Offshore Development Cost Calculator
Enter your estimated build hours once and see what the identical project costs at offshore, nearshore, US mid-market and US senior rates. Same scope, same hours, only the hourly rate moves.
How it works
Offshore, nearshore and onshore quotes for the same project can look wildly different, not because the work changes, but because the hourly rate does. This calculator strips that confusion away. You enter one number, your estimated build hours, and it prices that identical effort at four rate tiers: offshore South Asia, nearshore Latin America or Eastern Europe, US mid-market, and US senior.
The math is deliberately simple and honest. Each region's total is just your hours multiplied by that region's blended hourly rate. The bars and cards let you see the spread at a glance, and the headline gives you the full budgeting envelope from the lowest to the highest tier, whichever regions those turn out to be once you adjust the sliders.
Rate alone never tells the whole story. A lower offshore rate can be offset by time-zone lag, more rework, or extra project-management hours, while a higher onshore rate often buys tighter communication and fewer surprises. Use the range to frame the conversation, then pressure-test it against a real scope. To size the underlying hours first, try our software development cost calculator, or weigh the whole approach with the build vs buy calculator.
cost per region = build hours × regional hourly rate
FAQs
What is a realistic offshore development hourly rate?
Offshore rates in South Asia commonly land between $15 and $50 per hour depending on seniority and specialisation, with nearshore Latin America and Eastern Europe sitting higher at roughly $30 to $100. US mid-market work typically runs $80 to $200, and senior or boutique US shops higher still. The calculator lets you slide each tier to match the quotes you're actually receiving.
Why is the same project so much cheaper offshore?
The deliverable and the hours don't change, the labour rate does. Lower cost-of-living markets can price the same engineering hours far below US rates. The trade-offs show up elsewhere: time-zone overlap, communication overhead, seniority depth and rework. Treat the price gap as one input, not the decision.
Are these rates a quote for my project?
No. Every number here comes from the hours and rates you enter, so the output is a budgeting range, not a fixed price. Scope, tech stack and team seniority all move the real figure. For a precise number on your exact requirements, talk to our team.