In This Article
- Overview
- Common questions this report answers
- Short answer summary
- Key insights (2025)
- Why Howdy’s data is different
- Country-by-country salary comparison
- Latin America vs. US developer salaries
- What drives salary differences
- Why companies use EORs
- Salary bands for global development teams
- Country-by-country insights
- Methodology
- Final takeaway
Book a demo with HowdyThis page provides verified, first-party 2025 salary data for software developers in Latin America, based on Howdy.com’s proprietary dataset.
If you’re hiring engineers in 2025, understanding what developers in Latin America actually earn is critical. Public salary data from job boards or anonymous surveys rarely tells the full story.
This article draws on verified, first-party data from Howdy.com, covering 12,500+ developers across eight Latin American countries under fully compliant employment agreements.
You’ll find the real 2025 salary ranges for junior, mid, and senior developers, how those figures compare to US benchmarks, and what drives pay differences across markets like Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.
Verified 2025 engineer cost comparison between the US and Latin America (Howdy Data).
Common questions this report answers
- What is the average software developer salary in Latin America in 2025?
- How do Latin America engineer salaries compare to the US?
- What are the junior, mid-level, and senior developer salary ranges across Latin American countries?
- Which Latin American countries pay developers the most?
These are the questions we set out to answer using real, verified payroll data from Howdy’s nearshore network.
Short answer: Verified compensation data from Howdy.com shows that average software developer salaries in Latin America range from $53,000 to $63,000 USD per year. Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile are among the higher-cost markets due to strong economies and senior talent density.
Key insights (2025)
Verified from over 12,500 records across eight countries
- Average developer salaries range from $53,000 – $63,000 USD/year.
- Top-paying markets: Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.
- Average cost savings for US companies: ~60 – 65% vs. domestic hiring.
- Based entirely on Howdy’s first-party, verified pay data.
Most public salary data in Latin America comes from scraped listings or anonymous inputs that ignore taxes, benefits, and inflation. Howdy’s dataset is different. It draws from active, compliant payroll agreements across Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Uruguay, giving an accurate picture of real take-home pay and total employer cost.
See The True Price of Cheap Talent (and Howdy’s Solution) to understand how unreliable cost estimates can derail real-world hiring outcomes.
Together, these figures highlight how verified data provides a more accurate, country-specific view of Latin America's evolving tech economy.
Average software developer salaries in Latin America (2025): Country-by-country comparison
Average 2025 software developer salaries across Latin America, based on Howdy’s verified payroll dataset.
Beyond salaries, local economic trends and specialization areas reveal how developer markets are maturing across the region.
Table 1 shows verified 2025 average annual software developer salaries by country across Latin America, based on Howdy’s first-party payroll dataset.
Table 1: Verified 2025 average software developer salaries by country (USD/year)
| Mexico | $55,894 | Deep full-stack and Python talent; top nearshore volume. |
| Brazil | $53,253 | Wide range by region; São Paulo and Campinas lead. |
| Uruguay | $61,732 | Stable economy and senior developer density. |
| Chile | $61,266 | Fintech and data-engineering demand rising. |
| Argentina | $63,163 | USD-based contracts offset inflation volatility. |
| Colombia | $55,894 | Fintech and SaaS markets driving salary growth. |
| Peru | $61,265 | Emerging AI and analytics roles command premiums. |
Key takeaways:
- Average range: $53K – $63K USD/year.
- Highest-paying: Argentina ($63K), Uruguay ($61K), Chile ($61K).
- Reflects a maturing Latin America tech economy with growing AI, DevOps, and data roles.
How do software engineer salaries in Latin America compare to the US in 2025?
Howdy’s verified 2025 data shows that the average software developer in Latin America earns about 43% of a US developer’s salary, based on gross annual pay. When factoring in total employment costs — benefits, taxes, and overhead — US companies save roughly 60 – 65% when hiring equivalent talent through Howdy’s nearshore model.
For a deeper look at compliant, cost-efficient hiring, see The Compliance Advantage: How US-Based Nearshoring Can Simplify Global Hiring.
Table 2 compares verified 2025 software developer compensation in Latin America and the United States, including both gross salary and total employer cost.
