Hungary holds the highest standard Value Added Tax (VAT) rate in the world at 27%. Other countries with the highest rates (around 25%) include Croatia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland (25.5%). These high rates are predominantly found within European nations, which generally maintain high consumption taxes.
What country has the highest VAT rate? The highest standard VAT (Value Added Tax) rate in the world is 27% in Hungary. Some other countries, such as Sweden, have a standard VAT rate of 25%.
The United States ranked 32nd¹ out of 38 OECD countries in terms of the tax-to-GDP ratio in 2023. In 2023, the United States had a tax-to-GDP ratio of 25.2% compared with the OECD average of 33.9%. In 2022, the United States was ranked 31st out of the 38 OECD countries in terms of the tax-to-GDP ratio.
The only major economy without VAT is the United States. This is because each state in the U.S. has its own sales tax regime, with some cities or counties additionally levying a sales tax, rather than a federal sales tax.
VAT rates vary by EU country, typically set above a minimum of 15%, and can include reduced rates for certain goods and services. Implications for U.S. Consumers and Businesses: American travelers pay VAT included in listed prices in Europe but can reclaim it on certain purchases when leaving the EU.
There isn't one single "highest tax paying country" as it depends on what's measured (income, corporate, total tax revenue), but countries like Denmark, Finland, Japan, and Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) consistently rank highest for top personal income tax rates, often exceeding 50-60%, while nations like Belgium can have the highest overall tax burden on labor (tax wedge) for average earners, with high social security. Nordic countries and some European nations generally have high income taxes, funding extensive social services.
Highest taxed states
On social security, the contrast is stark between the European tax rates vs the USA ones. US payroll taxes (FICA) total 15.3%, whereas European systems can push the tax wedge to around 30% on average and in some cases even above 60%.
The United States does not operate a national VAT system, and therefore the US government does not issue VAT numbers. Instead, businesses must navigate a complex framework of state and local Sales Tax.
Among European OECD countries, the average statutory top personal income tax rate lies at 42.8 percent in 2025. Denmark (55.9 percent), France (55.4 percent), and Austria (55 percent) have the highest top rates. Hungary (15 percent), Estonia (22 percent), and the Czech Republic (23 percent) have the lowest top rates.
When an invoice has multiple lines, VAT is set per invoice line and the total VAT is the sum of each of the VAT lines (rather than VAT being a percentage of the total invoice amount).
The best states for taxes are often those with no state income tax, like Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. However, the "best" state depends on your personal situation, as some states compensate with higher sales or property taxes, so you must consider the overall tax burden, including income, property, and sales taxes, for a complete picture.
Countries can generate revenue from state-owned businesses such as oil and mineral exports, tourism, real estate, and other industries. The governments can also charge taxes for certain services, company registration, annual audit fees, residence permits, car licenses and registration, and tolls.
In 2022, the top 5% of earners — people with incomes $261,591 and above — collectively paid over $1.3 trillion in income taxes, or about 61% of the national total. If you include the top 10% — everyone who made at least $178,611 — that figure rises to $1.5 trillion, or 72% of the total.
Who Does Not Have to Pay Taxes? You generally don't have to pay taxes if your income is less than the standard deduction or the total of your itemized deductions, if you have a certain number of dependents, if you work abroad and are below the required thresholds, or if you're a qualifying non-profit organization.
There are no countries in Europe that are entirely tax-free. However, Monaco has a zero income tax for residents.
Americans' Opinions of the Federal Income Taxes They Pay
Currently, 59% say their taxes are too high, 38% about right and 2% too low. The percentage saying their taxes are too high is up from 45% in 2019 and nearly ties the recent high of 60% in 2023.
Tax havens are jurisdictions, including cities, states or countries that grant favourable tax treatment which can benefit non-residents. They attract relocation of economic transactions to their territory by applying no or minimal tax rates. They typically host a range of financial service providers.