Why not just compare the CTC figures?

Because CTC bundles components that behave very differently — guaranteed pay, performance-dependent variable, stock that vests over years, and cities with very different rents. Two offers with identical CTC can differ by a lakh or more in what actually reaches you.

How should I value the variable component?

Ask what has actually paid out historically rather than taking the target. Run it at the target, then again at 60–70%. If that changes which offer wins, that offer's advantage is conditional rather than guaranteed.

How should I value RSUs or ESOPs?

Divide the grant by the vesting period for an annual figure. RSUs are taxed as a perquisite on vesting, which this includes; later capital gains are not modelled. For unlisted startup ESOPs, try a heavily discounted value or zero to see if the offer stands on cash alone.

Why is the monthly figure lower than the annual value divided by twelve?

The monthly figure is only your regular salary credit, but it carries the tax on the whole package. Variable pay and stock arrive separately and show up in the annual value. Budget against the monthly number; judge the offer on the annual one.

How do I account for moving to a different city?

Set rent and metro status per offer. Metro status raises the HRA exemption cap from 40% to 50% of basic in the old regime. The calculator cannot capture transport, schooling and general price levels, so subtract realistic living costs for each city yourself.

How much should a joining bonus influence my decision?

Less than its size suggests. It is taxable, arrives once, and often carries a clawback if you leave within a year or two, while a salary difference recurs and compounds through every future raise. This ranks offers on recurring value and shows year one separately.

Can different offers use different tax regimes?

The regime applies to you, not to a job, so it is set once for all offers. Offers can still differ in how much deduction they allow through basic pay and metro status. Try both settings if you are near the break-even point.

What does this calculator not tell me?

Most of what makes a job good: the work, the people, growth, security, commute and flexibility. Use these numbers to see whether the offers are financially comparable. If they are close, the non-financial factors should decide.

IncomeIndiaUpdated August 1, 2026

Job Offer Comparison Calculator

Compare up to three job offers on what they are actually worth after tax. Fixed pay, variable pay, stock, joining bonus and city rent all run through the same tax engine, so the winner is decided on post-tax value rather than headline CTC.

How to use this calculator

Step 1
Add each offer
Fixed CTC, expected variable pay, annual stock value and any joining bonus, for up to three offers side by side.
Step 2
Set the city and rent
Rent and metro status are per offer, since relocating changes both your costs and your possible HRA exemption.
Step 3
Compare post-tax value
Every offer runs through the same tax engine, so you are comparing what actually reaches you rather than headline numbers.

Quick facts

Offers compared: Up to three at once
Ranked on: Post-tax annual value
Includes: Variable, stock and bonus
Per-offer city: Metro and rent

Shared assumptions

Applied to every offer so the comparison is fair.

Tax yearFY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27)

Tax regime

Age group

Only changes the old regime, where the basic exemption rises with age.

Basic pay

HRA

Annual professional tax

₹

Offer A

Fixed pay, variable, stock and city details for this offer.

Offer name

Fixed annual CTC

₹

Variable pay

Equals ₹1,80,000 if paid in full.

Annual stock value

₹

Joining bonus

₹

Other annual benefits

₹

City type

Monthly rent

₹

Offer B

Fixed pay, variable, stock and city details for this offer.

Offer name

Fixed annual CTC

₹

Variable pay

Equals ₹3,20,000 if paid in full.

Annual stock value

₹

Joining bonus

₹

Other annual benefits

₹

City type

Monthly rent

₹

Best post-tax value: Offer B

₹18,15,488

₹99,624 monthly salary credit · rank #1

Recurring gross package: ₹22,20,000
Income tax: ₹2,17,728
First-year post-tax value: ₹18,15,488

₹2,08,385 a year ahead of the next-best offer.

Offer A#2

₹16,07,103

₹1,18,925 monthly credit

Fixed CTC: ₹18,00,000
Variable: ₹1,80,000 (10%)
Income tax: ₹1,63,065
Year-one post-tax: ₹16,07,103

Offer BBest value

₹18,15,488

₹99,624 monthly credit

Fixed CTC: ₹16,00,000
Variable: ₹3,20,000 (20%)
Annual stock: ₹3,00,000
Income tax: ₹2,17,728
Year-one post-tax: ₹18,15,488

Post-tax annual value

What each offer is actually worth after tax, PF and professional tax.

