How to use this calculator
- Pick two or three countries.
- Choose the seniority level as a share of each country's average wage.
- Compare total employer cost and take-home pay in US-dollar purchasing power.
How to read the comparison
Salaries differ more between countries than tax rules do, so the tool prices each hire at the same position in the local pay scale. Totals are converted with the OECD's purchasing-power rate, which reflects what money buys locally. For budgeting in a specific currency, use a current market exchange rate instead.
The cost per 1 unit of take-home row shows how efficiently pay reaches the employee: high-wedge countries such as Belgium or France need more employer spend for each unit of net pay than low-wedge countries such as Chile or Mexico.
Sources: OECD Taxing Wages 2025, comparative indicators (single worker, no children; average wage as defined by the OECD for each country) and OECD, Non-tax compulsory payments as an additional burden on labour income in 2025 (Tables 5 and 6) for mandatory pension and insurance payments that are not classed as taxes, such as Australian superannuation. Model estimates: voluntary benefits, local caps and sector-specific schemes are not included.
Frequently asked questions
Why use purchasing power instead of exchange rates?
PPP rates are stable and published with the OECD data, so totals compare what the money buys. Market rates move daily.
Can I compare a specific salary?
Use the employer cost calculator for an exact salary in local currency, one country at a time.