About HireCalculator
Free, data-driven tools for companies hiring remote talent worldwide.
Why We Built This
Hiring internationally is one of the highest-leverage decisions a growing company can make. A mid-level developer who costs $143,000/year in the US can be hired for $21,000 in India or $46,000 in Mexico — same quality work, compliant employment, real cost savings. But finding reliable salary data, understanding employer burden rates, and comparing countries objectively is harder than it should be.
HireCalculator exists to make that comparison transparent. We compile salary ranges, employer costs, labor laws, and hiring logistics for 10 countries and 10 roles, giving you the numbers you need to make informed decisions. No gated content, no lead forms — just the data.
Who We Are
HireCalculator is built by a team with hands-on experience managing distributed teams across multiple countries. We've navigated the complexities of international hiring firsthand — employer burden calculations, contractor misclassification risks, timezone logistics, and EOR vendor selection. This tool reflects real operational knowledge, not theoretical content. We update our data regularly and maintain editorial independence from any single employer-of-record provider.
Data Sources & Methodology
Every number on HireCalculator is sourced, cross-referenced, and documented. Here's how we build and maintain our dataset.
Salary Data
Salary ranges are compiled from multiple sources and cross-referenced for consistency. We report three data points per role/country/level combination: minimum, maximum, and median.
- Job boards & salary aggregators: Glassdoor, Payscale, Levels.fyi, LinkedIn Salary Insights, and regional equivalents (Naukri for India, Computrabajo for LATAM, Pracuj.pl for Poland)
- Industry salary surveys: Robert Half International Salary Guide, Hays Global Skills Index, Stack Overflow Developer Survey, Mercer Total Remuneration Survey
- EOR provider rate cards: Published salary benchmarks from Deel, Remote.com, and Oyster, which reflect actual market rates for compliant employment
- Government labor statistics: Bureau of Labor Statistics (US baselines), national statistics offices for each covered country
Where sources disagree, we weight job board data and EOR benchmarks more heavily than self-reported surveys, as they reflect actual market transactions.
Employer Cost Percentages
Employer burden rates (social security, health insurance, pension, other mandatory contributions) are sourced directly from official government publications.
- Social security & tax authorities: SSS (Philippines), EPFO (India), IMSS (Mexico), ZUS (Poland), DIAN (Colombia), and equivalents for each country
- Cross-validation: EOR providers publish total employer cost estimates that we compare against our government-sourced figures
- US baseline: 30% total employer burden based on BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) survey, including Social Security/Medicare (7.65%), health insurance (~10%), retirement (~5%), and other legally required benefits
Labor Law & Regulatory Data
Employment regulations (workweek hours, paid leave, probation periods, severance rules) are sourced from official labor codes and ministry publications.
- Primary sources: DOLE (Philippines), Ministry of Labour (India), STPS (Mexico), ILO NATLEX database, and national labor code publications
- EOR compliance guides: Deel Country Guides, Remote.com Country Explorer, which are maintained by local legal teams
Update Cadence
- Salary data: Reviewed and updated quarterly. Major adjustments when new annual surveys are published.
- Employer costs: Updated when governments announce rate changes (typically annually).
- Labor laws: Updated within 30 days of legislative changes taking effect.
- Last full review: January 2026
How Our Calculator Works
The HireCalculator uses a straightforward formula to compute total hiring costs and savings:
Total Cost = Base Salary x (1 + Employer Burden %)
US Equivalent = US Base Salary x 1.30 (30% employer burden)
Savings % = (1 - Total Cost / US Equivalent) x 100
Contractor adjustment = Employer burden x 0.30 (contractors carry ~30% of full burden)
This model intentionally excludes variable costs like recruitment fees, equipment, and software licenses, which vary by company. It focuses on the recurring compensation costs that represent 80-90% of total hiring expense. For a complete cost estimate including EOR fees and one-time costs, we recommend getting a quote directly from Deel or another EOR provider.
What We Cover
10 Countries
10 Roles
- Software DeveloperTech
- Data ScientistTech
- DevOps EngineerTech
- QA EngineerTech
- UI/UX DesignerCreative
- Virtual AssistantAdmin
- AccountantFinance
- Customer SupportSupport
- Content WriterCreative
- Project ManagerManagement
Editorial Standards & Affiliate Disclosure
Affiliate disclosure: HireCalculator contains affiliate links to Deel and may contain links to other employer-of-record services. When you sign up through our links, we may earn a referral commission at no additional cost to you. This is how we fund the site and keep it free.
Editorial independence: Affiliate relationships do not influence our salary data, employer cost calculations, or country assessments. We recommend Deel because they support all 10 countries we cover and have a strong compliance track record — not because of commission rates. If a different EOR were objectively better for a given country, we would say so.
Limitations: Salary data represents estimates based on available sources. Actual compensation varies by specific skills, company size, city within a country, and market timing. Use our figures as a starting point for budgeting, not as exact quotes. Always verify current employer cost rates with a local accountant or EOR before making hiring commitments.
Data Corrections & Feedback
If you spot an error in our salary data, employer cost percentages, or labor law information, we want to know. Accurate data is the foundation of this tool. Reach out with corrections or suggestions and we'll investigate and update within one business week.
Disclaimer
No professional advice. The information provided on HireCalculator is for general informational and educational purposes only. Nothing on this website constitutes legal, tax, financial, accounting, or employment advice. You should not act or refrain from acting based on any information on this site without first seeking qualified professional counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.
No guarantees of accuracy. While we make reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date salary data, employer cost percentages, and labor law summaries, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of any information on this site. Salary figures are estimates derived from publicly available sources and may not reflect actual compensation in specific markets, companies, or roles. Employer burden rates and labor regulations change frequently and vary by jurisdiction, company size, and individual circumstances.
Not a substitute for due diligence. Before making any hiring, compensation, or business decisions based on information from this site, you must independently verify all figures with qualified local professionals, including but not limited to employment attorneys, certified accountants, tax advisors, and licensed employer-of-record providers in the applicable country. Laws, tax rates, and market conditions change without notice, and HireCalculator may not reflect the most current information at any given time.
Limitation of liability. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, HireCalculator and its operators shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, this website or any information provided herein. This includes, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, business interruption, loss of data, hiring decisions, employment disputes, tax penalties, regulatory fines, or any other pecuniary loss, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Third-party links and services. This site contains links to third-party websites and services, including employer-of-record providers. We do not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy policies, practices, or availability of any third-party sites or services. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and conditions.
Use at your own risk. Your reliance on any information provided by HireCalculator is strictly at your own risk. By using this website, you acknowledge and agree that HireCalculator is not responsible for any decisions you make based on the information we provide.
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