Offer B leads at ₹18,15,488 a year.

Offer B package mix

How the winning offer's recurring gross is composed.

Fixed CTC72.1%
Variable pay14.4%
Annual stock13.5%

Where the package goes

Post-tax value against tax and employer/employee costs retained.

PF and gratuity remain your money even though they do not reach your bank account each month.

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How offers are compared

A headline CTC comparison is misleading because the components are taxed differently and rent varies by city. Each offer is therefore rebuilt from the ground up and compared on post-tax value.

Post-tax value = (Fixed + Variable + Stock) − PF − Professional tax − Income tax + Benefits

Fixed

Guaranteed CTC

The part you can count on. Basic, HRA, PF and gratuity are derived from this.

Variable

Expected variable pay

A percentage of fixed CTC. It is taxable in full, and it is the component most likely not to arrive as promised.

Stock

Annual RSU or ESOP value

Taxable as a perquisite when it vests, valued at the market price on the vesting date.

Benefits

Non-taxable annual value

Insurance cover and similar perks, counted toward total value but not toward taxable income.

The offer with the highest CTC often loses. A large variable component, a non-metro posting with lower rent, or a package weighted toward stock can all change the ranking once tax is applied — which is exactly why the comparison is run post-tax.

Assumptions

Each offer runs through the same salary structure and tax engine, so differences come from the offers rather than the method.
Variable pay is treated as a percentage of fixed CTC and assumed to pay out in full. Reduce the percentage to model a partial payout.
Stock value is treated as taxable salary perquisite in the year it vests, which matches how RSUs are taxed on vesting in India. Later capital gains on sale are not modelled.
A joining bonus is taxable and is included in the first-year figure only.
Other annual benefits are treated as non-taxable value, such as insurance cover, and are added to total value but not to taxable income.
The monthly figure is your regular salary credit, net of the tax withheld on the whole package including variable and stock.
Offers are ranked on recurring post-tax value, so the one-time joining bonus does not decide the winner.
Non-financial factors — the work, the team, growth, stability and commute — are not modelled and often matter more.

Frequently asked questions

Answers about the offer comparison calculator.

Because CTC bundles together components that behave very differently. One offer might load a fifth of the package into variable pay that depends on company performance, while another is entirely fixed. One might be in a metro where rent consumes a large share of your income, another in a smaller city. Stock vests over years and is taxed on vesting rather than paid in cash. Two offers with identical CTC can differ by a lakh or more in what actually reaches you, and occasionally the lower-CTC offer is the better one. That is the whole reason this calculator exists.

Related calculators

Continue exploring adjacent tools in this topic.

Guides that explain this

Background reading on the ideas behind these numbers.

Taxes

Marginal vs effective tax rates, clearly explained

Being "in the 20% bracket" does not mean 20% of your income goes in tax. Confusing the rate on your next rupee with the rate on all of them leads people to fear raises, overvalue deductions and misjudge what they actually earn.

Jun 30, 20267 min read

This tool is provided for educational purposes only. Results are estimates based on the values you enter and do not constitute financial advice.

Assumptions

Each offer runs through the same salary structure and tax engine, so differences come from the offers rather than the method.

Variable pay is treated as a percentage of fixed CTC and assumed to pay out in full. Reduce the percentage to model a partial payout.

Stock value is treated as taxable salary perquisite in the year it vests, which matches how RSUs are taxed on vesting in India. Later capital gains on sale are not modelled.

A joining bonus is taxable and is included in the first-year figure only.

Other annual benefits are treated as non-taxable value, such as insurance cover, and are added to total value but not to taxable income.

The monthly figure is your regular salary credit, net of the tax withheld on the whole package including variable and stock.

Offers are ranked on recurring post-tax value, so the one-time joining bonus does not decide the winner.

Non-financial factors — the work, the team, growth, stability and commute — are not modelled and often matter more.