**Formula:** `(target net + income tax + Medisave/CPF + insurance) / billable days`.
Inside the rate
IRAS income tax, Medisave if applicable, professional indemnity, unpaid admin days, CPF if you are local.
Links
[SG calculator](/sg/) · [Freelance vs employed](/sg/freelance-vs-employed-singapore)
How we calculate your break-even rate
From target net we add progressive income tax, Medisave/CPF (if applicable), insurance, ops, then divide by billable days (default 176).
EP holders often set CPF to 0%—but then you must self-fund retirement. If you bill 140 days, scale revenue by 176 ÷ 140.
Typical Singapore day rates (2025/2026, SGD)
B2B corporate; finance and infra sit high.
| Industry | Junior (0-3y) | Mid (3-7y) | Senior (7+y) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software / data | S$600-900 | S$900-1,400 | S$1,400-2,400 |
| Design / UX | S$500-800 | S$800-1,200 | S$1,200-1,800 |
| Consulting | S$800-1,200 | S$1,200-2,000 | S$2,000-3,500 |
| Marketing | S$450-700 | S$700-1,100 | S$1,100-1,700 |
| Finance | S$600-950 | S$950-1,500 | S$1,500-2,400 |
Low headline tax does not mean low **risk premium**—price bench and legal exposure.
What to say when clients push back on your rate
Anchor on CPF-inclusive comp for locals—S$120k employment is not S$120k invoices for parity.
Script: “The rate covers tax, Medisave where relevant, insurance, and gaps between SOWs. If budget is fixed, we trim scope.”
Day vs hour: day for workstreams; hourly with weekly minimum.
GST: quote exclusive; add 9% when registered.
FAQ
**Daily** for delivery; hourly with caps.
Quote **ex-GST**; GST is compliance cash, not take-home.
Include **employer CPF** mentally for citizens/PRs.
**5-10%** for guaranteed monthly minimums can work.
**Annually**; step up when backlog **>6 months**.
Below **~S$700/day** for senior work, you donate margin—model your costs.
Use a separate model if you invoice via Pte Ltd.