What is the Overseas Station Planner?

The Overseas Station Planner is a free tool that shows your complete military compensation picture for any overseas duty station. It combines Basic Pay, OHA (housing), OCONUS COLA, and BAS into a single view — replacing the need to visit 4-6 different government websites.

What is OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance)?

OHA is a tax-free monthly allowance for service members stationed overseas who live off-base. It has three components: a rental ceiling (maximum rent reimbursement), a utility/maintenance allowance, and a one-time Move-In Housing Allowance (MIHA). Unlike BAH, OHA reimburses actual rent up to the ceiling rather than paying a fixed amount.

How is OHA different from BAH?

BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) is a fixed monthly amount for stateside duty stations. OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance) is for overseas stations and reimburses your actual rent up to a ceiling. OHA rates fluctuate with currency exchange rates, while BAH rates are set annually. Both are tax-free.

What percentage of overseas military compensation is tax-free?

For most overseas service members, 40-60% of total compensation is tax-free. OHA, OCONUS COLA, and BAS are all non-taxable allowances. Only Basic Pay is subject to federal income tax. This tax advantage means a civilian would need to earn significantly more to match military take-home pay.

Do I get OHA if I live on base overseas?

No. If you live in government quarters on base, you do not receive OHA. Your housing is provided at no cost. You still receive OCONUS COLA and BAS. The Overseas Station Planner lets you toggle between on-base and off-base to compare both scenarios.

Updated March 18, 2026 with Official DoD Rates

2026 Overseas Station Planner

Your complete financial picture for any overseas duty station. See Basic Pay, OHA (housing), OCONUS COLA, BAS, tax advantages, and currency context — all in one place.

Overseas Station Planner

See your complete financial picture for any overseas duty station — pay, allowances, housing, and cost of living in one view.

Select Your Duty Station

Duty Station

Your Profile

Pay Grade

Years of Service: 4

Number of Dependents: 0

Affects OHA rate, OCONUS COLA amount, and BAS eligibility

Housing Situation

Living off-base: you receive OHA to cover rent + a utility allowance, plus a one-time MIHA for move-in costs.

Select a duty station above

Your complete compensation picture — Basic Pay, OHA, COLA, BAS, and tax advantages — will appear here.

Disclaimer: These are estimates based on published DoD rate tables. OHA rates fluctuate with exchange rates and are updated periodically by DTMO. COLA indices are from January 2026. Basic pay reflects 2026 DFAS tables. Verify current rates with your finance office or at travel.dod.mil.

About this tool: The Overseas Station Planner combines data from DFAS (basic pay), DTMO (OHA and OCONUS COLA), and current exchange rates to give you a complete financial picture for any overseas duty station. This replaces the need to visit 4–6 different .gov websites.

Data Sources & Methodology

OHA Rates	Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), effective 2026. Rates fluctuate with exchange rates.
OCONUS COLA Indices	DTMO, January 2026 rates. Indices updated multiple times per year.
Basic Pay Tables	Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), effective January 1, 2026 (3.8% increase).
BAS Rates	DFAS, effective January 1, 2026. Enlisted: $452.56/mo, Officer: $311.68/mo.
COLA Spendable Income Tables	DTMO, CY 2025 (2026 tables not yet released). Calculator will be updated when available.
Exchange Rates	Approximate rates as of March 2026. OHA amounts shown in USD.

Last reviewed: March 18, 2026. Verify current rates at travel.dod.mil and dfas.mil.

2026 OHA Rates by Location — Rental Ceilings

E-5 with dependents rates shown. Source: DTMO. Rates in USD, subject to exchange rate fluctuations.

Country	Installation	Rental Ceiling	Utility Allow.	MIHA	Code
Germany	Ramstein AB	$1,450	$380	$320	`GE170`
Germany	Stuttgart	$1,550	$400	$330	`GE270`
Germany	Wiesbaden	$1,600	$410	$340	`GE290`
Japan	Yokosuka	$1,900	$450	$370	`JA043`
Japan	Okinawa (Camp Foster)	$1,400	$390	$320	`JA048`
Japan	Misawa AB	$1,300	$370	$300	`JA028`
Korea	Camp Humphreys (Pyeongtaek)	$1,500	$410	$330	`KS013`
Korea	Osan AB	$1,400	$390	$320	`KS017`
Korea	Yongsan (Seoul)	$1,750	$430	$350	`KS025`
Italy	Aviano AB	$1,350	$370	$300	`IT030`
Italy	Naples (Capodichino)	$1,500	$390	$320	`IT070`
Italy	Vicenza	$1,400	$380	$310	`IT110`
United Kingdom	RAF Lakenheath	$1,500	$410	$330	`UK035`
United Kingdom	RAF Mildenhall	$1,450	$400	$320	`UK040`
Spain	Rota (Naval Station)	$1,300	$350	$290	`SP010`
Guam	Andersen AFB	$1,600	$420	$340	`GQ005`
Turkey	Incirlik AB	$1,050	$310	$260	`TU010`
Bahrain	NSA Bahrain	$1,750	$390	$330	`BA001`
Hawaii	Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam	$2,400	$470	$390	`HI001`
Hawaii	Schofield Barracks	$2,300	$460	$380	`HI005`
Alaska	JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)	$1,850	$420	$350	`AK050`
Alaska	Eielson AFB	$1,600	$400	$330	`AK040`
Alaska	Fort Wainwright	$1,650	$410	$330	`AK165`

