Offshore hiring costs by country / South Africa
Philippines vs South Africa for offshore hiring
We place talent in the Philippines only. Rekruuto hires are full-time, vetted to the top 2% of applicants, and work your hours, for $1,800 a month for most roles, and from $2,500 a month for software developers and AI Implementation Specialists, with a 14-day start and a 1-week trial. For comparison, PayScale's median reported base pay for virtual or administrative assistant roles (listed as Administrative Assistant) in South Africa is R9,954 a month, about $556, from 1,073 salary profiles (updated Jul 10, 2026). This page sets South Africa's published pay benchmarks, time zones, English proficiency, and employer costs next to the Philippines.
How do the Philippines and South Africa compare?
| Philippines | South Africa | |
|---|---|---|
| English proficiency (EF EPI 2025) | Rank 28 of 123, score 569 (high)[13] | Rank 13 of 123, score 602 (very high)[13] |
| Time zone | UTC+8, no daylight saving time | UTC+2, no daylight saving time |
| U.S. Eastern 9-to-5, in local time (U.S. summer) | 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. | 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. |
| 2026 minimum wage, per month | $286, Metro Manila (NCR), non-agriculture[4][9] | $293, National minimum wage[15][9] |
| Full-time Rekruuto hire | Yes: $1,800 a month for most roles, working your hours | Not offered. We place talent in the Philippines only. |
What do employers in South Africa pay?
These are South Africa's published local market pay benchmarks for 13 roles, each with its source and date. The U.S. column is the BLS median with employer costs, and the last column is what you pay us for a full-time hire in the Philippines.
| Role | South Africa, local | South Africa, USD | Source | U.S. fully loaded | Rekruuto (Philippines) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive assistant Listed as Executive Assistant | R25,086 R14,692 – R37,352 | $1,402 $821 – $2,088 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 501 salary profiles, Jul 9, 2026 | $9,510 | $1,800 |
| Virtual or administrative assistant Listed as Administrative Assistant. The low end sits at the national minimum wage. | R9,954 R5,138 – R16,053 | $556 $287 – $897 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 1,073 salary profiles, Jul 10, 2026 | $5,903 | $1,800 |
| Bookkeeper Listed as Bookkeeper | R18,243 R12,531 – R24,630 | $1,020 $700 – $1,377 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 505 salary profiles, Jun 26, 2026 | $6,292 | $1,800 |
| Customer support representative Listed as Customer Service Representative (CSR) | R12,837 R8,159 – R19,557 | $718 $456 – $1,093 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 437 salary profiles, Jul 1, 2026 | $5,559 | $1,800 |
| Marketing assistant Listed as Marketing Assistant | R11,877 R7,249 – R18,224 | $664 $405 – $1,019 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 173 salary profiles, Jul 1, 2026 | $9,714 | $1,800 |
| Graphic designer Listed as Graphic Designer | R16,335 R10,779 – R24,330 | $913 $603 – $1,360 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 612 salary profiles, Jul 12, 2026 | $7,713 | $1,800 |
| Video editor Listed as Film / Video Editor | R19,700 R14,118 – R29,233 | $1,101 $789 – $1,634 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 82 salary profiles, Jul 3, 2026 | $9,239 | $1,800 |
| Shopify or web developer Listed as Web Developer | R15,020 R8,990 – R22,277 | $840 $503 – $1,245 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 142 salary profiles, Jun 24, 2026 | $11,350 | $2,500 |
| Project coordinator Listed as Project Coordinator, (Unknown Type / General) | R20,341 R13,191 – R29,718 | $1,137 $737 – $1,661 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 174 salary profiles, May 27, 2026 | $12,620 | $1,800 |
| Sales coordinator or SDR Listed as Sales Coordinator | R15,391 R9,872 – R21,008 | $860 $552 – $1,174 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 78 salary profiles, May 15, 2026 | $8,049 | $1,800 |
| Legal assistant Listed as Legal Assistant | R16,722 R8,478 – R25,210 | $935 $474 – $1,409 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 36 salary profiles, Jun 26, 2026 | $7,704 | $1,800 |
| Healthcare admin assistant Listed as Medical Secretary | R11,606 R8,644 – R18,565 | $649 $483 – $1,038 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 33 salary profiles, Nov 21, 2025 | $5,703 | $1,800 |
| AI Implementation Specialist Listed as Systems Analyst. No AI implementation title is published; this is the closest. | R35,319 R24,278 – R49,363 | $1,974 $1,357 – $2,759 | PayScale, median reported base pay, 96 salary profiles, Jun 8, 2026 | $12,967 | $2,500 |
A local benchmark is what an employer in South Africa pays for a local role. A Rekruuto hire is a full-time professional in the Philippines, vetted to the top 2% of applicants, working your hours, with recruiting and pay handled by us for one monthly price and a 1-week trial.
