Head-to-head · tax residents 2026
South Africa or India: which should you move to?
Two of Europe's top relocation targets, both with newcomer regimes. Here is how they compare on the taxes that move the needle.
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| Factor |  South Africa ↗ |  India ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| Top personal income tax | 45% | 39% |
| Corporate tax | 27%* | 30%* |
| Capital gains tax | Taxed | Taxed |
| Dividend tax | 20% | 30% |
| VAT / sales tax | 15% | 18% |
| Wealth tax | No | No |
| Inheritance tax | Yes | No |
| Foreign income | Worldwide | Worldwide |
| Headline expat regime | Foreign employment income exemption (s10(1)(o)(ii)) | RNOR foreign income exemption |
| Cost of living (vs your country) | 42 | 23 |
| Population | 64,747,319 | 1,463,865,525 |
| Area | 1,219,912 km² | 3,287,590 km² |
| Population density | 53/km² | 445/km² |
| Airports (large + medium) | 62 | 139 |
| Annual tourists | 8,919,000 | 9,824,000 |
| Flight time from your country | · | · |
| Direct flight likely? | · | · |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | 72.2 yrs |
| Safety (homicides/100k) | 43.7 | 2.8 |
| Happiness (0-10) | 4.81 | 3.57 |
| Corruption index (higher = cleaner) | 44/100 | 40/100 |
| Double-tax treaties (approx) | ~79 | ~94 |
| Internet speed (median fixed) | 49 Mbps | 61 Mbps |
| Healthcare spend / person | $537 | $85 |
| Air quality (PM2.5, lower=better) | 27.72 | 54.05 |
| Time zone (approx) | UTC+2 | UTC+5 |
| Digital nomad visa | Yes | · |
| Official languages | 12 (English, South African Sign Language, Xhosa, Tsonga, Sesotho, Zulu, Venda, Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Southern Ndebele) | 22 (Hindi, English) |
Green = more favourable. Cost of living shown as a percentage of your home country (under 100% = cheaper than home). Tax data: compiled by us, being re-verified; cost of living: World Bank PPP; area & population: GeoNames; life expectancy & homicide rate: World Bank.
* South Africa: 27% for years of assessment ending on/after 31 Mar 2023. Small business corporations use tiered 0-27%. · India: Base 30% (effective 31.2-34.94% with surcharge+cess). Concessional 22% regime (~25.17% effective) for companies forgoing incentives; 15% for new manufacturers.
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