.
Gross paya year, before taxS$120,000
CPF, employee share (20%)contribution, taken from pay−S$19,200
Earned income relief and CPF relieflowers the taxable incomeS$20,200
Income taxtax, taken from pay−S$5,627
Take-home pay79.3% of gross, S$7,931 a monthS$95,173
The CPF is not lost. It goes into your own CPF accounts for housing, healthcare and retirement. The take-home figure is lower than the Employment Pass example mainly because of this savings element, and your employer pays another CPF share on top.
Singapore tax and CPF for a permanent resident in the first year on S$120,000
A PR in the first year pays the graduated 5% CPF employee rate, which is S$4,800. With the S$1,000 relief, total reliefs are S$5,800 and taxable income is S$114,200. Income tax is S$7,283, and you keep about S$107,917, or 89.9% of gross.
Gross paya year, before taxS$120,000
CPF, employee share (5%)contribution, taken from pay−S$4,800
Earned income relief and CPF relieflowers the taxable incomeS$5,800
Income taxtax, taken from pay−S$7,283
Take-home pay89.9% of gross, S$8,993 a monthS$107,917
From the second year the CPF share rises, so take-home pay falls even with the same salary. The full rates apply from the third year.
What tax does a non-resident pay in Singapore on S$60,000?
A non-resident staying in Singapore less than 183 days is taxed at the higher of a flat 15% or resident rates without reliefs. Here 15% of S$60,000 is S$9,000, against only S$1,950 under resident rates, so S$9,000 applies. You keep S$51,000, or 85.0% of gross.
Gross paya year, before taxS$60,000
Income tax, non-resident (15% of gross)tax, taken from pay−S$9,000
Take-home pay85.0% of gross, S$4,250 a monthS$51,000
If you will stay 183 days or more, becoming a tax resident could cut the bill sharply. IRAS has rules for stays that span two calendar years, so ask IRAS about your dates.
Suits: tax residents with a high marginal rate, including foreigners, who want a voluntary retirement account. Contributions are deductible against income up to an annual cap that is higher for foreigners than for citizens and PRs, so check the current cap with IRAS.
Caveat: the money is locked until the statutory retirement age, and withdrawals are partly taxable. Early withdrawals are taxed in full and carry a penalty.
CPF cash top-ups for yourself or family
Suits: citizens and PRs. Cash top-ups to your own or a family member's CPF retirement account can earn a tax relief up to an annual limit, and the money earns the CPF interest rates.
Caveat: the funds are locked in CPF and not freely withdrawable. The relief limits and eligibility are set by CPF Board and IRAS.
Claim every relief you qualify for
Suits: any resident taxpayer. Reliefs exist for a spouse, children, parents, approved courses and similar. Each one lowers chargeable income and so saves tax at your marginal rate.
Caveat: each relief has conditions and an annual cap, and the total of all reliefs is capped at S$80,000. The calculator uses only the basic earned income and CPF reliefs.
Check your residence days before you arrive or leave
Suits: people starting or ending a posting in the middle of a year. A stay of 183 days or more makes you a resident, and the resident rates with reliefs usually give a much lower tax bill than the non-resident treatment.
Caveat: your real days of stay count, not your contract dates. Employers must also notify IRAS before a foreign employee leaves, and tax can be held back until the account is settled.
What the calculator does not model
Employment income only. It models one salary for a full year. Rental income, investments, a business or a part year are not included.
No bonuses or equity. Bonuses, share awards and allowances are not modelled separately.
You choose the status. The calculator does not test whether you are a resident, and it does not model the transition between statuses within a year.
Basic reliefs only. Spouse, child, parent, course fee, SRS and CPF top-up reliefs are not included. It uses S$1,000 earned income relief plus CPF.
CPF simplified. It applies one employee rate and the S$8,000 monthly ceiling, and it does not model the annual CPF ceiling, the employer share or voluntary contributions.
No tax treaties or foreign tax credits. Tax paid in your home country is not offset here.
A full-year figure. Singapore withholds no income tax from pay, so the result is the final bill, not a payslip amount.
General information, not tax advice. The figures follow the rules as published for the year shown. Check the ones that matter to you with the tax authority or an adviser before you sign a contract.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax do I pay on S$120,000 in Singapore?
An Employment Pass holder who is a resident pays about S$7,835 in income tax and keeps S$112,165. A citizen aged 55 or under pays S$5,627 in income tax plus S$19,200 in CPF, and keeps S$95,173. Try your own figure in the Global Income Tax Calculator.
Why is no income tax taken from my Singapore salary?
Singapore has no pay-as-you-earn withholding for employees. Your employer pays you in full and reports your pay to IRAS after the year ends. IRAS then issues a Notice of Assessment, usually in the following spring, and you owe the tax for income earned in 2026 in 2027 (YA2027). The bill can usually be spread over several monthly instalments by GIRO.
The practical result is that your first year feels well paid and the bill arrives later, so set money aside. The calculator shows the full-year tax, so it matches that bill and not a payslip.
Do Employment Pass and S Pass holders pay CPF?
No. CPF is for citizens and permanent residents, so foreign employees on an Employment Pass or S Pass take home their full salary before income tax. This is the main reason take-home pay looks higher for them than for a citizen on the same salary. It also means no CPF savings build up for housing or retirement.
How does CPF work in my first two years as a permanent resident?
New PRs pay graduated, lower CPF rates in the first two years, and the full rates apply from the third year. The calculator models the first year at 5% for the employee share and the second year at 15%. Your take-home pay therefore falls as the rates rise even if your salary stays the same. Ask your employer for the rate that applies on your payslip.
What is the 183-day rule and why does the 15% non-resident rate matter?
If you stay or work in Singapore for 183 days or more in a calendar year you are generally a tax resident and taxed on the progressive rates with reliefs. If you stay less, you are a non-resident and your employment income is taxed at the higher of 15% flat or the resident rates without reliefs. On S$60,000 that means S$9,000 instead of S$1,950, so counting days is worth doing before a move.
Can I leave Singapore before I have paid my tax?
Your employer must notify IRAS before a foreign employee stops work, and IRAS can ask the employer to withhold salary and other payments until the tax is settled. Because income tax is billed after the year, leaving means the final tax can be assessed on your last pay at once. Plan to pay or arrange the final bill before your last day.
What is the Year of Assessment (YA)?
The YA is the year in which tax is assessed, one year after the income was earned. YA2027 covers income earned from 1 January to 31 December 2026. The calculator uses the YA2027 rates.