Cost to Start a Business
Total official cost to register a new company as a percentage of gross national income (GNI) per capita — the World Bank's key affordability metric for business formation. Using GNI-relative cost rather than absolute USD isolates the structural cost burden independently of income level. Virtually free: Kazakhstan (0.02%), Botswana (0.4%), China (0.4%), Slovenia (0%), Ireland (0%), UK (0%), New Zealand (0.2%). Extremely expensive relative to income: The Gambia (274%), Venezuela (300%), South Sudan (350%), Haiti (287%), Chad (202%), Central African Republic (177%). High relative startup costs consistently correlate with informal-sector dominance: if formal registration costs 1–2 months of median income, rational small entrepreneurs operate informally, avoiding taxes, legal protection, and formal credit markets.
| #↑ | Country↕ | Raw Value↕ | Score↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ireland0 % of GNI p.c. |
0 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  England0 % of GNI p.c. |
0 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Wales0 % of GNI p.c. |
0 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Northern Ireland0 % of GNI p.c. |
0 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Scotland0 % of GNI p.c. |
0 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  French Guiana |
100 | |
| 1 |  Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
100 | |
| 1 |  Réunion |
100 | |
| 1 |  Tahiti |
100 | |
| 1 |  Slovenia0 % of GNI p.c. |
0 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  U.S. Virgin Islands |
100 | |
| 1 |  Guam |
100 | |
| 1 |  Northern Mariana Islands |
100 | |
| 1 |  Martinique |
100 | |
| 1 |  Guadeloupe |
100 | |
| 1 |  Kazakhstan0.02 % of GNI p.c. |
0.02 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Hong Kong0.1 % of GNI p.c. |
0.1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Denmark0.2 % of GNI p.c. |
0.2 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  New Zealand0.2 % of GNI p.c. |
0.2 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Canada0.3 % of GNI p.c. |
0.3 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Singapore0.3 % of GNI p.c. |
0.3 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Kuwait0.3 % of GNI p.c. |
0.3 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  South Africa0.3 % of GNI p.c. |
0.3 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Botswana0.4 % of GNI p.c. |
0.4 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  China0.4 % of GNI p.c. |
0.4 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Sweden0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Norway0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Czech Republic0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Slovakia0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Gibraltar0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Cayman Islands0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Trinidad and Tobago0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  British Virgin Islands0.5 % of GNI p.c. |
0.5 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Barbados0.6 % of GNI p.c. |
0.6 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Australia0.7 % of GNI p.c. |
0.7 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  France0.7 % of GNI p.c. |
0.7 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Lithuania0.8 % of GNI p.c. |
0.8 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Bulgaria0.8 % of GNI p.c. |
0.8 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Ukraine0.9 % of GNI p.c. |
0.9 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Faroe Islands1 % of GNI p.c. |
1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Macau1 % of GNI p.c. |
1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Bermuda1 % of GNI p.c. |
1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Monaco1 % of GNI p.c. |
1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Turks and Caicos Islands1 % of GNI p.c. |
1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 1 |  Romania1 % of GNI p.c. |
1 % of GNI p.c. | 100 |
| 46 |  Cook Islands |
98 | |
| 46 |  American Samoa |
98 | |
| 46 |  Saint-Martin |
98 | |
| 46 |  Niue |
98 | |
| 46 |  Wallis and Futuna |
98 | |
| 46 |  Mayotte |
98 | |
| 46 |  Montserrat |
98 | |
| 46 |  United States1.1 % of GNI p.c. |
1.1 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Russia1.1 % of GNI p.c. |
