Salary After Tax Calculator South Africa (2026/27): Your Take-Home Pay
Prices and facts checked 16 October 2026. We don't accept payment for rankings.
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Short answer: on a R25,000 monthly salary in 2026/27, you'd take home about R21,440 after PAYE of roughly R3,380 and UIF of R177. That assumes you're under 65, have no medical aid and make no retirement contributions. Medical aid and pension contributions both lower your tax. Use the calculator for your own numbers (SARS tax tables; SARS UIF).
General information, not tax advice. Your payslip may differ because of bonuses, allowances, fringe benefits or how your employer runs payroll. Check your IRP5 at year-end.
Take-home pay calculator
How it works: it annualises your salary, subtracts deductible retirement contributions (up to 27.5% of income, capped at R430,000 a year), applies the SARS 2026/27 tax table and rebates, subtracts the medical scheme fees tax credit, and deducts UIF at 1% of salary up to R17,712 a month. These are the rules published by SARS and in National Treasury's Budget 2026 tax guide.
2026/27 income tax brackets
For the 2027 tax year (1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027):
| Taxable income (per year) | Tax |
|---|---|
| R1 to R245,100 | 18% of taxable income |
| R245,101 to R383,100 | R44,118 + 26% above R245,100 |
| R383,101 to R530,200 | R79,998 + 31% above R383,100 |
| R530,201 to R695,800 | R125,599 + 36% above R530,200 |
| R695,801 to R887,000 | R185,215 + 39% above R695,800 |
| R887,001 to R1,878,600 | R259,783 + 41% above R887,000 |
| R1,878,601 and above | R666,339 + 45% above R1,878,600 |
Rebates: R17,820 (everyone), plus R9,765 if you're 65 or older, plus R3,249 if you're 75 or older. That means no tax on income up to R99,000 a year if you're under 65, R153,250 if you're 65 to 74, and R171,300 if you're 75 or older (SARS).
Take-home pay at common salaries
Under 65, no medical aid and no retirement contributions, calculated with the method above:
| Gross monthly salary | PAYE | UIF | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| R15,000 | R1,215 | R150 | R13,635 |
| R25,000 | R3,381 | R177 | R21,442 |
| R40,000 (R3,000 RA, 2 on medical aid) | R6,003 | R177 | R30,820 |
| R60,000 (R4,000 pension, 3 on medical aid) | R12,230 | R177 | R43,593 |
| R100,000 (R7,500 pension, 4 on medical aid) | R26,523 | R177 | R65,800 |
The take-home figures for the last three rows are after retirement contributions, but before medical aid premiums.
The deductions on your payslip, explained
PAYE (income tax)
Your employer withholds tax every month based on your annualised salary. If your income changes during the year, or you have a second job, the PAYE withheld may not match your final tax. That's settled when you file your return. Non-provisional taxpayers file by 23 October 2026 (SARS filing season). See our SARS filing season guide.
UIF
Unemployment Insurance Fund contributions are 1% from you and 1% from your employer, on earnings up to R17,712 a month. So the most you pay is R177.12 a month (SARS). Some workers are excluded, including people who work fewer than 24 hours a month for an employer.
Medical scheme fees tax credit
Instead of a deduction, you get a monthly credit off your tax: R376 for you, R376 for your first dependant and R254 for each additional dependant in 2026/27 (SARS). Your employer applies it through PAYE if you pay through payroll. Otherwise you claim it on your tax return. See our medical tax credit guide.
Retirement contributions
Pension, provident and retirement annuity contributions reduce your taxable income, up to 27.5% of income and R430,000 a year. Try our RA tax calculator to see how much an RA saves you.
FAQ
How much tax do I pay on R20,000 a month in South Africa?
About R2,115 in PAYE a month in 2026/27 if you're under 65, with no medical aid or retirement contributions, plus R177 in UIF. Use the calculator for your exact situation.
What is the tax-free threshold for 2026/27?
R99,000 a year if you're under 65, R153,250 if you're 65 to 74, and R171,300 if you're 75 or older.
What is the maximum UIF deduction?
R177.12 a month, because UIF is 1% of earnings capped at R17,712 a month.
Do medical aid contributions reduce my tax?
Yes, through the medical scheme fees tax credit: R376 a month for the main member and first dependant, and R254 for each additional dependant in 2026/27.
Why is my payslip different from the calculator?
Bonuses, travel allowances, fringe benefits, overtime and your employer's payroll method all affect PAYE. The calculator is an estimate.
Sources
Pages we used for this article, checked on or before the update date above.
- SARS tax tables · sars.gov.za
- SARS UIF · sars.gov.za
- National Treasury's Budget 2026 tax guide · treasury.gov.za
- SARS filing season · sars.gov.za
- SARS · sars.gov.za
Changelog: 16 Oct 2026, first published with the 2026/27 (2027 tax year) tables.