The two offers
Gross monthly pay before EPF. Put any expected bonus in months of pay, and one-off cash such as a sign-on bonus under other yearly cash.
| A year | Offer A | Offer B | Difference |
|---|
How to read it
Compare take-home after tax first, then the value of your time: pay per working hour and the leave days you get.
- Gross a year: 12 months of pay, plus bonus months, plus other cash. Other cash is treated like a bonus: EPF is charged on it and it is taxed.
- Take-home: after your EPF, SOCSO, EIS and the year's income tax, with the individual, EPF and SOCSO reliefs and the RM400 rebate where it applies.
- Employer EPF is shown separately. It is not cash in hand, but it goes into your EPF account.
- Per working hour divides take-home by hours a week × 52, minus leave and 11 public holidays.
- Not counted: medical cover, allowances paid in kind, stock, training, commute and flexible work.
What a raise is worth after EPF, SOCSO, EIS and tax
For a Malaysian citizen aged 30, with no bonus.
| Offer A | Offer B | Extra pay a year | Extra take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| RM4,000 | RM5,000 | RM12,000 | RM9,492 |
| RM5,000 | RM6,000 | RM12,000 | RM9,444 |
| RM8,000 | RM10,000 | RM24,000 | RM16,404 |
Foundific calculations with 2026 rates. Extra take-home excludes the extra EPF, which is still yours.
- About four fifths of a RM1,000 raise reaches your bank account at RM4,000 to RM6,000 a month.
What else to compare
- Bonus: contractual or discretionary? Only a contractual bonus is certain.
- Fixed allowances: travel, phone and housing allowances count for EPF in most cases.
- Leave and hours: annual leave above the Employment Act minimum, and working days a week.
- Notice: check how long you would be bound. The notice period calculator works out your last day.
Common questions
How do I compare two job offers in Malaysia?
Enter each offer's monthly pay, expected bonus and leave. The tool works out take-home for the year after EPF, SOCSO, EIS and income tax, so a higher base with a smaller bonus and a lower base with a bigger bonus can be compared on one line.
Does a higher salary always mean more take-home?
Yes, but less than the raise: 11% goes to EPF and part of the rest to tax. From RM5,000 to RM5,800 a month, take-home rises by about RM8,040 a year, against RM10,400 more gross pay with a one-month bonus.
Is a bonus guaranteed?
Only if the contract says so. Enter the amount you expect in a normal year, then run it again at 0 to see the floor.
How do I reply to the offer I choose?
Ask for any change first with the salary negotiation email, then accept in writing with the job offer acceptance email.
Sources
KWSP, PERKESO, LHDN and the Employment Act
- Take-home pay calculator: the EPF, SOCSO, EIS and tax rules used here, with their sources.
- Employment Act 1955, section 60D: at least 11 paid public holidays, used in the per-hour figure.