1.1 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Armenia1.1 % of GNI p.c. |
1.1 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Chinese Taipei1.1 % of GNI p.c. |
1.1 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Luxembourg1.2 % of GNI p.c. |
1.2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Netherlands1.2 % of GNI p.c. |
1.2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Finland1.3 % of GNI p.c. |
1.3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Montenegro1.3 % of GNI p.c. |
1.3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Iran1.3 % of GNI p.c. |
1.3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Estonia1.4 % of GNI p.c. |
1.4 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Kyrgyzstan1.4 % of GNI p.c. |
1.4 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Belarus1.5 % of GNI p.c. |
1.5 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Puerto Rico1.5 % of GNI p.c. |
1.5 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Chile1.6 % of GNI p.c. |
1.6 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Latvia1.7 % of GNI p.c. |
1.7 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Germany1.8 % of GNI p.c. |
1.8 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Liechtenstein2 % of GNI p.c. |
2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Mongolia2 % of GNI p.c. |
2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Anguilla2 % of GNI p.c. |
2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Georgia2 % of GNI p.c. |
2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Portugal2.1 % of GNI p.c. |
2.1 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Azerbaijan2.1 % of GNI p.c. |
2.1 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Argentina2.2 % of GNI p.c. |
2.2 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Oman2.3 % of GNI p.c. |
2.3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Iceland2.3 % of GNI p.c. |
2.3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Mauritius2.5 % of GNI p.c. |
2.5 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Switzerland2.8 % of GNI p.c. |
2.8 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Israel2.9 % of GNI p.c. |
2.9 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  San Marino3 % of GNI p.c. |
3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  Sint Maarten3 % of GNI p.c. |
3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 46 |  New Caledonia3 % of GNI p.c. |
3 % of GNI p.c. | 98 |
| 84 |  Zanzibar |
97 | |
| 84 |  Greece3.1 % of GNI p.c. |
3.1 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Bahrain3.3 % of GNI p.c. |
3.3 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Spain3.4 % of GNI p.c. |
3.4 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Uzbekistan3.4 % of GNI p.c. |
3.4 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Kosovo3.6 % of GNI p.c. |
3.6 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Brazil4 % of GNI p.c. |
4 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Hungary4 % of GNI p.c. |
4 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Moldova4 % of GNI p.c. |
4 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  United Arab Emirates4.3 % of GNI p.c. |
4.3 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Serbia4.3 % of GNI p.c. |
4.3 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Bahamas4.6 % of GNI p.c. |
4.6 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Qatar4.8 % of GNI p.c. |
4.8 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Tunisia4.8 % of GNI p.c. |
4.8 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Brunei4.9 % of GNI p.c. |
4.9 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Curacao5 % of GNI p.c. |
5 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  Saudi Arabia5 % of GNI p.c. |
5 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 84 |  India5.1 % of GNI p.c. |
5.1 % of GNI p.c. | 97 |
| 102 |  Austria5.2 % of GNI p.c. |
5.2 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  North Macedonia5.2 % of GNI p.c. |
5.2 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Belgium5.4 % of GNI p.c. |
5.4 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Aruba6 % of GNI p.c. |
6 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Jamaica6.3 % of GNI p.c. |
6.3 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Laos6.5 % of GNI p.c. |
6.5 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Thailand6.5 % of GNI p.c. |
