Jobs & Career Tools
Take-home pay, offer comparison, salary & industry data, and a live Malaysian jobs database
Live openings from Malaysian startups & public-listed companies (Hiredly, Workable boards & MRANTI Central). Rose bar = overseas role.
About the Malaysian Take-Home Pay Calculator
This free browser-based Malaysian payroll calculator turns a gross monthly salary into the real net take-home after all statutory deductions: EPF (Employees Provident Fund), SOCSO (Social Security Organisation Category 1), EIS (Employment Insurance System), and PCB / MTD (Monthly Tax Deduction) income tax administered by LHDN. It uses 2026 rates and the YA2024 progressive income tax bands. The companion Compare Offers tool puts two job offers side-by-side including effective hourly rate after commute and 5-year cumulative net plus EPF.
2026 Malaysian statutory deduction rates
| Scheme | Employee | Employer | Wage ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPF (KWSP) | 11% (default) or 9% (opt-in since August 2023); 0% for 60+ | 13% (wages ≤ RM 5,000) or 12% (> RM 5,000); 4% for 60-75 | No ceiling |
| SOCSO Cat 1 | 0.5% | 1.75% | RM 6,000 (raised from RM 5,000 on 1 Sept 2023) |
| EIS | 0.2% | 0.2% | RM 6,000 |
| HRDC levy | , | 1% (employers ≥10 employees in covered sectors) | , |
LHDN YA2024 progressive income tax bands (still applicable in 2026)
- Chargeable income up to RM 5,000: 0%
- RM 5,001 - 20,000: 1%
- RM 20,001 - 35,000: 3%
- RM 35,001 - 50,000: 6%
- RM 50,001 - 70,000: 11%
- RM 70,001 - 100,000: 19%
- RM 100,001 - 400,000: 25%
- RM 400,001 - 600,000: 26%
- RM 600,001 - 2,000,000: 28%
- Above RM 2,000,000: 30%
Common Malaysian personal reliefs
- Self: RM 9,000 (automatic)
- Non-working spouse: RM 4,000
- Child under 18: RM 2,000 per child
- EPF + life insurance combined cap: RM 4,000
- Private Retirement Scheme (PRS): RM 3,000
- Lifestyle (books, internet, sports, electronics): RM 2,500
- Medical expenses (self, spouse, parents): up to RM 10,000
- SOCSO contributions: RM 350
- Disabled individual additional relief: RM 6,000
Glossary
- PCB / MTD
- Potongan Cukai Bulanan, Monthly Tax Deduction withheld by employer and remitted to LHDN.
- EPF / KWSP
- Employees Provident Fund / Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja, Malaysia's mandatory retirement scheme.
- SOCSO / PERKESO
- Social Security Organisation, provides employment injury and invalidity coverage.
- EIS
- Employment Insurance System, temporary income protection for involuntary job loss.
- HRDC / PSMB
- Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad, administers Human Resource Development Fund levy used for training.
- RIA Framework
- EPF Retirement Income Adequacy Framework, effective 1 Jan 2026, Basic Savings RM 390k, Adequate RM 650k, Enhanced RM 1.3M targets by age 60.
- HASiL
- Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri, the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia.
- JSA
- Job Search Allowance, EIS benefit of 50-80% of last wage for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated in Malaysia?
Net take-home = gross salary − EPF employee (11% default, 9% opt-in since August 2023; 0% for age 60+) − SOCSO (0.5% of wage capped at RM 6,000 ceiling) − EIS (0.2% capped at RM 6,000) − PCB monthly tax deduction. PCB is computed by annualising your gross income, deducting LHDN reliefs (self RM 9,000, EPF up to RM 4,000, spouse RM 4,000, child under 18 RM 2,000 each), applying the YA2024 progressive tax bands (0% up to RM 5,000 chargeable income; 30% over RM 2 million), and dividing by 12.
What are the 2026 Malaysian income tax bands?
