Thailand, Italy, Spain, Netherlands: Business Setup & Startup Ecosystem Compared

Side-by-side breakdown of business setup, startup ecosystem, remote work, and 6 more dimensions for founders choosing where to incorporate in 2026.

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🇪🇸Spain

Worldwide

🇹🇭Thailand

Worldwide

🇳🇱Netherlands

Worldwide

🇮🇹Italy

Worldwide

Dimension Profile

Shape = jurisdiction fingerprint. Gap = your decision.

Tax Regime Comparison3

🇪🇸SpainWorldwide47%

🇹🇭ThailandWorldwide35%

🇳🇱NetherlandsWorldwide49.5%

🇮🇹ItalyWorldwide43%

Exit tax applies in one jurisdictionCritical

Spain and Netherlands have an exit tax. If you establish residency and later wish to leave, you may owe tax on unrealized gains or assets at departure. The other countries in this comparison do not have an exit tax.

14.5pp personal tax rate spreadNote

Both countries tax worldwide income, but the top personal income tax rates differ materially. Netherlands: 49.5% vs Thailand: 35%. Both apply to all global earnings once you establish residency.

CFC rules apply in one jurisdictionReview

Spain and Netherlands and Italy have 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 country in this comparison does not have CFC rules.

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	🇪🇸Spain69	🇹🇭Thailand57	🇳🇱Netherlands59	🇮🇹Italy70
Dimension Scores
Corporate Tax	32	43	39	32
Funding	100	70	100	100
Visa	90	90	75	90
Residency	43	58	73	68
Tax Res.	45	60	45	55
Practical	96	58	100	83
Remote Work	64	72	39	64
Family	95	80	90	85
Ecosystem	60	60	100	65
Corporate Tax Details
Corporate Tax Rate	25%	20%	25.8%	27.9%
Capital Gains Tax	28%	0%	36%	26%
Tax Treaties	96	61	100	100
Territorial System	No	No	No	No
Funding Details
Active VCs	100	20	200	80
Government Grants	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
EU Funding Eligible	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Visa Details
Has Startup Visa	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Processing Time	45	60	30	60
Min Investment	-	-	-	-
E-Residency	No	No	No	No
Digital Nomad Visa	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Residency Details
Visa Programs Available	2	2	3	4
Citizenship Timeline	10	12	5	10
Dual Citizenship	No	No	No	Yes
Immigration Score	7	6	8	6
Tax Res. Details
Tax Residency Days	183	180	183	183
Personal Tax Top Rate	47	35	50	43
Territorial Taxation	No	No	No	No
Special Tax Regime	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Exit Tax	Yes	No	Yes	No
Practical Details
Banking Difficulty	easy	moderate	easy	moderate
100% Foreign Ownership	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Company Formation	7	14	5	30
Virtual Office OK	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Remote Work Details
Nomad Visa	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Tourist Work	gray_area	gray_area	gray_area	gray_area
Tourist Visa Days	90	30	90	90
PE Risk Level	moderate	low	high	moderate
Days Before Tax Res.	183	180	183	183
Internet Speed	220	200	300	117
Coworking/mo	$250	$150	$300	$275
Family Details
Safety Index	72	62	78	65
Int'l Schools	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Homeschooling	legal_with_restrictions	legal_with_restrictions	illegal	legal_with_restrictions
Healthcare Quality	82	72	85	82
Cost of Living	55	40	80	55
Ecosystem Details
Unicorns	5	3	12	9
English Business Env	No	No	Yes	No
Talent Pool Quality	70	55	82	65

Next steps

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