MV · AsiaZA · Africa
Maldives vs South Africa: tax rates compared
Between the two, South Africa's income tax rate (45%) tops Maldives's (15%) by 30pp. The 200-country average is 28%: Maldives sits below it, South Africa sits above it. Maldives's figure is dated 2020-01-01 and South Africa's 2026-03-01, so the two rates come from different data vintages.
Verified data covers four of the six tracked tax types for both countries; every rate below is cited to its source and dated.
At a glance
| Tax | MV | ZA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income Tax | 15% | 45% | ZA +30 pplargest gap |
| Corporate Tax | 15% | 27% | ZA +12 pp |
| VAT | 8% | 15% | ZA +7 pp |
| Wealth Tax | 0% | 0% | match |
Income Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 15% | Source: Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) — Individuals, Overview · as of 2020-01-01 |
| South Africa | 45% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Individual, Taxes on personal income) · as of 2026-03-01 |
| Difference | −30 pp | South Africa higher |
Corporate Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 15% | 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 | −12 pp | South Africa higher |
Between the two, South Africa's corporate tax rate (27%) tops Maldives's (15%) by 12pp. The 201-country average is 22.6%: Maldives sits below it, South Africa sits above it.
VAT
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 8% | Source: Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) — Goods and Services Tax (GST) Overview · as of 2023-01-01 |
| South Africa | 15% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Corporate, Other taxes) · as of 2026-05-29 |
| Difference | −7 pp | South Africa higher |
Between the two, South Africa's VAT rate (15%) tops Maldives's (8%) by 7pp. The 181-country average is 15%: Maldives sits below it, South Africa matches the world average. Maldives's figure is dated 2023-01-01 and South Africa's 2026-05-29, so the two rates come from different data vintages.
Wealth Tax
| Country | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 0% | Source: EY Worldwide Personal Tax and Immigration Guide 2025-26 (content current as of 1 October 2025, published February 2026) — Maldives chapter · as of 2025-10-01 |
| South Africa | 0% | Source: PWC Worldwide Tax Summaries — South Africa (Individual, Other taxes) · as of 2026-05-29 |
| Difference | 0 pp | displayed rates match |
There's no gap here — Maldives and South Africa both post a wealth tax rate of 0%. The 193-country average is 0.1%: both sit below it. Maldives's figure is dated 2025-10-01 and South Africa's 2026-05-29, so the two rates come from different data vintages.
Not covered for both countries yet: Capital Gains Tax, Crypto Tax.