Sao Tome and Principe, United Kingdom, Georgia, Costa Rica: Tax Rates & Startup Ecosystem Compared

Side-by-side breakdown of tax rates, startup ecosystem, startup funding, and 6 more dimensions for founders choosing where to incorporate in 2026.

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4 selectedClear all
🇬🇪Georgia
68
Small Business Status / Virtual Zone IT Company
🇬🇧United Kingdom
71
Worldwide
🇨🇷Costa Rica
75
Territorial
🇸🇹Sao Tome and Principe
46
Worldwide

Dimension Profile

Shape = jurisdiction fingerprint. Gap = your decision.

Tax Regime Comparison4
🇬🇪GeorgiaSmall Business Status / Virtual Zone IT Company20%
🇬🇧United KingdomWorldwide45%
🇨🇷Costa RicaTerritorial25%
🇸🇹Sao Tome and PrincipeWorldwide25%
Tax system mismatchCritical

United Kingdom and Sao Tome and Principe tax all worldwide income once you become a tax resident (top rate: 45%). Georgia and Costa Rica do not - only locally-sourced income is taxed. This is a fundamental structural difference that affects your total effective tax burden.

25pp personal tax rate spreadReview

Both countries tax worldwide income, but the top personal income tax rates differ materially. United Kingdom: 45% vs Georgia: 20%. Both apply to all global earnings once you establish residency.

CFC rules apply in one jurisdictionReview

United Kingdom has Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) rules. Owning a foreign company as a resident may trigger local tax on undistributed profits - even if the company pays no dividends. The other countries in this comparison do not have CFC rules.

Special tax regime available in one jurisdictionNote

Georgia (Small Business Status / Virtual Zone IT Company) offers a qualifying program that may exempt foreign-source income from local tax. This can significantly reduce your effective rate compared to the standard regime.

Not tax advice. Tax laws change frequently. Verify with a qualified professional before making residency decisions.

Field-by-Field Breakdown

Green = best value per row
Metric
🇬🇪Georgia68
🇬🇧United Kingdom71
🇨🇷Costa Rica75
🇸🇹Sao Tome and Principe46
Dimension Scores
Corporate Tax
100
42
100
17
Funding
70
85
60
40
Visa
50
80
90
50
Residency
58
65
58
56
Tax Res.
75
45
75
55
Practical
86
100
78
55
Remote Work
80
43
84
52
Family
90
80
80
70
Ecosystem
40
100
40
40
Corporate Tax Details
Corporate Tax Rate15%25%30%25%
Capital Gains Tax15%24%15%0%
Tax Treaties56130123
Territorial SystemYesNoYesNo
Funding Details
Active VCs1465080
Government GrantsYesYesYesNo
EU Funding EligibleNoNoNoNo
Visa Details
Has Startup VisaNoYesYesNo
Processing Time-564542
Min Investment-$0-$90K
E-ResidencyNoNoNoNo
Digital Nomad VisaYesNoYesNo
Residency Details
Visa Programs Available3322
Citizenship Timeline1067-
Dual CitizenshipNoYesYesYes
Immigration Score9777
Tax Res. Details
Tax Residency Days183183-183
Personal Tax Top Rate20452525
Territorial TaxationNoNoYesNo
Special Tax RegimeYesNoNoNo
Exit TaxNoNoNoNo
Practical Details
Banking Difficultyeasyeasymoderatevery_difficult
100% Foreign OwnershipYesYesYesYes
Company Formation111430
Virtual Office OKYesYesYesNo
Remote Work Details
Nomad VisaNoNoYesNo
Tourist Worklegalillegaltoleratedillegal
Tourist Visa Days3651809015
PE Risk Levellowvery_highlowlow
Days Before Tax Res.183183-183
Internet Speed45856010
Coworking/mo$100$400$200-
Family Details
Safety Index72655565
Int'l SchoolsYesYesYesNo
Homeschoolinglegallegallegal-
Healthcare Quality58787530
Cost of Living381055228
Ecosystem Details
Unicorns07500
English Business EnvNoYesNoNo
Talent Pool Quality52904510

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