Most Filipino software developers working locally earn about $600 to $700 per month.
For foreign employers paying in USD, competitive offers typically sit in the $800–$1200/month depending entirely on experience and skill level.
But here’s the thing.
Those numbers alone won’t help you make a good hiring decision.
Because paying the “right” amount isn’t just about matching a number on a salary survey.
It’s about understanding what Filipino developers actually experience in their local market, what they consider fair, and how your offer stacks up against both local companies and other foreign employers.
I’m going to walk you through the real landscape of Filipino developer compensation. Not the sanitized HR version. The actual one.
What Developers Say When They Think You’re Not Listening
When Filipino developers discuss salaries with each other online, you get a much clearer picture of what’s considered low, fair, and exceptional.
Some mention landing their first full-stack role at $700 in major business districts and feeling “lucky” about it.
One common question that pops up: “Is $1,000 with one year experience high?”
The consensus answer is revealing. $1,000 is above average but definitely achievable for strong performers in multinational companies.
There are outliers, of course.
You’ll occasionally hear about specialist developers earning $2,000+ per month.
These are usually niche platform experts (Salesforce gets mentioned a lot) in extremely high-value roles.
Other developers describe these as “insane” outliers that beginners shouldn’t anchor to.
The more useful insight? What developers consider fair vs. exploitative.
Offers below $600/month for serious development work are viewed as exploitative. Keep that in mind.
How Much Should You Pay Filipino Developers
Now we get to what matters for you.
Filipino developers working for foreign companies typically earn more than their locally-employed peers.
But not as much as you might think.
Junior developers: Most foreign employers often start at $800/month.
Mid-level developers: Competitive offers usually land in the $1,200/month range.
Senior developers: In reality, $2,500–$4,500/month is a realistic sweet spot.
One analysis notes that Philippine developers working for foreign firms typically earn $1,060–$2,460 per month, depending on level and industry.
So foreign clients pay a premium over local ranges. But usually well below US or Western European in-office rates.
That’s the arbitrage opportunity everyone’s looking for.
Can Filipino Developers Earn “US Salaries”?.
The short answer: rarely.
Filipino developers earning $90,000+ per year while remaining in the Philippines exist. They’re just unicorns. Usually with rare skills, long track records, or sometimes US/EU citizenship.
That’s not sustainable for most people.
Big US tech companies almost never pay full US salary scales to offshore contractors in the Philippines, especially at low to mid experience levels.
US-level pay is more likely if someone relocates, takes direct US employment, or reaches staff-level seniority.
The Framework I’d Use to Pick Your Number
Here’s how I’d approach this if I were hiring.
Step 1: Start with the local benchmark, then add 20-50% if you’re foreign.
Look at what a developer at your target level would earn locally. Might be $700 per month.
Add a premium if you’re requiring:
- Heavy US or Europe timezone overlap
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Acting as a mini-CTO, lead, or product partner.
Step 2: Adjust for stack and scarcity.
High-demand stacks command higher rates
Modern JavaScript frameworks, DevOps, cloud infrastructure, machine learning, specialized platforms like Salesforce, these all push toward the higher end of salary bands.
More commodity work (simple CRUD apps, basic internal tools) usually sits near the midpoint.
Step 3: Factor in stability and benefits.
Filipino developers care deeply about:
- Stability (not being dropped without notice)
- Clear work hours and reasonable workload
- Respect for local holidays
- Health-related support and modest bonuses
An employer who offers slightly below the top salary range but provides clear expectations and stability can still be highly attractive.
Step 4: Decide on contractor vs. employee structure.
Many foreign employers work with Filipino developers as independent contractors, paying a flat monthly USD amount. The developer handles local taxes and social contributions.
If you want long-term loyalty, consider:
- 13th-month-like bonuses
- Annual raises in the 5-15% range for strong performance
- Clear growth paths from junior → mid → senior with associated pay targets
How to Reality-Check Your Offer
Want to know if your offer is competitive?
Here’s a quick sanity check you can run:
Convert your offer both ways. Take your USD/month offer and convert it to PHP. Then convert it to an hourly USD rate. Compare both against the ranges I shared above.
Check if it beats local big-city salaries. If you’re offering less than what a developer could earn at a decent local company, you’re going to struggle to attract anyone good.
Look at recent developer discussions. Search for threads about developer salaries at your target experience level. See what people are actually reporting.
If you’re far below reported averages, expect poor candidates and high churn.
If you’re above the top of reported ranges, you can attract very strong talent. But you should also raise your bar on screening to match.
Not sure what the market rate is for a specific tech stack?
Browse profiles of developers with those exact skills to see what rates they’re listing and what experience levels typically command higher compensation.
The Real Answer
Here’s what I’d actually recommend.
For most foreign employers hiring Filipino developers remotely look at the $800 to $1200 range at the start.
These numbers are competitive enough to attract strong talent.
They’re significantly above local rates but still deliver massive cost savings compared to US or European hiring.
Add clear growth paths, reasonable expectations, and stability, and you’ll have developers who stick around.
That’s worth more than trying to squeeze every dollar out of your compensation budget.
The goal isn’t to pay the absolute minimum. It’s to pay enough to attract and retain strong developers while still benefiting from the cost arbitrage.
Do that, and you’ll build a great team.
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