How many working hours overlap with the U.S.?
South Africa is on UTC+2, no daylight saving time. The table shows where a U.S. 9-to-5 falls there, and how many hours it shares with a local 9-to-5 day.[14]
| U.S. time zone | South Africa, U.S. summer | South Africa, U.S. winter | Rekruuto hire in the Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. (2 h overlap) | 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. (1 h overlap) | Works your hours: 8 h overlap |
| Pacific (PT) | 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. (0 h overlap) | 7 p.m. – 3 a.m. (0 h overlap) | Works your hours: 8 h overlap |
Our hires in the Philippines work U.S. hours as their regular schedule. A U.S. Eastern 9-to-5 is 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. in Manila during U.S. summer, and that is the shift they work.
How does English proficiency compare?
The EF English Proficiency Index 2025 ranks 123 countries and regions. The Philippines ranks 28 with a score of 569, in the high proficiency band. South Africa ranks 13 with a score of 602, in the very high band.[13] English is an official language of the Philippines for communication and instruction.[33]
What employer costs apply in South Africa?
An employer hiring directly in South Africa adds statutory costs on top of pay, including:
- Unemployment Insurance Fund: employer 1% and employee 1% of pay, on pay up to R17,712 a month.[19]
- Skills Development Levy of 1% of payroll once annual payroll is above R500,000.[20]
The 2026 minimum wage is R30.23 per hour (national minimum wage), about $293 a month.[15][9]
With Rekruuto there is no foreign payroll to run: you pay one monthly price, and we handle paying your hire in the Philippines.
Why we hire in the Philippines
We place talent in the Philippines only. It is a deliberate choice, and it is why our hires work the way they do:
- English that holds up on client calls. The Philippines ranks 28 of 123 in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, in the high proficiency band, and English is an official language of the country for communication and instruction.[13][33]
- Your hours, by design. Every Rekruuto hire works full time in your time zone. U.S. hours are how our hires work, not an exception you negotiate.
- Top 2% vetting. We accept only the top 2% of applicants, so you meet a shortlist, not a pile of résumés.
- One flat monthly price. $1,800 a month for most roles, and from $2,500 a month for software developers and AI Implementation Specialists. We handle paying your hire, so there is no foreign payroll or employer filing for you to run.
- Fast start, low risk. Hiring and onboarding take 14 days. The first week is a trial: if you are not satisfied, we find a replacement or refund your money.
- Trusted by 100+ customers. We recruit, vet, and support talent in one country: the Philippines.
What does a Rekruuto hire cost?
$1,800 a month for most roles, and from $2,500 a month for software developers and AI Implementation Specialists. One flat price, full time, in your time zone. Hiring and onboarding take 14 days, and the first week is a trial: if you are not satisfied, we find a replacement or refund your money. Run your own numbers in the offshore salary calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does Rekruuto hire in South Africa?
No. We place talent in the Philippines only. The South Africa figures on this page are public pay benchmarks, shown so you can compare markets before you hire.
How much does a virtual or administrative assistant earn in South Africa?
