Hiring in Vietnam vs. Latin America: What's More Cost-Effective in 2025?

Admin Team September 16, 2024

Where U.S. companies get the most value per dollar — and which region fits your hiring goals best.

As more U.S. startups and mid-sized companies embrace global hiring, the question is no longer "Should we hire offshore?" — it’s "Where should we hire?"

Vietnam and Latin America have emerged as two of the most popular regions for offshore hiring in 2025 — especially for tech, design, and operations roles. Both offer strong talent pools, real cost savings, and remote-savvy professionals.

But which region gives you the best ROI? And how do you choose the right one for your business? Let’s break it down across five critical dimensions:

1. 🌍 Time Zone Overlap

Latin America: Strong advantage for U.S. teams. Many countries (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina) share similar working hours with EST/PST, making real-time collaboration seamless.

Vietnam: 11–15 hour time difference with the U.S. This usually means asynchronous workflows or staggered schedules (e.g., a few overlap hours in the morning or evening).

✅ Best for real-time collaboration: Latin America
✅ Best for async productivity: Vietnam

2. 💰 Cost of Talent (2025 Benchmarks)

Role	Vietnam	Latin America
Software Engineer (Mid-Level)	$1,500–$2,200	$2,000–$3,500
UI/UX Designer	$1,200–$1,800	$1,800–$2,800
Digital Marketer	$1,000–$1,600	$1,500–$2,400
Customer Support	$600–$1,000	$1,000–$1,800

Vietnam typically offers 30–50% lower salary expectations than Latin America for equivalent skill levels.

✅ Best for cost savings: Vietnam

3. 📊 Talent Pool Depth

Vietnam: Large, rapidly growing pool of STEM graduates, developers, and engineers. High-quality front-end, back-end, and full-stack engineers are abundant — especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang.

Latin America: Broad talent pool across tech, customer support, and marketing. Certain countries like Brazil and Mexico have deep engineering communities, but competition from U.S. recruiters is intensifying.

✅ Best for engineering density: Vietnam
✅ Best for broader operational roles (sales, admin, support): Latin America

4. 💬 English Proficiency

Vietnam: Improving rapidly, especially in top-tier cities. Many developers and designers have solid written English but may have limitations with verbal fluency unless sourced carefully.

Latin America: Generally stronger conversational English in countries like Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico — especially for client-facing or collaborative roles.

✅ Best for client-facing English: Latin America
✅ Best if you vet for high English proficiency (or use async): Vietnam

5. 🛡️ Risk, Stability, and Retention

Vietnam: Known for high retention rates and a strong, respectful work ethic. Less “job-hopping” culture compared to many Western countries.

Latin America: Culturally similar to the U.S. and easier travel for in-person meetups. However, inflation and political instability in some countries can affect wage consistency or turnover.

✅ Best for retention: Vietnam
✅ Best for U.S. cultural familiarity: Latin America

🎯 Final Verdict: Which Region Is Right for You?

Your Goal	Best Region
Maximize engineering ROI	Vietnam
Hire in U.S. time zones	Latin America
Build long-term loyalty on a tight budget	Vietnam
Need strong verbal English + real-time calls	Latin America
Scale fast without VC capital	Vietnam