Relocation intelligence
🇬🇦 Moving to Gabon: tax, residency and cost of living
Gabon applies a territorial tax system. Personal income tax (IRPP) is progressive up to 35 percent, with a flat professional abatement of 20 percent, plus a complementary salary tax (TCS) of 5 percent. Including the social contributions CNSS and CNAMGS, the effective burden lands around 28 percent at an income equivalent to roughly 54,000 euro. VAT is 18 percent, corporate tax 30 percent and capital gains tax 20 percent. The currency is the CFA franc (XAF), pegged to the euro at 655.957.
Thinking of moving to Gabon? Here is the tax, residency, property and quality-of-life picture in plain numbers, with sources.
Key facts
- Top income tax
- 35%
- Corporate tax
- 30%
- Capital gains
- 20%
- Wealth tax
- No
- Inheritance tax
- Yes
- Cost of living index
- 48
- Safety
- 4/10
- Internet quality
- 4/10
- Visa-free destinations
- 55
- Foreigners can own property
- Yes
- Residency in
- 6 months
- Citizenship in
- 5 years
Taxes
Territorial system: only Gabon-source income is taxed. IRPP is progressive to 35 percent with a 20 percent professional abatement and a 5 percent TCS, giving roughly 28 percent effective at about 54,000 euro including CNSS and CNAMGS. VAT 18 percent, corporate tax 30 percent, capital gains 20 percent.
Residency and visas
Residence permits are available through employment, business or investment. The political transition following the 2023 coup, which ended the Bongo dynasty, is still under way and the administrative framework may change.
Property ownership
Foreigners may own residential property. Libreville is expensive and the supply of quality housing is limited.
Cost of living and quality of life
Gabon is roughly 88 percent rainforest with 13 national parks, an Atlantic coastline and relatively high income for the region, driven by oil and manganese. Libreville offers urban amenities but at high cost.
Passport and mobility
The Gabonese passport is weak, ranking around 55th globally, with limited visa-free access. International travellers often need to arrange visas in advance.
Why people move to Gabon
Nature on a world scale
With almost 88 percent rainforest and 13 national parks along the Atlantic coast, Gabon ranks among the most pristine destinations in Central Africa, appealing to those seeking space and nature.
Euro-pegged currency and territorial tax
The CFA franc is fixed against the euro at 655.957, providing exchange rate stability. The territorial system taxes only Gabon-source income, favourable for those with foreign earnings.
Honest trade-offs
- Het Gabonese paspoort is zwak en staat rond plaats 55 wereldwijd, met beperkte visumvrije toegang.
- Libreville is duur: huisvesting en geimporteerde goederen liggen hoog vergeleken met de rest van de regio.
- De politieke overgang na de staatsgreep van 2023, die de Bongo-dynastie beeindigde, loopt nog en het bestuurlijke kader is in beweging.
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