Salary Calculator
Convert salary between hourly, daily, monthly and annual — with Singapore CPF contributions and IRAS income tax estimates. Free, instant, no signup.
Salary Calculator Tool
CPF applies to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents only — not Employment Pass or S-Pass holders.
How to Use the Salary Calculator
Enter your salary amount and select the period
Type your salary figure and choose whether it is hourly, daily, monthly or annual. The tool will instantly convert it to all other periods using your work hours and days settings.
Choose your country
Select Singapore to show CPF contributions and IRAS income tax estimates. The CPF breakdown shows employee contributions, employer contributions, take-home pay and total compensation — all live.
See all equivalent periods instantly
The four-card grid shows hourly, daily, monthly and annual equivalents side by side. Adjust work hours and days per week to model different work arrangements — part-time, compressed weeks, or overtime.
Check your take-home pay after CPF and tax
For Singapore salaries, select your age bracket to get the correct CPF rates. The tax section shows your estimated IRAS progressive income tax and effective tax rate based on 2024 rates.
Understanding Your Singapore Payslip and Total Compensation
Understanding Your Singapore Payslip: CPF, SDL and Income Tax Explained
Every Singapore payslip has two numbers that often surprise first-time employees: the gross salary you negotiated and the take-home pay you actually receive. The gap is primarily explained by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) — Singapore's mandatory national savings scheme for Citizens and Permanent Residents. CPF is not a tax; it is your own money, allocated across three accounts: Ordinary Account (OA) for housing and education, Special Account (SA) for retirement, and MediSave for healthcare.
CPF contribution rates are tiered by age. Employees below 55 contribute 20% of gross wages, and employers add a further 17% — a combined 37% on top of the gross salary. As employees approach retirement, these rates step down: 55–60 (15% employee / 13% employer), 60–65 (9.5% / 11%), and 65 and above (7% / 9%). Contributions apply to Ordinary Wages up to S$6,800 per month (the Ordinary Wage Ceiling), meaning the maximum employee CPF deduction on regular salary is S$1,360/month for workers below 55. Bonuses and overtime are treated as Additional Wages, subject to the CPF Annual Limit of S$37,740.
Beyond CPF, employers also pay the Skills Development Levy (SDL): 0.25% of each employee's monthly gross wages, capped at S$11.25 per month. SDL funds the SkillsFuture national training programmes and does not appear on employee payslips — it is an employer cost above the total compensation figure.
Singapore's income tax is progressive, starting at 0% for chargeable income below S$20,000 and rising to 22% above S$320,000 — well below the top marginal rates in the UK (45%), Australia (45%) or Germany (45%). Importantly, approximately 70% of Singapore resident taxpayers pay zero income tax, because the first S$20,000 is fully exempt and personal reliefs (earned income relief, CPF relief, NSman relief) reduce chargeable income significantly.
Gross vs Net vs Total Compensation: What to Compare When Evaluating Job Offers
When comparing two job offers, it is essential to use the same basis. Gross salary is the number before any CPF deductions or income tax — the figure on your contract. Net or take-home pay is gross minus your employee CPF contribution. For a S$5,000/month employee below 55, take-home is S$4,000/month (after 20% CPF).
"A S$5,000/month Singapore salary generates S$1,700/month in combined CPF contributions — making total compensation S$6,700/month, not S$5,000."
Total compensation is the most complete comparison basis: gross salary + employer CPF + employer SDL + annual bonuses (Annual Wage Supplement, variable bonus, discretionary bonus) + benefits (employer-paid health insurance, dental, gym membership). In Singapore, it is common to see companies advertise roles with "AWS" (Annual Wage Supplement, an extra month's salary) and performance bonuses of 1–3 months — meaning actual annual pay can be 14–15 months of base salary. Always ask for total annual compensation, not just basic monthly gross.
For stock-compensated roles, RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) and options vest over typically 4 years and are taxable as employment income at vest date at ordinary income tax rates. Factor in the vesting schedule and cliff periods when comparing offers.
In Malaysia, the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) employer contribution is 13% for employees earning above RM5,000 — adding meaningfully to total compensation in the same way as Singapore's employer CPF. A RM5,000/month Malaysian salary has a total compensation of approximately RM5,650 when employer EPF is included.
ASEAN Salary Benchmarks: What to Earn in Singapore vs Malaysia vs Indonesia
Singapore's median gross monthly salary for full-time employed residents was approximately S$5,197 as of 2023 (Ministry of Manpower Comprehensive Labour Force Survey). This is among the highest in Southeast Asia in absolute terms, but the cost of living is also significantly higher than regional peers. A 4-room HDB flat typically costs S$500,000–700,000; a car in Singapore costs 3–5× more than in Malaysia due to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system.
Malaysia's median monthly salary is approximately RM3,500–4,000 for urban areas. At a conversion rate of roughly S$1 = RM3.10, this translates to approximately S$1,130–1,290/month — about a quarter of Singapore's median. However, purchasing power parity (PPP) adjustments narrow this gap considerably, as rent, food and transport are substantially cheaper in Kuala Lumpur than in Singapore.
Indonesia's median monthly wage is approximately IDR8–10 million in major urban centres (Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung), with significant regional variation. At roughly IDR11,500 = S$1, this is approximately S$700–870/month. Jakarta's minimum wage as of 2024 is approximately IDR5.1 million/month (~S$445). As with Malaysia, the purchasing power of these wages is far higher locally than the SGD conversion suggests.
