Every rate below is sourced and dated. Figures are annual, in EUR, for a single person with one income.
On ā¬100,000 a year as a founder taking dividends, Cyprus leaves you with ā¬82,748 against ā¬78,000 ā a difference of ā¬4,748 a year.
The income at which the answer changes, derived from the same rules as the tables below. Ranges stop where a regime stops being available, so nothing is claimed beyond it.
| Gross | šŖšŖ Estonia Employee (22% flat) |
šØš¾ Cyprus Employee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ā¬50,000 | ā¬39,444 21.1% wedge |
ā¬39,093 21.8% wedge |
ā¬352 Estonia keeps more |
| ā¬100,000 | ā¬77,040 23.0% wedge |
ā¬71,036 29.0% wedge |
ā¬6,004 Estonia keeps more |
| ā¬200,000 | ā¬152,232 23.9% wedge |
ā¬134,658 32.7% wedge |
ā¬17,574 Estonia keeps more |
| Gross | šŖšŖ Estonia Sole trader (FIE) |
šØš¾ Cyprus Self-employed | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ā¬50,000 | ā¬30,585 38.8% wedge |
ā¬35,513 29.0% wedge |
ā¬4,928 Cyprus keeps more |
| ā¬100,000 | ā¬59,322 40.7% wedge |
ā¬66,407 33.6% wedge |
ā¬7,086 Cyprus keeps more |
| ā¬200,000 | ā¬127,348 36.3% wedge |
ā¬129,327 35.3% wedge |
ā¬1,979 Cyprus keeps more |
| Gross | šŖšŖ Estonia OĆ dividends (0% retained Ā· 22/78 distributed) |
šØš¾ Cyprus Non-dom dividends (15% corp Ā· 0% SDC Ā· 2.65% GHS) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ā¬50,000 | ā¬39,000 22.0% wedge |
ā¬41,374 17.3% wedge |
ā¬2,374 Cyprus keeps more |
| ā¬100,000 | ā¬78,000 22.0% wedge |
ā¬82,748 17.3% wedge |
ā¬4,748 Cyprus keeps more |
| ā¬200,000 | ā¬156,000 22.0% wedge |
ā¬165,495 17.3% wedge |
ā¬9,495 Cyprus keeps more |
Keeping more only matters if it buys more. Against the EU average, prices are 2.2% lower in Estonia and 8.4% lower in Cyprus. So that ā¬100,000 founder income is really worth ā¬79,755 in Estonia and ā¬90,336 in Cyprus at EU-average prices ā Cyprus comes out ahead once prices are counted.
Price levels: Eurostat ā purchasing power parities, COICOP 2018 (prc_ppp_ind_1), Actual individual consumption (COICOP A01), 2025. Source