6.5 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina6.6 % of GNI p.c. |
6.6 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Vietnam6.7 % of GNI p.c. |
6.7 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Turkey6.7 % of GNI p.c. |
6.7 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Timor-Leste6.7 % of GNI p.c. |
6.7 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 102 |  Antigua and Barbuda7 % of GNI p.c. |
7 % of GNI p.c. | 96 |
| 114 |  Iraq7.3 % of GNI p.c. |
7.3 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Pakistan7.5 % of GNI p.c. |
7.5 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Indonesia7.5 % of GNI p.c. |
7.5 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Japan7.5 % of GNI p.c. |
7.5 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Sri Lanka7.6 % of GNI p.c. |
7.6 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Maldives8 % of GNI p.c. |
8 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Andorra8 % of GNI p.c. |
8 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Turkmenistan8 % of GNI p.c. |
8 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Samoa8 % of GNI p.c. |
8 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Bhutan8 % of GNI p.c. |
8 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Croatia8.3 % of GNI p.c. |
8.3 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Costa Rica8.5 % of GNI p.c. |
8.5 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Cape Verde8.9 % of GNI p.c. |
8.9 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis9 % of GNI p.c. |
9 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Seychelles9.1 % of GNI p.c. |
9.1 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 114 |  Panama9.1 % of GNI p.c. |
9.1 % of GNI p.c. | 95 |
| 130 |  Western Sahara |
94 | |
| 130 |  Egypt9.3 % of GNI p.c. |
9.3 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Cyprus9.3 % of GNI p.c. |
9.3 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Morocco9.7 % of GNI p.c. |
9.7 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Ecuador9.7 % of GNI p.c. |
9.7 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Nauru10 % of GNI p.c. |
10 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Tuvalu10 % of GNI p.c. |
10 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Peru10.1 % of GNI p.c. |
10.1 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Malaysia10.2 % of GNI p.c. |
10.2 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Albania10.3 % of GNI p.c. |
10.3 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 130 |  Poland10.8 % of GNI p.c. |
10.8 % of GNI p.c. | 94 |
| 141 |  Algeria11.4 % of GNI p.c. |
11.4 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Malta11.9 % of GNI p.c. |
11.9 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Guyana12 % of GNI p.c. |
12 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Marshall Islands12 % of GNI p.c. |
12 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Palau12 % of GNI p.c. |
12 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Dominica12 % of GNI p.c. |
12 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Ethiopia12.9 % of GNI p.c. |
12.9 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Italy13 % of GNI p.c. |
13 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 141 |  Namibia13.2 % of GNI p.c. |
13.2 % of GNI p.c. | 93 |
| 150 |  Colombia13.5 % of GNI p.c. |
13.5 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Dominican Republic14 % of GNI p.c. |
14 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Korea Republic14.6 % of GNI p.c. |
14.6 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Ghana14.9 % of GNI p.c. |
14.9 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Cuba15 % of GNI p.c. |
15 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Afghanistan15 % of GNI p.c. |
15 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Micronesia15 % of GNI p.c. |
15 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 150 |  Tonga15 % of GNI p.c. |
15 % of GNI p.c. | 92 |
| 158 |  Gabon15.4 % of GNI p.c. |
15.4 % of GNI p.c. | 91 |
| 158 |  Lesotho16.5 % of GNI p.c. |
16.5 % of GNI p.c. | 91 |
| 158 |  Fiji16.9 % of GNI p.c. |
16.9 % of GNI p.c. | 91 |
| 158 |  Grenada17 % of GNI p.c. |
17 % of GNI p.c. | 91 |
| 162 |  Sudan17.4 % of GNI p.c. |
17.4 % of GNI p.c. | 90 |
| 162 |  Bangladesh17.9 % of GNI p.c. |
17.9 % of GNI p.c. | 90 |
| 162 |  Philippines18 % of GNI p.c. |