PayScale's median reported base pay for virtual or administrative assistant roles (listed as Administrative Assistant) in South Africa is R9,954 a month, about $556, from 1,073 salary profiles (updated Jul 10, 2026). The 2026 minimum wage (national minimum wage) is about $293 a month.
How does English proficiency compare between the Philippines and South Africa?
In the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, the Philippines ranks 28 of 123 with a score of 569 (high proficiency). South Africa ranks 13 with a score of 602 (very high proficiency). English is also an official language of the Philippines.
How many working hours does South Africa share with the U.S.?
During U.S. daylight saving time, a 9-to-5 Eastern day runs 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. in South Africa, so 2 hours of a local 9-to-5 day overlap. Rekruuto hires in the Philippines work your hours, so your whole workday overlaps.
What does a full-time Rekruuto hire cost?
$1,800 a month for most roles, and from $2,500 a month for software developers and AI Implementation Specialists. Hiring and onboarding take 14 days, and the first week is a trial: if you are not satisfied, we find a replacement or refund your money.
What employer costs apply in South Africa?
Unemployment Insurance Fund: employer 1% and employee 1% of pay, on pay up to R17,712 a month. Skills Development Levy of 1% of payroll once annual payroll is above R500,000. With Rekruuto you pay one monthly price and we handle paying your hire in the Philippines.
Related pages
- Cost to hire a virtual assistant: Philippines vs South Africa
- Cost to hire a customer service rep: Philippines vs South Africa
- Cost to hire a bookkeeper: Philippines vs South Africa
- Cost to hire an executive assistant: Philippines vs South Africa
- Offshore hiring costs by country
- Philippines vs Mexico for offshore hiring
- Philippines vs Colombia for offshore hiring
- Philippines vs Brazil for offshore hiring
- Philippines vs India for offshore hiring
- Philippines vs Pakistan for offshore hiring
- Philippines vs Vietnam for offshore hiring
- Every role we place in the Philippines
- Offshore Hiring Costs 2026 report
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), national estimates, May 2025. Annual median wage, all U.S. employers. Pulled from the BLS public data API (series OEUN…13).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026 (USDL-26-1494), Table 5, June 2026, released September 9, 2026. Full-time private industry workers, all and by occupational group. All full-time: $54.00 total compensation and $36.97 wages and salaries per hour worked.
- Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Occupational Wages Survey, August 2024, released November 2025. Average monthly wage rate (basic pay plus allowances) of full-time, time-rated workers in establishments with 10 or more workers.
- National Wages and Productivity Commission (Philippines), NCR daily minimum wage rates, Wage Order No. NCR-28, Effective September 26, 2026. Non-agriculture rate. Wage Order NCR-27 is in litigation; its second tranche is not in force.
- World Bank, Official exchange rate, local currency per US$, period average (PA.NUS.FCRF), 2024 and 2025 annual averages.
- PayScale, PayScale Research Center, salary by job and country, Pages updated 2025-2026; each figure links to its page and date. Median self-reported base pay, with the 25th and 75th percentiles. Annual figures divided by 12. Used only where 30 or more salary profiles were reported.
- EF Education First, EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) 2025, 2025 edition, 123 countries and regions. Proficiency bands: very high 600+, high 550-599, moderate 500-549, low 450-499, very low under 450.
- IANA, Time Zone Database, Release 2026c. Local times computed for January 15, 2026 (U.S. standard time) and July 15, 2026 (U.S. daylight saving time).
- Department of Employment and Labour (South Africa), National minimum wage 2026, Government Gazette No. 54075 (GN R.7083), In force March 1, 2026. R30.23 an hour. Monthly equivalent R5,239.46 (40-hour week x 4.333) as published in the Department's 2026 minimum wage flyer.
- South African Revenue Service, Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Accessed October 2026.
- South African Revenue Service, Skills Development Levy (SDL), Accessed October 2026.
- National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines), Language policies in the Philippines (1987 Constitution, Article XIV, Section 7), Accessed October 2026. Filipino and English are the official languages of the Philippines for communication and instruction.
Hire in the Philippines with Rekruuto
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