Take-home pay calculator (South Africa)
Work out your salary after tax: PAYE, UIF, retirement contributions and medical aid tax credits, plus what your bonus or 13th cheque is worth after tax.
How PAYE is calculated in South Africa
SARS taxes your annual taxable income on a sliding scale. Your employer works out tax on your salary as if you earn it all year, subtracts your rebates, and withholds one-twelfth each month as PAYE (Pay As You Earn).
- Taxable income = gross pay − deductible retirement contributions (up to 27.5% of income, max R430 000 a year).
- Tax = the amount from the tax table below, minus your rebates (R17 820 for everyone, more if you're 65+ or 75+).
- Medical tax credits reduce it further: R376 a month each for you and your first dependant, R254 for each additional dependant.
- UIF is 1% of your pay, capped at R177.12 a month.
Worked example: R35 000 a month
A 35-year-old earns R35 000 a month (R420 000 a year), with no retirement fund or medical aid deductions:
- R420 000 falls in the 31% bracket: R79 998 + 31% × (R420 000 − R383 100) = R91 437.
- Subtract the primary rebate of R17 820: tax for the year is R73 617.
- PAYE is R73 617 ÷ 12 = R6 134.75 a month.
- UIF is 1% of R35 000 = R350, capped at R177.12.
- Take-home pay: R35 000 − R6 134.75 − R177.12 = R28 688.13 a month.
Once you know your take-home pay, use the monthly budget planner to decide where it goes.
SARS income tax brackets
Rates for the :
Salary after tax table (2026/27)
Monthly take-home pay for common salaries, for someone under 65 with no pension or medical aid deductions. Tap a salary to open it in the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax do I pay on R20 000 a month?
For someone under 65 with no retirement contributions or medical aid, roughly R2 115 PAYE plus R177.12 UIF, leaving around R17 708 take-home. Type your own numbers above for an exact estimate.
Why is my bonus taxed so heavily?
A bonus is added on top of your salary, so it is taxed at your highest (marginal) rate. If your salary already puts you in the 31% bracket, most of your bonus is taxed at 31% or more. The calculator shows your bonus after tax.
What is the tax threshold in South Africa?
For 2026/27 you pay no income tax if you earn below R99 000 a year (under 65), R153 250 (65 to 74) or R171 300 (75 and older).
Do retirement annuity contributions reduce my tax?
Yes. Contributions to pension, provident and retirement annuity funds are deductible up to 27.5% of your income, capped at R430 000 a year. Try the retirement annuity calculator to see your saving.
How do I convert my salary to an hourly rate?
Divide your annual salary by the hours you work in a year. At 40 hours a week, R35 000 a month is about R202 an hour before tax. The salary to hourly calculator does this for you.