Work & incomeNetherlands
Tax wedge in Netherlands
What does employing someone really cost, tax included?
Netherlands's tax wedge is 35.94 % — #16 of 36 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.
35.94%
Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025
Source: OECD Taxing Wages + OECD Tax Database
Of every €100 an employer spends on an average single worker, about €36 goes to tax and social contributions before pay-out.
Among 36 countries
- Rank
- #16 of 36
- lower is better
- Ranked behind
- 56 %
- 20 of 36 countries
In Europe: #6 of 25vs median 39.34 %: −3.40 pp (better)
The neighbourhood
| # | Country | Tax wedge | vs Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Poland | 35.03 % | −0.91 pp |
| 15 | Denmark | 35.76 % | −0.18 pp |
| 16 | Netherlands | 35.94 % | — |
| 17 | Norway | 36.39 % | +0.45 pp |
| 18 | Greece | 39.34 % | +3.40 pp |
Tax wedge for a single average earner (type case, not advice).
How to read this figure
The OECD tax wedge: income tax plus employee AND employer social contributions as a share of total labour cost, for a single person at exactly the average wage. It is a comparable type case between countries — not your personal tax rate.
Tax wedge, all countries ranked →Compare Netherlands with another country →Everything about Netherlands →
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