Korea Salary Calculator for Foreigners
Compare the 19% flat tax against Korea’s standard progressive income tax, and see your estimated take-home pay under both options.
Progressive Tax
6–45% brackets, with deductions
19% Flat Tax
20.9% flat, no deductions
Should You Choose Korea’s 19% Flat Tax? Use This Calculator to Find Out
If you’re a foreign worker in Korea, you may have heard about the “19% flat tax” — a special income tax option available to eligible foreign employees, instead of Korea’s standard progressive tax (6–45%). But which one actually saves you more money? The honest answer: it depends entirely on your salary.
The short version: the flat tax gives up all deductions in exchange for a simple, predictable 19% (20.9% including local tax) rate on your entire gross salary. The progressive system taxes you at lower rates first, and gives you a personal deduction, an earned-income deduction, and a tax credit — but the rate climbs quickly as your income rises. At lower salaries, progressive almost always wins. Somewhere in the ₩150–170 million annual salary range, the flat tax usually starts winning instead.
Rather than guessing, our calculator runs both scenarios side by side using your actual salary, family size, and start date in Korea — including the mandatory 4 major insurances (national pension, health insurance, long-term care, employment insurance) that apply either way.
How to use it:
- Enter your annual gross salary in KRW.
- Enter the number of dependents you claim (including yourself) — this only affects the progressive calculation.
- Optionally enter your first day of work in Korea to check whether you’re still within the flat tax’s 20-year eligibility window.
- Compare your estimated net annual and monthly pay under both options, and see the full breakdown of insurance, tax credits, and local tax.
One thing most people get wrong: several other sites still say the flat tax election only lasts 5 years. That was true under an older version of the law — it’s now a 20-year window from your first day of work in Korea, as long as you started working by the current legal deadline. Always double check your eligibility with your employer’s payroll team or a licensed tax accountant (세무사) before making the election, since it can’t easily be undone.
FAQ
Can I switch back and forth between the flat tax and progressive tax every year? Generally yes — the flat tax is an annual election you can choose or decline each year, within your eligibility window.
Does this apply to all visa types? It applies to foreign employees with earned income from a Korean employer, subject to specific conditions — check with your employer or a tax accountant for your exact visa situation.