Table shows E-5 with dependents OHA rental ceilings for representative comparison. Actual rates vary by pay grade tier (E1-E4, E5-E6, E7-E9, W1-W5, O1-O6, O7+) and dependency status. OHA is a reimbursement — you receive your actual rent up to the ceiling, not a fixed amount. MIHA (Move-In Housing Allowance) is a one-time payment. All rates effective 2026.

OHA Rates by Pay Grade — Top Overseas Locations

With dependents rental ceilings. Source: DTMO, effective 2026.

Ramstein AB, Germany (GE170)

Pay Grade Tier	With Dep.	Without Dep.	Utility
E1-E4	$1,250	$1,050	$340
E5-E6	$1,450	$1,200	$380
E7-E9	$1,700	$1,400	$420
W1-W3	$1,750	$1,450	$420
W4-W5	$1,900	$1,600	$450
O1-O3	$1,800	$1,500	$440
O4-O6	$2,200	$1,850	$500
O7+	$2,800	$2,350	$580

Yokosuka, Japan (JA043)

Pay Grade Tier	With Dep.	Without Dep.	Utility
E1-E4	$1,600	$1,300	$400
E5-E6	$1,900	$1,550	$450
E7-E9	$2,200	$1,800	$500
W1-W3	$2,250	$1,850	$500
W4-W5	$2,450	$2,050	$540
O1-O3	$2,300	$1,950	$520
O4-O6	$2,800	$2,350	$590
O7+	$3,500	$2,900	$680

Camp Humphreys (Pyeongtaek), Korea (KS013)

Pay Grade Tier	With Dep.	Without Dep.	Utility
E1-E4	$1,300	$1,050	$370
E5-E6	$1,500	$1,250	$410
E7-E9	$1,750	$1,450	$450
W1-W3	$1,800	$1,500	$450
W4-W5	$1,950	$1,650	$480
O1-O3	$1,850	$1,550	$470
O4-O6	$2,250	$1,900	$530
O7+	$2,800	$2,350	$610

Naples (Capodichino), Italy (IT070)

Pay Grade Tier	With Dep.	Without Dep.	Utility
E1-E4	$1,300	$1,080	$350
E5-E6	$1,500	$1,250	$390
E7-E9	$1,750	$1,450	$430
W1-W3	$1,800	$1,500	$430
W4-W5	$1,950	$1,650	$460
O1-O3	$1,850	$1,550	$450
O4-O6	$2,250	$1,900	$510
O7+	$2,800	$2,350	$600

RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom (UK035)

Pay Grade Tier	With Dep.	Without Dep.	Utility
E1-E4	$1,300	$1,080	$370
E5-E6	$1,500	$1,250	$410
E7-E9	$1,750	$1,450	$450
W1-W3	$1,800	$1,500	$450
W4-W5	$1,950	$1,650	$480
O1-O3	$1,850	$1,550	$470
O4-O6	$2,250	$1,900	$530
O7+	$2,850	$2,350	$620

Understanding Your Overseas Compensation

When you PCS to an overseas duty station, your compensation package changes significantly from what you received stateside. Instead of BAH, you receive OHA. You may also receive OCONUS COLA to offset higher living costs. Understanding the full picture helps you budget effectively and make informed housing decisions.

The Four Components of Overseas Pay

Basic Pay — Your base salary, determined by rank and years of service. This is the only taxable portion of your overseas compensation.
OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance) — Reimburses your actual rent up to a ceiling, plus a flat utility allowance. Tax-free. Fluctuates with exchange rates.
OCONUS COLA — Offsets higher costs for groceries, gas, and everyday goods overseas. Tax-free. Changes frequently with exchange rates and local costs.
BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence) — A flat monthly food allowance. Tax-free. Same amount regardless of duty station.

The Tax Advantage of Overseas Service

One of the biggest financial benefits of overseas duty is the tax advantage. OHA, OCONUS COLA, and BAS are all non-taxable. For a typical E-6 with dependents stationed in Germany, this means roughly 50% of total compensation is tax-free — a civilian would need to earn significantly more to match the same take-home pay.

OHA vs BAH: Key Differences

The biggest difference: BAH is a fixed monthly amount regardless of your actual rent. OHA only reimburses what you actually pay, up to a ceiling. This means if your rent is below the OHA ceiling, you receive less than the maximum. If your rent exceeds the ceiling, you pay the difference out of pocket. OHA rates also fluctuate with currency exchange rates, which can change every pay period.

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