Gross versus net
Calculate your net salary
From gross to net in one move, for white-collar and blue-collar workers, including what shift work yields net. A transparent approximation, rounded to 10 euros.
Add your payslip items: meal vouchers, company car, group insurance, allowances.
Net per month: ≈ € 2.380
Base: gross € 3.400 - social security € 440 - tax € 580
How do we calculate? Social security at 13.07% (blue-collar on 108%), reduced by the work bonus for lower wages, flat professional costs, the progressive tax brackets, the tax-free sum with child supplements and the marital quotient. Indication for a full-time role on 12 monthly wages, income year 2026, with 7% municipal tax. Holiday pay and the year-end premium are taxed separately. Your payslip may differ with your exact situation; always ask for a pay simulation with an offer.
Curious what the market pays for your profession? To the salary guide→
Your gross pay is the agreed amount before deductions; your net pay is what reaches your account after social security contributions (13.07 percent) and payroll withholding tax. As a rule of thumb a single person keeps about half of every gross raise net; premiums and benefits are often treated more favourably.
From gross to net in three steps
First 13.07 percent employee social security comes off your gross (partly compensated for lower wages through the work bonus). On the balance, payroll withholding tax is deducted, an advance on your income tax depending on pay, family situation and children. What remains is your net, possibly topped up with net allowances such as meal vouchers or expenses.
Why a raise disappoints net
Belgium taxes labour progressively: every extra gross euro falls into your highest bracket. From a median wage upwards you often keep only 40 to 55 euros net of 100 gross extra. That is why shift premiums (tax-favoured), fringe benefits and group insurance often weigh more net than the same amount of gross raise.
Always compare jobs in net value
Two offers with the same gross can differ by hundreds of euros net through premiums, car, vouchers and pension build-up. Ask for a pay simulation with an offer, or lay both packages side by side with our guide your pay package explained. Our vacancies show gross ranges; premiums and benefits are listed in each offer.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I keep net of 3,500 euros gross?
Roughly between 2,250 and 2,550 euros for a single person without children, depending on your municipality and situation; more with family burdens. Premiums, vouchers and a car come on top. For an exact figure, ask the employer or payroll provider for a simulation.
Why does my net differ from a colleague's with the same gross?
Withholding tax depends on your personal situation: marital status, dependent children, and whether your partner has an income. Premiums, overtime and benefits differ too. The same gross is rarely the same net; always compare pay packages in full.
Related on this site: Your salary package in Belgium explained: more than gross alone · Salary negotiation for technical profiles: how to approach it
Want to see what this means in practice?
Browse our open technical vacancies: every role shows a transparent salary range, the shift system and the premiums.