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Cayman Islands

Taxes, residence and daily life for people moving to Cayman Islands: for a wealthy family, an expat employee and a remote worker. Researched .

Open Cayman Islands in the interactive guide

At a glance

For an EU-citizen family of five living off a €30M portfolio, the guide's default reader. The interactive guide recomputes everything for other passports and situations.

Score for a wealthy family
70 / 100
Can EU citizens live here?
from €1,071,908 · Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means (CER)
Can US citizens live here?
from €1,071,908 · Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means (CER)
Other passports
from €1,071,908 · Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means (CER)
Tax on a €30M portfolio
€48,600 a year
Wealth tax
none
Children inherit
tax-free
Living costs, family of five
€489,609 a year
EU member
no
Currency
KYD
Capital
George Town

Tax on investments, inheritance and wealth

The Cayman Islands has no income, capital gains, dividend, inheritance, estate, gift, wealth or property tax. The real costs are stamp duty on buying Cayman land (7.5%, and 10% from 1 January 2026 for property worth CI$2 million or more) and nominal probate fees for Cayman-situs assets. No tax treaties. Wealthy foreigners usually reside under the 25-year Residency Certificate for persons of independent means (CI$1 million investment, at least CI$500,000 in developed real estate, CI$120,000 annual income).

Income tax for employees and remote workers

No income, withholding, payroll or social security taxes on individuals. The only mandatory contribution is the national pension: 5% from the employee (matched by the employer) up to CI$87,000 of earnings, or 10% for the self-employed.

How to get residence

The Cayman Islands offer a 25-year renewable residency certificate (CI$1 million invested plus CI$120,000 income, CI$50,000 fee, no right to work) and a certificate of permanent residence for CI$2 million of property (CI$200,000 fee, work allowed), both revised on 1 May 2026. The remote-worker programme (Global Citizen Concierge) is closed. No direct taxes. EU, US and other passports use the same routes.

RouteKindWhoStatusIn short
Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means (CER)Investor residenceEU citizens, US citizens, other passportsopenA 25-year, renewable residence certificate for CI$1,000,000 invested (half in Grand Cayman real estate) plus CI$120,000 a year of income. No right to work. Amended on 1 May 2026.
Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means (CPR)Investor residenceEU citizens, US citizens, other passportsopenA residence certificate for investing CI$2 million (US$2.44 million) in one developed Cayman property. Ten-year initial term, then indefinite renewal; the holder may work. Rules changed on 1 May 2026.
Global Citizen Concierge Program (remote workers)Digital nomadEU citizens, US citizens, other passportsclosed to new applicantsA certificate for remote workers earning USD 100,000 a year. It stopped accepting applications on 31 October 2022 and its regulations expired on 30 November 2024.

Citizenship: Not recorded: no verified current rule. A CPR holder may later qualify for a path to Cayman and British citizenship after indefinite renewal, under separate residence requirements (Bedell Cristin).

Inheritance law and trusts

The Cayman Islands have no forced heirship. Cayman trusts are protected by statute against foreign forced-heirship claims and a foundation company (2017) is available. The Hague Trusts Convention is not listed as extended to Cayman.

Daily life, scored out of 100

From public indicators (World Bank, UNDP, Transparency International and others); higher is better.

MeasureScore
Safety and personal security60
Political and institutional stability72
Legal system and property rights70
Healthcare quality and access78
Infrastructure and connectivity81
Cost of living and housing26
Business opportunities and economy79
Cultural fit and lifestyle100

Research notes

Cayman Islands — family-office tax dossier

Last reviewed: 2026-10-15 Tax year: 2026 Reviewer: research agent (Claude), unreviewed by a tax adviser

Summary

The Cayman Islands has no income, capital gains, dividend, inheritance, estate, gift, wealth or property tax. The real costs are stamp duty on buying Cayman land (7.5%, and 10% from 1 January 2026 for property worth CI$2 million or more) and nominal probate fees for Cayman-situs assets. No tax treaties. Wealthy foreigners usually reside under the 25-year Residency Certificate for persons of independent means (CI$1 million investment, at least CI$500,000 in developed real estate, CI$120,000 annual income).

Residence and eligibility

No tax residence test needed. 25-year Residency Certificate: CI$1m investment (≥ CI$500k developed real estate), CI$120k income, CI$50k grant fee, 30 days' presence a year. Permanent residence for persons of independent means: CI$2m+ real estate (Bedell Cristin 2023). Thresholds expected to rise.

Capital gains

None. JSON 0.

Stamp duty on transfers of Cayman land: 7.5% for non-Caymanian buyers, on the higher of price and market value; from 1 January 2026 10% where the value is CI$2 million or more (Stamp Duty (Rates of Duty) (No. 2) Regulations 2025). Share transfers in land-holding companies follow the same 7.5%/10%. Mortgages: 1% up to CI$300,000, 1.5% above. First-time Caymanian buyer concessions (exempt up to CI$550,000 from February 2025) do not apply to non-Caymanians.

Dividends

None; no WHT; no treaties. JSON 0.

Inheritance and gifts to children

No inheritance tax, estate tax, death duty or gift tax (PwC 2026; Mourant 2026). Probate fees nominal (CI$200 application, CI$10 stamp on grant). Natural-love-and-affection land transfers between certain relatives exempt from stamp duty. JSON basis none, fully_exempt, other cost 0.

Second pass (2026-10-15): PwC's Cayman 'Other taxes' page (reviewed 29 May 2026) gives stamp duty of generally 7.5% on transfers of Cayman immovable property (also on shares of land-holding companies) but does not address transmission on death or family transfers. other_transfer_cost_rate stays 0 pending the Stamp Duty Act schedule; see Open questions.

Wealth tax

None; no property tax.

Special regimes

None needed.

Company taxation (kept separate from personal tax)

No corporate income, capital gains, payroll or other direct taxes on companies. No Pillar Two domestic minimum tax enacted (PwC reports no significant developments in the year to May 2026). Economic substance and CRS/FATCA reporting apply.

Cost of living notes

City: George Town / Seven Mile Beach (Grand Cayman).

Purchase price per m2, health insurance and housekeeper not sourced. Budget up to 1% of price for legal/registration fees on purchases; stamp duty on purchases is generally 7.5% (PwC).

Open questions

Sources

Change log

Residence and succession sources

Tax sources are cited in the research notes above.