How the salary breakdown calculator works
Last updated 10 November 2026
A salary is often quoted as one number, but pay is spoken about in different ways: monthly, yearly, weekly, daily or by the hour. On top of that, the amount you are offered is before tax. This page puts all of those side by side for one salary, so you can compare jobs or check an offer.
How it works
- Enter your monthly salary before tax and your age group.
- Set the hours and days you work in a week. These only change the hourly and daily rates.
- Add a retirement contribution and your medical scheme details if they apply.
- Read the yearly, weekly, daily and hourly pay, then what is taken off each month and what is left.
Worked example
With the starting figures:
- A salary of R 28 000 a month is R 336 000 a year, R 6 461.54 a week, R 1 292.31 a day and R 161.54 an hour before tax.
- PAYE takes R 4 161.00 and UIF takes R 177.12 each month, which leaves R 23 661.88, or R 283 943 a year.
From monthly pay to an hourly rate
To compare a salary with an hourly job, divide the yearly pay by the number of hours worked in a year. The calculator uses 52 weeks a year and the weekly hours you enter. If you work longer or shorter weeks, change the hours and the hourly rate changes with them. A real job may pay for fewer hours, such as leave and public holidays, so treat the hourly rate as a guide.
What comes off your pay
PAYE is income tax taken by your employer and paid to SARS. UIF is a small percentage of your pay, up to a monthly limit, that goes to the Unemployment Insurance Fund. A retirement contribution, if you have one, also comes off before you see the money. If you belong to a medical scheme, a tax credit lowers the PAYE you pay.
Average rate and next rand
Tax in South Africa rises in steps called brackets. The average rate is your total tax divided by your total pay. The next rand rate is the rate on the last part of your pay. It tells you how much of an increase you would keep. Both are shown so you can see why a raise is taxed more heavily than the first part of your pay.
Where the figures come from
The tax brackets, rebates and medical credits come from SARS. We read them on 10 November 2026. The figures register lists the source and the date for each one. The example salaries in the comparison table are examples, not official figures.
What this page does not cover
It does not include a bonus, overtime, travel allowances, other deductions or employer benefits. Your payslip shows the exact amounts. This is an estimate from public tables, not tax advice. Read the full disclaimer.
Things to watch
- Your employer’s payslip is the final amount.
- Tax tables change, usually from 1 March each year.
Related: the take-home pay calculator, the tax refund calculator and the payslip generator.