Net pay by profession in Singapore
Genuine net figures for the professions people ask about most in Singapore, calculated after income tax and the employee share of CPF. Worth remembering: Employment Pass holders pay no CPF at all, so foreign staff end up with noticeably more cash on the same salary. Updated through 2026.
Nurse
~SGD 3,222/month after tax
Doctor
~SGD 12,998/month after tax
Lawyer
~SGD 14,894/month after tax
Project Manager
~SGD 7,240/month after tax
Software Engineer
~SGD 6,004/month after tax
Teacher
~SGD 4,058/month after tax
Accountant
~SGD 4,620/month after tax
Data Analyst
~SGD 4,987/month after tax
How Singapore tax works
Singapore's income tax is among the most competitive in Asia, starting at 0% on the first SGD 20,000 and rising to a top rate of 24% on amounts above SGD 1,000,000. Most professional earners fall into the 7-15% bands. Employee CPF contributions are 20% of ordinary wages for workers under 55, which is significant - but this money accumulates in your own CPF account for retirement, healthcare (MediSave), and housing (OA).
Employment Pass holders (typically earning above SGD 5,000/month) are not required to contribute to CPF, making their cash take-home substantially higher than a Singaporean on the same gross. The CPF question is a key consideration in any Singapore relocation decision. Read the CPF explainer →