18 % of GNI p.c. | 90 |
| 162 |  Ivory Coast18.5 % of GNI p.c. |
18.5 % of GNI p.c. | 90 |
| 162 |  Papua New Guinea18.9 % of GNI p.c. |
18.9 % of GNI p.c. | 90 |
| 162 |  Mexico19 % of GNI p.c. |
19 % of GNI p.c. | 90 |
| 168 |  Tajikistan19.6 % of GNI p.c. |
19.6 % of GNI p.c. | 89 |
| 168 |  Kiribati20 % of GNI p.c. |
20 % of GNI p.c. | 89 |
| 168 |  Zambia20.4 % of GNI p.c. |
20.4 % of GNI p.c. | 89 |
| 168 |  Saint Lucia21 % of GNI p.c. |
21 % of GNI p.c. | 89 |
| 172 |  Nepal22.6 % of GNI p.c. |
22.6 % of GNI p.c. | 88 |
| 172 |  Uruguay22.7 % of GNI p.c. |
22.7 % of GNI p.c. | 88 |
| 172 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines23 % of GNI p.c. |
23 % of GNI p.c. | 88 |
| 175 |  Sierra Leone23.9 % of GNI p.c. |
23.9 % of GNI p.c. | 87 |
| 175 |  Rwanda24.6 % of GNI p.c. |
24.6 % of GNI p.c. | 87 |
| 175 |  Liberia25 % of GNI p.c. |
25 % of GNI p.c. | 87 |
| 178 |  Belize26 % of GNI p.c. |
26 % of GNI p.c. | 86 |
| 178 |  Mozambique26.4 % of GNI p.c. |
26.4 % of GNI p.c. | 86 |
| 178 |  Tanzania27.4 % of GNI p.c. |
27.4 % of GNI p.c. | 86 |
| 181 |  Kenya28.1 % of GNI p.c. |
28.1 % of GNI p.c. | 85 |
| 181 |  Jordan28.4 % of GNI p.c. |
28.4 % of GNI p.c. | 85 |
| 183 |  Benin30 % of GNI p.c. |
30 % of GNI p.c. | 84 |
| 183 |  Swaziland30 % of GNI p.c. |
30 % of GNI p.c. | 84 |
| 183 |  Vanuatu30 % of GNI p.c. |
30 % of GNI p.c. | 84 |
| 186 |  Nigeria35.6 % of GNI p.c. |
35.6 % of GNI p.c. | 82 |
| 187 |  Madagascar37.9 % of GNI p.c. |
37.9 % of GNI p.c. | 80 |
| 188 |  Burkina Faso41.3 % of GNI p.c. |
41.3 % of GNI p.c. | 79 |
| 188 |  Senegal41.3 % of GNI p.c. |
41.3 % of GNI p.c. | 79 |
| 188 |  El Salvador41.4 % of GNI p.c. |
41.4 % of GNI p.c. | 79 |
| 191 |  Honduras44.7 % of GNI p.c. |
44.7 % of GNI p.c. | 77 |
| 191 |  Malawi44.8 % of GNI p.c. |
44.8 % of GNI p.c. | 77 |
| 191 |  Cameroon45.2 % of GNI p.c. |
45.2 % of GNI p.c. | 77 |
| 194 |  Bolivia47 % of GNI p.c. |
47 % of GNI p.c. | 76 |
| 195 |  Mauritania49.3 % of GNI p.c. |
49.3 % of GNI p.c. | 75 |
| 195 |  Cambodia49.9 % of GNI p.c. |
49.9 % of GNI p.c. | 75 |
| 195 |  Syria50 % of GNI p.c. |
50 % of GNI p.c. | 75 |
| 195 |  Palestine50 % of GNI p.c. |
50 % of GNI p.c. | 75 |
| 199 |  Congo DR52 % of GNI p.c. |
52 % of GNI p.c. | 74 |
| 200 |  Uganda52.3 % of GNI p.c. |
52.3 % of GNI p.c. | 73 |
| 201 |  Guatemala55 % of GNI p.c. |
55 % of GNI p.c. | 72 |
| 201 |  Solomon Islands56 % of GNI p.c. |
56 % of GNI p.c. | 72 |
| 203 |  Lebanon56.3 % of GNI p.c. |
56.3 % of GNI p.c. | 71 |
| 203 |  Burundi57.6 % of GNI p.c. |
57.6 % of GNI p.c. | 71 |
| 205 |  Nicaragua59.5 % of GNI p.c. |
59.5 % of GNI p.c. | 70 |
| 205 |  Myanmar60 % of GNI p.c. |
60 % of GNI p.c. | 70 |
| 205 |  Djibouti60 % of GNI p.c. |
60 % of GNI p.c. | 70 |
| 208 |  Yemen63 % of GNI p.c. |
63 % of GNI p.c. | 68 |
| 209 |  Paraguay68.9 % of GNI p.c. |
68.9 % of GNI p.c. | 65 |
| 210 |  Togo71.6 % of GNI p.c. |
71.6 % of GNI p.c. | 64 |
| 210 |  Congo71.6 % of GNI p.c. |
71.6 % of GNI p.c. | 64 |
| 212 |  São Tomé and Príncipe80 % of GNI p.c. |
80 % of GNI p.c. | 60 |
| 213 |  Suriname81 % of GNI p.c. |
81 % of GNI p.c. | 59 |
| 214 |  Guinea85 % of GNI p.c. |
85 % of GNI p.c. | 57 |
| 215 |  Libya90 % of GNI p.c. |
90 % of GNI p.c. | 55 |
| 215 |  Eritrea90 % of GNI p.c. |
90 % of GNI p.c. | 55 |
| 217 |  Niger95.2 % of GNI p.c. |
95.2 % of GNI p.c. | 52 |
| 218 |  Equatorial Guinea100 % of GNI p.c. |
100 % of GNI p.c. | 50 |
| 218 |  Mali100.7 % of GNI p.c. |
100.7 % of GNI p.c. | 50 |
| 220 |  Guinea-Bissau114 % of GNI p.c. |
114 % of GNI p.c. | 43 |
| 221 |  Zimbabwe117.5 % of GNI p.c. |
117.5 % of GNI p.c. | 41 |
| 222 |  Comoros155 % of GNI p.c. |
155 % of GNI p.c. | 23 |
| 223 |  Angola158 % of GNI p.c. |
158 % of GNI p.c. | 22 |
| 224 |  Central African Republic177 % of GNI p.c. |
177 % of GNI p.c. | 12 |
| 225 |  Somalia200 % of GNI p.c. |
200 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |
| 225 |  Korea DPR200 % of GNI p.c. |
200 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |
| 225 |  Chad202 % of GNI p.c. |
202 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |
| 225 |  Gambia274 % of GNI p.c. |
274 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |
| 225 |  Haiti287 % of GNI p.c. |
287 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |
| 225 |  Venezuela300 % of GNI p.c. |
300 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |
| 225 |  South Sudan350 % of GNI p.c. |
350 % of GNI p.c. | 1 |