Salary Expectations: Gross or Net? A Country-by-Country Guide

When a form or recruiter asks for your salary expectations, gross or net is the first decision. Get it wrong and you can undersell yourself by the full value of your tax and pension deductions, or overprice yourself out of a shortlist. In most countries the safe default is to quote a gross annual range unless you are told otherwise. Some markets, though, talk in monthly figures, cost-to-company or allowance packages. This guide shows which figure to give by country and gives exact wording for forms and calls.

This post covers which number to say. For how to pick the range itself and handle pushback, see our guide on how to answer "What are your salary expectations?".

The default rule: gross, annual, in the employer's currency

Employers budget in gross figures. A hiring manager's salary band is almost always the amount before income tax, social security and your own pension contributions are taken off. If you say a net figure and they hear gross, you have just asked for less than you meant.

Gross is also the only figure an employer can promise. Your take-home pay depends on your tax code, pension choices, student loan, benefits, dependants and other income. The employer does not control those, so it rarely negotiates on them.

So, unless the market norm below says otherwise:

• Say gross and say the word out loud: "gross" or "before tax".
• Say the period: annual or monthly.
• Say the currency, especially for international or remote roles.
• Say what's included: base only, or base plus pension, bonus or allowances.

That last point is where most cross-border confusion comes from.

Salary expectations gross or net: which to quote by country

The table below summarises common conventions. They are norms, not rules. Always mirror the wording the job ad or form uses, and ask if it is unclear.

Country / region	Usual figure	Period	Watch out for
UK, Ireland	Gross base	Annual	Employer pension is usually extra, not part of the quoted salary
US, Canada	Gross base	Annual (hourly for some roles)	Bonus, equity and benefits are discussed separately
Australia	Gross, but check "base" vs "package"	Annual	Superannuation may be quoted on top of base or included in the package
New Zealand	Gross base	Annual (hourly for some roles)	Some ads quote total remuneration including employer KiwiSaver
South Africa	Cost to company (CTC) or basic	Annual or monthly	CTC includes employer-paid benefits; basic does not
India	CTC	Annual, often in lakhs (LPA)	In-hand pay can be well below CTC once variable pay, PF and deductions come off
Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya	Often gross monthly; net is commonly discussed	Monthly or annual	Clarify gross vs take-home and whether allowances are included
Philippines	Gross basic	Monthly	13th-month pay is a legal entitlement; don't fold it into your monthly figure
Singapore	Gross basic	Monthly	Annual wage supplement (AWS) and bonus are separate; CPF deductions affect take-home for citizens and PRs
UAE and much of the Gulf	Total monthly package	Monthly	Little or no personal income tax, so gross is close to net; split basic vs allowances

Tax and payroll rules change, so check official sources such as your country's tax authority before you rely on any take-home estimate. In the UK, for example, HMRC's estimate your Income Tax tool helps you see what a gross figure means for you.

UK, Ireland, US and Canada

Quote a gross annual base salary. Treat employer pension or 401(k) matching, health insurance and bonus as separate items you can raise later. In the US and Canada, hourly roles are quoted as gross hourly rates.

Australia and New Zealand

In Australia, the key question is whether superannuation is included. "$90,000 plus super" and "$90,000 including super" are different offers. Say which you mean: "I'm looking for around $90,000 to $100,000 base, plus super." In New Zealand, check whether an ad's figure is base or total remuneration including KiwiSaver.

South Africa and India

Both markets often use cost to company. CTC can include employer retirement contributions, medical aid, allowances and, in India, variable pay. If you only know your take-home, work backwards from your payslip. Ask: "Is that CTC or basic, and how much is fixed versus variable?"

Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya

Conversations here often swing between monthly take-home and gross annual figures, and allowances such as housing and transport are common. Lead with gross and confirm the period: "My expectation is ₦X gross per month, including allowances. Could you confirm whether your band is gross or net?" Multinationals usually work in gross annual terms.

