New Zealand vs Panama Tax Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of tax rates and systems
Tax Rate Comparison
Rate Comparison
Top Income Tax
39%
25%Lower
Corporate Tax
28%
25%Lower
Capital Gains
0%Lower
10%
VAT / Sales Tax
15%
7%Lower
| Category | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tax System | Progressive | Territorial |
| Top Income Tax | 39% | 25% |
| Corporate Tax | 28% | 25% |
| Capital Gains | 0% | 10% |
| VAT / Sales Tax | 15% | 7% |
| Crypto Tax | Yes | No |
| Wealth Tax | No | No |
| Tax Treaties | 40 | 18 |
| Currency | NZD | PAB |
The bottom line: New Zealand vs Panama
Panama 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. New Zealand runs a progressive tax system, while Panama uses a territorial one. On crypto, Panama is the more favourable — it does not tax cryptocurrency gains. New Zealand has the wider tax-treaty network (40 agreements), which can reduce withholding tax on cross-border income.
- Income tax: Panama is lower (39% vs 25%)
- Corporate tax: Panama is lower (28% vs 25%)
- Capital gains tax: New Zealand is lower (0% vs 10%)
- VAT / sales tax: Panama is lower (15% vs 7%)