Estonia runs one of the simplest personal tax systems in Europe: a single flat 22% rate on all taxable income, no brackets to climb through. Your taxable income is gross salary minus your own unemployment insurance and II pillar contribution, both deductible, minus the basic exemption (maksuvaba tulu), which from 2026 is a flat €700/month (€8,400/year) for everyone, regardless of how much you earn. That's a real simplification: previously this exemption phased down as income rose, but that "tax hump" mechanic has been abolished.
What actually comes off your paycheque is income tax (22% of taxable income), unemployment insurance (1.6% of gross, withheld from you), and, if you're enrolled and haven't opted out, your II pillar funded pension contribution (2%, 4%, or 6%, your choice). Social tax, at a hefty 33%, is entirely separate: your employer pays it on top of your gross salary to fund state pension and health insurance, and it never touches your payslip as a deduction.
That distinction matters a lot when comparing job offers or understanding your real cost to an employer: a €30,000 gross salary actually costs an Estonian employer roughly €40,000+ once social tax and employer unemployment insurance are added on top, even though your own deductions look much lighter.