IE · EuropeZA · Africa
Ireland vs South Africa: tax rates compared
Ireland has an income tax rate of 48%, 3pp above South Africa's 45%. The 200-country average is 28%: both sit above it. Ireland's figure is dated 2025-01-01 and South Africa's 2026-03-01, so the two rates come from different data vintages.
Verified data covers six of the six tracked tax types for both countries; every rate below is cited to its source and dated.
At a glance
| Tax | IE | ZA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income Tax | 48% | 45% | IE +3 pp |
| Corporate Tax | 12.5% | 27% | ZA +14.5 pp |
| VAT | 23% | 15% | IE +8 pp |
| Capital Gains Tax | 33% | 18% | IE +15 pplargest gap |
| Crypto Tax | 33% | 18% | IE +15 pp |
| Wealth Tax | 0% | 0% | match |
Income Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 48% | Source: OECD Tax Database — Top statutory personal income tax rates · as of 2025-01-01 |
| South Africa | 45% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Individual, Taxes on personal income) · as of 2026-03-01 |
| Difference | +3 pp | Ireland higher |
Corporate Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 12.5% | Source: Tax Foundation — Worldwide Corporate Tax Rates · as of 2025-01-01 |
| South Africa | 27% | Source: Tax Foundation — Worldwide Corporate Tax Rates · as of 2025-01-01 |
| Difference | −14.5 pp | South Africa higher |
South Africa has a corporate tax rate of 27%, 14.5pp above Ireland's 12.5%. The 201-country average is 22.6%: Ireland sits below it, South Africa sits above it.
VAT
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 23% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Ireland (Corporate, Other taxes) · as of 2026-03-06 |
| South Africa | 15% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Corporate, Other taxes) · as of 2026-05-29 |
| Difference | +8 pp | Ireland higher |
Ireland has a VAT rate of 23%, 8pp above South Africa's 15%. The 181-country average is 15%: Ireland sits above it, South Africa matches the world average.
Capital Gains Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 33% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Ireland (Individual, Income determination) · as of 2026-03-06 |
| South Africa | 18% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Individual, Income determination) · as of 2026-05-29 |
| Difference | +15 pp | Ireland higher |
Ireland has a capital gains tax rate of 33%, 15pp above South Africa's 18%. The 175-country average is 10.3%: both sit above it.
Crypto Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 33% | Source: Irish Revenue — Tax and Duty Manual Part 02-01-03: Taxation of Crypto-Asset Transactions · as of 2026-01-01 |
| South Africa | 18% | Source: South African Revenue Service — Crypto Assets & Tax · as of 2026-03-20 |
| Difference | +15 pp | Ireland higher |
Ireland has a crypto tax rate of 33%, 15pp above South Africa's 18%. The 88-country average is 13%: both sit above it.
Wealth Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 0% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Ireland (Individual, Other taxes) · as of 2026-03-06 |
| South Africa | 0% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Individual, Other taxes) · as of 2026-05-29 |
| Difference | 0 pp | displayed rates match |
Ireland and South Africa share the same wealth tax rate: 0%. The 193-country average is 0.1%: both sit below it.