Per LHDN YA2024 (still applicable in 2026): 0% on the first RM 5,000 chargeable, 1% on RM 5,001-20,000, 3% on RM 20,001-35,000, 6% on RM 35,001-50,000, 11% on RM 50,001-70,000, 19% on RM 70,001-100,000, 25% on RM 100,001-400,000, 26% on RM 400,001-600,000, 28% on RM 600,001-2,000,000, and 30% above RM 2,000,000.
What is the EPF employee contribution rate in 2026?
Default 11% of monthly wages for members under 60. Since August 2023 employees can opt for 9% (a temporary reduction option to take home more cash, at the cost of slower EPF accumulation). Members aged 60-75 contribute 0% on the employee side. Employer contributes 13% for monthly wages up to RM 5,000 or 12% above; 4% for members aged 60-75.
What is the SOCSO wage ceiling in 2026?
RM 6,000 per month. The ceiling was raised from RM 5,000 effective 1 September 2023. Employee contributes 0.5% of wages up to the ceiling (max RM 30/month); employer contributes 1.75% (max RM 105/month). Category 1 covers employment injury and invalidity.
What is EIS and how much does it deduct?
Employment Insurance System (EIS) provides temporary income (Job Search Allowance, 50-80% of last wage for up to 6 months) and re-employment services if you lose your job involuntarily. Employee pays 0.2% of monthly wages, capped at the RM 6,000 ceiling (max RM 12/month). Employer matches with 0.2%.
How do I compare two Malaysian job offers fairly?
Start with net take-home (after EPF + SOCSO + EIS + PCB) and add monthly allowances which are typically tax-exempt within LHDN limits (petrol up to RM 6,000/year, parking up to RM 2,400/year). Then convert to effective hourly rate by dividing annual net by realistic annual hours (5 workdays × 9 hours + commute time × 2 × office days). A RM 1,500/month gross raise that adds 10 hours/week of commute often loses on real hourly rate. Finally project 5-year cumulative net and EPF growth (compounded at 5% p.a. dividend).
What is HRDC levy?
Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad (HRDC, formerly HRDF) levy is 1% of monthly wages for Malaysian employers in covered sectors with 10 or more employees. It funds the Human Resource Development Fund used for employee training. It is paid by the employer and does not affect take-home pay, but it is part of the total cost of hiring you.
Are bonuses taxed differently in Malaysia?
No, bonuses are taxed as part of your annual income at the same progressive rates. Most Malaysian employers withhold extra PCB in the bonus month to keep your annual liability covered. EPF and SOCSO/EIS also apply to bonus payments. The take-home calculator on this page lets you set bonus months per year to project annualised totals correctly.
What reliefs are most worth claiming?
The standard self relief (RM 9,000) is automatic. The most underused reliefs are: Private Retirement Scheme up to RM 3,000 (saves RM 570/year if you are in the 19% bracket); lifestyle up to RM 2,500 (books, internet subscription, sports equipment, smartphone); medical expenses up to RM 10,000 (serious illness or own parents); EPF self-top-up which counts toward the RM 4,000 cap. Filing claims through e-Filing on the LHDN HASiL portal directly reduces your annual chargeable income.
Methodology and sources
Rates reviewed May 2026. EPF rates: KWSP official contribution table (rates current as of 2026, including the August 2023 opt-in 9% rate). SOCSO rates and wage ceiling, and EIS: PERKESO official schedule (SOCSO ceiling RM 6,000). PCB / MTD and the YA2024/YA2025/YA2026 progressive tax schedule and personal reliefs: LHDN HASiL. HRD Corp levy: HRD Corp (hrdcorp.gov.my) , standard 1% rate, applies only to covered-sector employers with 10+ employees and is off by default. Salary percentiles and medians: DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey (the distribution curve is an illustrative log-normal fit). The severance and notice calculator follows the Employment Act 1955 and Employment (Termination & Lay-Off Benefits) Regulations 1980 (also see JTKSM). Calculations annualise the monthly gross with the user's selected bonus months, apply statutory deductions, deduct user-selected LHDN reliefs, and then apply the progressive tax bands before dividing by 12 for the monthly PCB withholding. EPF projection in the Compare Offers tool uses a configurable per-annum compound assumption (default 5%, broadly in line with the EPF's long-run conventional dividend).