Philippines and Singapore

Quote gross basic monthly salary. In the Philippines, keep 13th-month pay separate because it is owed on top. In Singapore, mention AWS or bonus separately if you currently receive it.

UAE and the Gulf

With little or no personal income tax, the real issue is structure. Packages are often split into basic salary plus housing, transport and other allowances. End-of-service gratuity is typically based on basic salary, so the split matters. Ask for the breakdown and check UAE labour rules on official government sites.

How to phrase a gross range on application forms

Forms are where people trip up, because the field rarely says gross or net.

If there's a free-text box

Use one line that removes all ambiguity:

£38,000–£42,000 gross per year (base salary), flexible depending on the full package.

₹14–16 LPA CTC, open to discussing the fixed/variable split.

AED 18,000–20,000 per month total package, including housing and transport allowances.

If the field only accepts a number

• Assume gross unless the form says otherwise.
• Match the period the form shows. If it says "annual", don't enter a monthly figure.
• Enter a single realistic number, usually the lower-middle of your range. Some systems filter on this figure, so an unrealistically high number can exclude you; an unrealistically low one anchors you.
• If there's a comments box anywhere, add: "Figure given is gross annual base; flexible depending on package."

If the form asks for current salary

Give your gross base, period and currency, and keep benefits separate. Where it's optional, or where local rules restrict salary-history questions, you can leave it blank or put your expectation instead. Rules vary by country and state, so check official guidance where you live.

What to say on a screening call

On calls, the risk is that you say a figure and the recruiter writes it down without the context. Make the context part of the sentence.

Simple version:

"I'm looking for somewhere between $85,000 and $95,000 gross, base salary. I'm flexible depending on the benefits and bonus."

If they ask "Is that net?":

"No, that's gross, before tax. I find gross easier to compare because my take-home depends on my personal tax situation."

If you only know your take-home:

"My current take-home is around 420,000 per month. I'd like to confirm the gross equivalent with you — is your band quoted gross?"

If they push for one number:

"If I had to give one figure, around £45,000 gross base would work for me, assuming the pension and leave are in line with what's typical for the role."

If they quote a figure first:

"Thanks. Just to check: is that gross annual base, and does it include pension, super or allowances?"

Say these out loud a few times before the call. Practising helps the word "gross" come out naturally instead of being forgotten under pressure. If you want structured practice, the QuickApplyPilot interviews tool can generate likely screening questions for a role and help you rehearse answers, including salary questions; it won't tell you what you'll be offered.

Remote and international roles: extra checks

Cross-border jobs add three layers of confusion: currency, employment type and whose tax applies.

1. Currency. State it every time: "USD 60,000 gross per year" or "€4,000 gross per month". Don't assume the recruiter will convert.
2. Employee or contractor? As an employee, gross is before tax your employer withholds. As a contractor, the rate is usually all you get, and you handle your own tax, pension and insurance. Contractor rates are often quoted higher for that reason. Ask: "Is this an employment contract or a contractor arrangement?"
3. Which country's payroll? If you're hired through an employer of record or a local entity, local deductions apply. If you're a contractor abroad, your home country's rules usually apply. Check your own tax authority's guidance; this post isn't tax or legal advice.
4. Relocation roles. If you're moving countries, convert your expectation using local living costs, not the exchange rate alone. A figure that sounds high in one currency can be modest where you'll actually live.

If you're also preparing applications for overseas roles, our remote job application tools cover tailoring for international employers.

A quick checklist before you give any figure

• Gross or net, stated in words
• Annual, monthly or hourly
• Currency named
• Base only, or package including pension, super, CTC elements or allowances
• Fixed versus variable pay understood
• Employee or contractor
• Rough take-home worked out using an official tax calculator, so you know your floor

When an offer arrives, put the confirmed figures in writing. Our guide to accepting a job offer by email shows how to confirm salary, period and start date so the gross-or-net question is settled on paper, not just on a call.