Hire a Software Engineer from Latin America
Pre-vetted Software Engineers for 55-71% less than US rates. Risk-free hiring — no candidate found, nothing paid.
How much does a Software Engineer cost in Latin America?
A Software Engineer in Latin America costs $2,500-$6,500 per month for a full-time hire working US hours. The same role in the United States pays a base salary of $8,768-$14,332 per month, so you pay 55-71% less before counting US benefits and payroll taxes.
US: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (Software Developers, SOC 15-1252). LATAM: Nexus rate for remote work with a US company, estimate. Updated September 2026. Methodology
| Level | US base salary | US total cost | LATAM rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior (1-3 yrs) | $8,768/mo | $11,310/mo | $2,500/mo | 71% |
| Mid-Level (3-5 yrs) | $11,332/mo | $14,618/mo | $4,000/mo | 65% |
| Senior (5+ yrs) | $14,332/mo | $18,488/mo | $6,500/mo | 55% |
US total cost adds benefits and employer taxes (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026). Savings compare the LATAM rate with US base salary only. For reference, software professionals working for local employers across Latin America report a median of $910 (junior), $1,667 (mid-level), $3,641 (senior) per month (Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025); remote roles for US companies pay more. Calculate your own savings Nearshore software development guide: costs and countries
Key Skills
Our Vetting Process
Every candidate goes through these steps before you meet them.
Technical Assessment
Live coding challenges and system design interviews tailored to the specific tech stack your company uses.
English Proficiency
Conversational English evaluation to ensure seamless communication with your US-based team.
Cultural Fit
Behavioral interviews assessing remote work experience, proactiveness, and alignment with US work culture.
Reference Checks
Verification of past employment, project outcomes, and professional references.
How to hire a Software Engineer in Latin America
Hiring a Software Engineer in Latin America through Nexus takes about 21 days in three steps: tell us what you need, review pre-vetted candidates and start working together. You only pay if you hire.
Tell Us What You Need
1 dayShare your requirements — tech stack, seniority, team size, and budget. We tailor the search from day one.
Review Pre-Vetted Candidates
7-14 daysWe present 3-5 candidates who passed our vetting process. You interview your favorites.
Start Working Together
Day 21Onboard your new Software Engineer. We handle contracts, payroll, and compliance if needed.
Pricing Plans
Starting from $3500/month
Placement
We handle the entire hiring process. You interview top candidates and manage them directly.
- Sourcing & vetting
- Technical assessments
- English proficiency tests
- Candidate shortlist (3-5)
Staffing
Full-service: we hire, onboard, handle payroll and all compliance paperwork.
- Everything in Placement
- Onboarding support
- Payroll management
- Compliance & contracts
Teams
Build entire remote engineering teams with dedicated project coordination.
- Everything in Staffing
- Team coordination
- Performance tracking
- Scalable on demand
How to choose a partner to hire a Software Engineer in Latin America
Whoever you work with, check four things before you sign:
- How candidates are tested for this role. Ask for the actual steps. Ours are Technical Assessment, English Proficiency, Cultural Fit and Reference Checks, completed before you meet anyone.
- Time-zone overlap. LATAM talent works 0-3 hours from US Eastern, so your Software Engineer is online during your working day, not overnight.
- Who handles payroll and compliance. With a placement you employ the contractor directly; with staffing, the partner runs contracts, payroll and compliance for you.
- What happens if a hire doesn't work out. We replace any placement within 90 days, and there is no fee if we don't find a match.
Moving work from a vendor in India or the Philippines? The lowest-risk path is to run your new LATAM Software Engineer alongside the current vendor for a few weeks and hand over one area at a time. We match candidates to the tools you already use, so the stack stays the same; what changes is that the work happens during your hours.
For a full checklist, read our guide to choosing a LATAM hiring partner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Software Engineer cost in Latin America?
A full-time Software Engineer in Latin America costs $2,500-$6,500 per month working US hours, versus a US base salary of $8,768-$14,332 per month for the same role (BLS, May 2025): 55-71% less, before US benefits and payroll taxes.
How quickly can I hire a Software Engineer through Nexus?
Our average time-to-hire is 21 days. We present pre-vetted candidates within 7-14 days of receiving your requirements, and most clients make a hiring decision within the first week of interviews.
What if the Software Engineer doesn't work out?
We offer a replacement guarantee. If the hire doesn't meet expectations within the first 90 days, we'll source and vet a replacement at no additional cost. Our risk-free model means you never pay if we can't find the right match.
Are your Software Engineer candidates fluent in English?
Yes. Every candidate goes through a conversational English proficiency evaluation. We only present candidates who can communicate effectively with US-based teams in meetings, code reviews, and async communication.
What timezone do your Software Engineers work in?
Our LATAM talent works in US-aligned time zones (EST, CST, PST overlap). Most engineers are in Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, or Mexico — all within 0-3 hours of US Eastern Time.
Do I need to handle payroll and compliance?
Only with our Placement plan. If you choose Staffing or Teams, Nexus handles all payroll, contracts, and compliance — including international labor regulations. You just manage the work.
Ready to hire a Software Engineer?
Tell us what you need and we'll present top candidates within 7–14 days.
- Starting from $3500/month
- About 21 days to hire
- 90-day replacement guarantee
Hiring more than one?
Teams rarely need a single seat. If this role is part of a squad — a couple of engineers plus the DevOps or QA support around them — the engineering team page prices four common compositions seat by seat, and sets out the four-week ramp from scoping call to first sprint.