Why work out salary backwards?
Most people know the number they need to cover rent, school fees and savings each month. Employers, however, talk in gross salary. If you ask for "Rs 200,000" and the recruiter writes Rs 200,000 gross on the offer letter, the amount that reaches your account will be lower once income tax is withheld. This calculator closes that gap: type the net amount you want and it returns the gross figure that produces it under the current salaried tax slabs.
Gross salary needed for common take-home amounts
| Take-home you want | Gross to ask for | Monthly income tax |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 60,000 | Rs 60,110 | Rs 101 |
| Rs 80,000 | Rs 80,310 | Rs 303 |
| Rs 100,000 | Rs 100,570 | Rs 563 |
| Rs 150,000 | Rs 156,750 | Rs 6,743 |
| Rs 200,000 | Rs 216,250 | Rs 16,250 |
| Rs 250,000 | Rs 279,560 | Rs 29,557 |
| Rs 300,000 | Rs 346,480 | Rs 46,479 |
| Rs 400,000 | Rs 488,240 | Rs 88,237 |
| Rs 500,000 | Rs 637,700 | Rs 137,695 |
Up to Rs 50,000 a month there is no tax, so net and gross are the same. Between Rs 50,000 and Rs 100,000 the gap is small because the second slab is only 1%. Above roughly Rs 183,000 gross the 20% and higher slabs start to bite, so the difference grows quickly.
How the reverse calculation works
Pakistan's slabs are progressive, so there is no single formula to turn net into gross. The calculator tries a gross salary, applies the slabs to get the take-home, and adjusts up or down until the take-home matches your target within a rupee. This is the same method payroll teams use when a company agrees to a "net of tax" salary. The result is rounded up to the nearest Rs 10.
Using the result in a salary negotiation
- Quote gross, think net. In the interview, state the gross figure from this tool. Mention that your expectation is based on take-home after tax, so the recruiter understands where the number comes from.
- Ask what the gross includes. Some companies include the employer's provident fund contribution, a car or fuel allowance in the "gross" or "cost to company" figure. Cash take-home will then be lower than this calculator shows.
- Check the market first. Look up your role on the salary pages. If the gross you need is far above the range for your city, consider negotiating benefits, a joining bonus or a review after probation instead.
- Remember other deductions. EOBI (a small fixed amount), your own PF share and loan recoveries come out of gross too. Add them to your target if you want the bank credit to match exactly.
Net-of-tax offers
A few employers, mostly multinationals and NGOs, agree salaries "net of tax", meaning the company bears the income tax. For tax purposes the tax paid on your behalf is itself treated as part of your salary, so the gross on your tax certificate will be the grossed-up figure, just like the result above. Keep the certificate: you need it to file your return.
Related tools
To check a specific offer the normal way round, use the salary tax calculator. To see how much of a raise you keep after tax, try the salary increment calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate gross salary from net salary in Pakistan?
Because the tax slabs are progressive, you work backwards by trial: pick a gross, deduct tax under the FY 2026-27 slabs, and adjust until the take-home equals your target. This calculator does that automatically.
What gross salary gives Rs 100,000 take-home?
About Rs 100,570 a month. Tax at that level is only 1% of the income above Rs 50,000 a month.
What gross salary gives Rs 200,000 take-home?
About Rs 216,250 a month, because part of the salary falls in the 20% slab.
Does the result include provident fund and EOBI?
No. It covers income tax only. Add your PF share and EOBI to the target if you want the final bank credit to match.
Is net-of-tax salary common in Pakistan?
It is uncommon in local companies but used by some multinationals, NGOs and international projects.