Taxes, wages, and the expense of setting up operations can vary depending on the country, making some destinations more affordable than others.
To help business owners and startups make informed choices, we analyzed OECD countries using four key financial factors:
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Comparing these costs and resources across the world, unfortunately, it looks like Europeans are getting an easier access to entrepreneurship than we are in the US.
Start-up costs sit at 1.0% (of income per capita), and it takes just 3.5 days to register a business here, on average, which means a business can potentially start making money sooner.
It takes two days longer than in Estonia to set up a business, at 5.5 days on average.
Corporate tax is 22.0%, a little higher than in the Eastern European countries, beating Greece in the rankings, but this is balanced by lower average wages of $32,257.
It isn’t just Mexico. Across Austria, Luxembourg, and Germany higher wages and heavier tax burdens can create financial barriers that entrepreneurs need to plan for carefully. While affordable entrepreneurship is present across Europe, the opposite is also true as our study found.
Wages average $75,767, which is lower than in some European countries like Belgium, but still the sixth highest among OECD peers.
Corporate tax is set at 23.9%, close to the OECD average of 22.5%, but paired with such high salaries, the overall cost base quickly rises.
Wages are also $69,433 a year, which is about $5,786 per month, almost 16% higher than the OECD average of $59,375.
| Country | Average onboarding cost | Average onboarding cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| $1,200 | $1,200 |
| €1,000 | $1,168 |
| CNY 8,000 | $1,112 |
| £800 | $1,080 |
| CAD 1,400 | $1,017 |
| JPY 150,000 | $1,014 |
| AUD 1,500 | $976 |
| ZAR 10,000 | $566 |
| INR 40,000 | $458 |
| BRL 2,000 | $369 |
The UK falls around the middle at $1,080. Onboarding typically blends online modules with in-person guidance and orientation days. While not the cheapest, it’s a balanced approach that aims to get employees technically trained and culturally aligned with the business.
Other countries show just how differently this process can play out:
However, the cost of using this service varies from location to location, ranging from under 10% of a salary in India to 35% in Japan. It is worth noting that these fees will also differ based on how hard a role is to fill. The below are typical agency fee ranges in each country according to data from GoHire.
| Country | Typical recruitment fee |
|---|---|
| India | 8.33–16.67% |
| Singapore | 10–12% (entry-level) |
| Ireland | 10–30% |
| UAE | 15–20% |
| United Kingdom | 15–20% (avg. 18%) |
| Australia | 15–25% |
| Spain | 15–25% |
| Croatia | 15–25% |
| China | 15–25% |
| Netherlands | 15–25% |
| Italy | 15–25% |
| South Africa | 15–25% (avg. 17%) |
| Brazil | 15–25% (avg. 20%) |
| Canada | 15–30% (avg. 20%) |
| United States | 20–25% |
| Germany | 20–25% |
| France | 20–30% (avg. 22%) |
| Japan | 20–35% (avg. 30%) |
| Location/Programme | Incentive amount |
|---|---|
| Ireland (Our Living Islands) | $97,567 |
| Italy (Presicce-Acquarica) | $34,845 |
| Italy (Calabria) | $32,522 |
| Japan (Regional Revitalization Program) | $32,428 |
| Switzerland (Albinen) | $24,773 |
| Greece (Antikythera) | $20,907 |
| USA (West Virginia - Ascend WV) | $23,230 |
| Italy (Sardinia) | $17,423 |
| USA (Noblesville, Indiana) | $15,036 |
| Canada (Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program) | $14,503 |
| USA (Tulsa, Oklahoma) | $10,024 |
| USA (Kentucky - Mayfield/Graves County) | $5,012 |
| Spain (Ponga, Asturias) | $3,451 |
| USA (Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend) | $1,315 |
Greece takes a different approach on the island of Antikythera, where new residents are offered around $581 per month for three years, paid through the Greek Orthodox Church, to encourage people to settle there.
Note: incentive packages analyzed may no longer be live. Ensure you check the respective Government’s website to verify timelines and validity. Incentive amount is a mixture of equivalent value of incentives and outright cash payments which differs per package.
Some of the standout programs include:
Do you want lower start-up costs to get moving quickly, or are you prepared to spend more upfront in return for access to a highly skilled workforce? Whatever your goals, understanding the financial intricacies of your chosen country gives you the power to make smarter decisions.
We believe everyone deserves the freedom to access, move, and manage their money wherever life takes them, including setting up businesses overseas. Interested in the cost entrepreneurs face, we wanted to identify the most and least affordable countries to run a business. So, we ranked each OECD country based on four cost-related factors:
The four scores were averaged to create each country’s overall affordability score out of 10. Countries were then ranked from highest (most affordable) to lowest (least affordable).
Hiring local vs international talent
All data was collected in August 2025 and is correct as of then.