Freelancers and self-employed individuals across ASEAN should note they are responsible for their own CPF (voluntary MediSave contributions for Singapore Citizens/PRs), health insurance, and tax obligations. Freelance rates typically need to be 20–40% higher than equivalent employed roles to account for the absence of employer CPF, paid leave, and employment benefits.
10 Facts About Salaries and CPF in Singapore
Singapore's median gross monthly salary for full-time employed residents is approximately S$5,197 as of 2023 (Ministry of Manpower data).
The CPF contribution rate for employees below 55 is 20% — a S$5,000/month salary results in S$1,000/month going into CPF.
Singapore has no capital gains tax — investment returns, property gains, and share dividends are tax-free for individuals.
Malaysia's minimum wage is RM1,500/month as of 2022 — approximately S$483/month at the time, highlighting the significant wage gap.
Singapore's top marginal income tax rate of 24% (above S$1 million) compares favourably to 45%+ in many European countries.
The CPF Ordinary Wage Ceiling caps contributions at S$6,800/month — meaning employee CPF on salary above this is zero for ordinary wages.
Employers pay Skills Development Levy (SDL) of 0.25% of gross wages — funding SkillsFuture national training programmes.
Indonesia's minimum wage varies by province — DKI Jakarta has the highest at approximately IDR5.1 million/month (~S$445) as of 2024.
Malaysia's EPF employer contribution is 13% for employees earning above RM5,000 — making total compensation significantly higher than gross salary.
Singapore's progressive income tax means 70% of taxpayers pay zero income tax — the system relies heavily on GST and corporate tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
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For employees below 55, the employee CPF rate is 20% and the employer rate is 17% (combined 37%). Rates step down with age: 55–60 (15%/13%), 60–65 (9.5%/11%), 65 and above (7%/9%). CPF only applies to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents — foreigners on Employment Pass or S-Pass are not subject to CPF.
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Take-home pay = Gross monthly salary − Employee CPF contribution. For a S$5,000 gross salary (below 55): employee CPF = S$1,000 (20%), so take-home = S$4,000. Income tax is not withheld monthly in Singapore — it is paid annually in April/May following the assessment year. This calculator shows the estimated annual tax for reference.
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Gross salary is the base figure before deductions. Total compensation adds everything the employer spends on you: gross salary + employer CPF (17% for under-55s) + employer SDL + bonuses (AWS, variable) + benefits (health insurance, dental, transport allowance, RSUs). For a S$5,000 gross, total compensation is at least S$5,850 once employer CPF is included — 17% higher than the advertised gross salary.
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No. CPF is mandatory only for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. Foreigners on Employment Pass (EP), S-Pass, or Work Permit are not required to contribute to CPF. This means a foreigner's take-home pay equals their gross salary (minus income tax paid annually), which is typically higher than a Singapore Citizen or PR at the same gross salary.
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Singapore uses a progressive tax system. The first S$20,000 is taxed at 0%, then 2% on the next S$10,000, 3.5% on the next S$10,000, and so on up to 22% above S$320,000. Tax is filed annually (not withheld monthly). Most Singaporeans also claim reliefs — earned income relief, CPF cash top-up relief, NSman relief — which reduce chargeable income and effective tax rate. This calculator shows tax on gross income without reliefs for simplicity; actual tax will typically be lower.
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SDL is a levy paid by employers — not employees — at 0.25% of each employee's monthly gross wage, with a minimum of S$2 and maximum of S$11.25 per employee per month. SDL funds the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) programmes that subsidise training and upskilling courses. It does not appear on employee payslips and is not deducted from gross salary.
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The formula is: Hourly = Monthly × 12 / (weeks per year × days per week × hours per day). For a standard 5-day, 40-hour Singapore week: S$5,000/month ÷ 12 × 12 = S$60,000/year ÷ 52 weeks ÷ 5 days ÷ 8 hours = S$28.85/hour. This calculator does this conversion automatically — just enter your monthly salary and hit "Per Hour."
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Both are national retirement savings schemes. Malaysia's EPF has employee contributions of 11% (or 9% for those below 60 who opt in) and employer contributions of 12–13%. Singapore's CPF is more comprehensive — it covers retirement (OA/SA), healthcare (MediSave), and housing, while EPF is primarily retirement savings. CPF contribution rates in Singapore are higher (37% combined below 55 vs ~23% in Malaysia), meaning Singapore's gross-to-take-home ratio is lower but more wealth is accumulated in the mandatory savings system.
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The CPF Annual Limit is S$37,740 — the maximum total CPF contributions (employee + employer) that can be made on Ordinary Wages plus Additional Wages (bonuses, overtime, commissions) in a calendar year. The Ordinary Wage Ceiling (S$6,800/month × 12 = S$81,600/year) means only the first S$6,800/month of regular salary attracts CPF. Any residual capacity under the Annual Limit can be applied to Additional Wages like annual bonuses.
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The salary conversions are mathematically exact. The CPF figures use official 2024 CPF Board contribution rates and the Ordinary Wage Ceiling. The income tax estimates use 2024 IRAS progressive rates but do not account for personal reliefs (earned income relief, CPF top-up relief, etc.), meaning actual tax is typically lower. For official tax figures, use the IRAS Tax Calculator.
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