VAT and GST Rates Worldwide

What VAT/GST is

Value-added tax (VAT) and goods-and-services tax (GST) are consumption taxes charged on the sale of goods and services. They are collected at each stage of the supply chain but ultimately borne by the end consumer. The standard rate is the headline figure; many countries also run reduced rates for essentials.

The global range

Standard VAT/GST rates among the jurisdictions on taxesmap.app:

• None — United States (no national VAT; sales tax is set at state level), Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Bermuda
• 5% — United Arab Emirates
• 8.1% — Switzerland
• 9% — Singapore (GST)
• 19% — Germany
• 20% — United Kingdom, Monaco
• 21% — Netherlands
• 23% — Ireland, Portugal
• 27% — Hungary (one of the highest standard rates worldwide)

Reading the numbers

Consumption tax often complements the income-tax picture rather than mirroring it. No-income-tax jurisdictions still raise revenue this way: the UAE levies a 5% VAT and Monaco a 20% VAT despite charging 0% personal income tax. The United States is notable for having no national VAT at all — sales taxes are imposed by individual states.

At the high end, Hungary’s 27% standard rate is among the steepest in the world, while Ireland and Portugal sit at 23%. For businesses and consumers alike, the standard rate is only part of the story — reduced and zero rates for specific categories materially change the effective burden.

Data basis: Government tax authority data via taxesmap.app, as of 2026