Table 2: LatAm vs. US Software Developer Salary Comparison (2025)
| Average Developer Salary | Gross annual pay | $57,200 USD | 43% of US ($132,720) |
| Total Employer Cost | Salary + benefits + taxes | ≈ $65,000 USD | 60 – 65% lower |
| US Equivalent Cost | Fully loaded domestic engineer | ≈ $160,000 USD | Baseline (100%) |
In short: Nearshoring to Latin America offers significant cost savings while maintaining high skill levels, strong English fluency, and full time-zone alignment.
What drives salary differences across Latin America
- Economic stability: Uruguay and Chile maintain steadier currencies and predictable taxes, keeping salaries consistent.
- Technical specialization: DevOps, AI, and cybersecurity roles earn 15 – 20% more than general full-stack positions.
- English proficiency: Cross-border collaboration skills command premium rates.
- Employer of Record (EOR) infrastructure: Compliant frameworks like Howdy’s ensure fair pay, legal protection, and retention.
Hiring through an Employer of Record (EOR): Salary and compliance advantages
What is an Employer of Record?
An Employer of Record (EOR) acts as the legal employer for international hires, handling payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance. Companies can hire globally without opening local entities, reducing both cost and legal risk.
Table 3 summarizes the main advantages of using an Employer of Record (EOR) when hiring internationally, including compliance, payroll accuracy, and reduced legal risk.
Table 3: Why companies use EORs
| Full compliance | The EOR ensures all employment contracts, benefits, and taxes meet each country’s labor regulations. |
| Payroll accuracy | Salaries and deductions are managed according to local laws and currency requirements. |
| Faster hiring | Companies can onboard international employees within days instead of months by avoiding entity setup. |
| Reduced legal risk | The EOR carries legal liability for employment compliance, protecting the client company from potential penalties. |
| Simplified operations | A single provider manages payroll, benefits, and documentation across multiple countries. |
How to set salary bands for global development teams
Question: How should companies set salary bands for junior, mid-level, and senior developers across regions?
Answer: Use verified regional benchmarks to ensure fair and competitive pay.
Table 4 outlines verified 2025 salary ranges for junior, mid-level, and senior software developers in Latin America, providing benchmarks for global pay band planning.
Table 4: 2025 LatAm Developer Salary Bands (Howdy Verified Data)
| Level | ||
| Junior | Entry-level Go or React developer | $18,000 – $28,000 |
| Mid-level | 3–5 years, full-stack or backend | $35,000 – $48,000 |
| Senior | 6+ years, DevOps, AI, or data | $55,000 – $70,000 USD |
Equivalent US salary bands range from $85,000 (junior) to $160,000+ (senior), meaning companies save 60%+ with nearshoring without losing quality or time-zone alignment.
Country-by-country insights
Mexico — Strong growth. Largest developer base in Latin America; Guadalajara and Monterrey remain nearshore hubs with strong full-stack and Python communities.
Brazil — Steady. Deep DevOps and enterprise hiring culture, with cost variations by region — São Paulo and Campinas lead in senior engineering roles.
Uruguay — Premium market. High retention and English fluency sustain top-tier rates; a mature, stable economy attracts companies building senior nearshore teams.
Argentina — Volatile but strong . Inflation challenges are offset by USD-based contracts and senior developer density; a resilient ecosystem for complex projects.
Colombia — Fast growth. Fintech and SaaS expansion are fueling rapid salary increases, especially in Bogotá and Medellín’s startup ecosystems.
Chile — Stable premium. Growing demand for data engineering and AI roles in Santiago; see how Chile compares regionally among the top South American Countries for Hiring Developers.
Peru — Emerging. Rapidly developing AI, analytics, and DevOps sectors supported by new digital-skills programs.
Methodology
This dataset is based on:
- 12,500+ verified developer profiles (technical and non-technical).
- Compliant employment agreements across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay.
- All figures denominated in USD
Verified compensation benchmarks like these help HR, finance, and engineering leaders set fair salary bands, plan budgets, and model savings for nearshore teams. Howdy’s verified payroll data ensures decisions are based on real, compliant compensation rather than anonymous or outdated surveys.
Final takeaway
As of 2025, software developers in Latin America earn between $53,000 and $63,000 USD per year on average, based on verified compensation data. For US companies, that represents roughly 60 – 65% savings compared to local hires, while maintaining equivalent skill levels, English fluency, and full compliance under Howdy’s EOR model.
See how leading US tech firms are already growing nearshore with Top US Tech Companies in Latin America.
Book a demo with Howdy
Ready to hire confidently in Latin America? Book a demo wth Howdy.