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Ireland vs Spain Tax Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of tax rates and systems
Tax Rate Comparison
Rate Comparison
Top Income Tax
Ireland52%
Spain47%Lower
Corporate Tax
Ireland12.5%Lower
Spain25%
Capital Gains
Ireland33%
Spain28%Lower
VAT / Sales Tax
Ireland23%
Spain21%Lower
| Category | Ireland | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Tax System | Progressive | Progressive |
| Top Income Tax | 52% | 47% |
| Corporate Tax | 12.5% | 25% |
| Capital Gains | 33% | 28% |
| VAT / Sales Tax | 23% | 21% |
| Crypto Tax | Yes | Yes |
| Wealth Tax | No | Yes |
| Tax Treaties | 76 | 93 |
| Currency | EUR | EUR |
The bottom line: Ireland vs Spain
Spain has the lower headline rate on 3 of the four main taxes (income, corporate, capital gains and VAT), making it the lighter-taxed of the two on paper. Ireland runs a progressive tax system, while Spain uses a progressive one. Spain has the wider tax-treaty network (93 agreements), which can reduce withholding tax on cross-border income.
- Income tax: Spain is lower (52% vs 47%)
- Corporate tax: Ireland is lower (12.5% vs 25%)
- Capital gains tax: Spain is lower (33% vs 28%)
- VAT / sales tax: Spain is lower (23% vs 21%)