Netherlands salary calculator 2026: take-home pay after tax
This free Netherlands salary calculator turns your gross salary into your real take-home pay (netto salaris) for 2026. It shows your pay after the loonheffing (Box 1 wage tax and national insurance) and the two payroll tax credits, down to the monthly figure, with options for the 30% ruling and the holiday allowance. Every rate comes from the official Belastingdienst 2026 tables, and you can see exactly how each number is worked out.
How your Dutch take-home pay is calculated
Your income is taxed in Box 1, which bundles wage tax and national insurance (volksverzekeringen). Two credits, the algemene heffingskorting and the arbeidskorting, are then subtracted, which is why the effective tax is much lower than the headline bracket rate. Take-home = gross minus the net loonheffing.
| 2026 Box 1 bracket | Rate |
|---|---|
| up to €38,883 | 35.75% |
| €38,883 to €78,426 | 37.56% |
| above €78,426 | 49.50% |
€45,000 after tax in the Netherlands (2026)
A single employee on 45,000 euros takes home about 36,614 euros a year (about 3,051 a month): roughly 16,198 of Box 1 tax, reduced by about 2,138 of general tax credit and 5,674 of labour credit, for 8,386 of income tax. Our figure matches the Belastingdienst method to the euro. With the 30% ruling, an expat on a higher salary keeps significantly more. Enter your own salary above for an exact breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this Netherlands salary calculator free?
- Yes. It's completely free, with no sign-up. Enter your gross salary and it shows your take-home pay (netto salaris) for 2026 after the loonheffing (Box 1 wage tax and national insurance) and the tax credits, using the official Belastingdienst 2026 figures, with options for the 30% ruling and holiday allowance.
- How is take-home pay calculated in the Netherlands?
- Your salary is taxed in Box 1, which combines wage tax and national insurance: 35.75% up to 38,883, 37.56% up to 78,426 and 49.50% above (2026). Two tax credits are then subtracted: the algemene heffingskorting (general credit) and the arbeidskorting (labour credit). Take-home = gross minus that net amount (the loonheffing). The credits are large, so the effective rate is well below the headline bracket.
- How much is €45,000 after tax in the Netherlands?
- For 2026, a single employee below state pension age on 45,000 euros takes home about 36,614 euros a year, roughly 3,051 euros a month. That is about 16,198 of Box 1 tax, reduced by about 2,138 of general tax credit and 5,674 of labour credit, leaving 8,386 of income tax. Our figure matches the official Belastingdienst method to the euro.
- What is the 30% ruling and how does it change my take-home?
- The 30% ruling (30%-regeling) is a scheme for skilled workers recruited from abroad: up to 30% of your gross salary is paid tax-free, so you are taxed on only about 70%. In 2026 it is capped at 78,600 a year and only applies while your taxable salary stays at or above 48,013, so it gives no benefit at lower salaries. It drops to a flat 27% from 2027. Toggle it on above to compare; we do not check whether you qualify.
- Does the 8% holiday allowance change the result?
- Dutch annual gross salaries normally include the 8% holiday allowance (vakantiegeld), usually paid as a lump sum in May. If your figure already includes it (the default), the annual take-home is correct as shown. If it is a base salary with the 8% paid on top, turn the option off and we add it before tax. Either way the annual take-home is the same; only the monthly timing differs.
- What is and isn't included?
- Included: Box 1 wage tax and national insurance, the algemene heffingskorting, the arbeidskorting, the 8% holiday allowance and the 30% ruling. Not included: people who have reached AOW (state pension) age, the nominal Zvw health-insurance premium you pay your insurer separately (about 150/month), employer-paid contributions, pension contributions and Box 2/3 income. Estimates only, not tax advice.