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How to use this comparison
Remote teams often fix a pay band in US dollars and then ask which country is cheapest to employ in. This tool answers exactly that: it converts one USD salary into each local currency, applies that country's mandatory employer contributions (with their caps and salary bands) and converts the total back to USD. It covers the 38 OECD members (OECD Taxing Wages 2025) and 69 more countries (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, each with its review date).
What drives the differences
- Rates. Employer contributions range from nothing on top of pay (North Macedonia, the UAE for expatriates) to more than a quarter of salary (Argentina, France, China).
- Caps. Many countries stop charging above a monthly ceiling: Thailand at THB 17,500, Hong Kong at HKD 30,000, Singapore at SGD 8,000. A senior salary there carries a much smaller percentage on-cost.
- Who is covered. In Singapore and the Gulf states, contributions depend on nationality, so the cost of a foreign hire can be very different from a local one. Those pages say which group the rates cover.
What this does not include
Statutory extra salaries (13th or 14th month), leave, severance accrual, health insurance and EOR or payroll fees vary by contract and provider. Add them in the employer cost calculator as benefits or monthly costs. Countries marked Partial leave out some charges, which are listed on their country page.
Worked example
At $60,000, India's statutory provident fund contribution stops at the INR 15,000 monthly wage ceiling, so the on-cost is tiny in percentage terms, while Brazil adds INSS (20%) and FGTS (8%) on the full salary. Run the tool to see the exact totals and download them as CSV for your budget sheet.
Frequently asked questions
Which exchange rate is used?
The World Bank official exchange rate, 2025 annual average (indicator PA.NUS.FCRF). For a live budget, check a current rate before you commit.
Why do some countries show 0%?
In a few countries (for example North Macedonia, or the UAE for expatriates) mandatory social contributions are paid entirely by the employee out of gross pay, so the employer adds nothing on top.
Can I compare local market salaries instead?
This tool holds the salary constant so you see on-costs only. For each country at its own average wage, use the OECD comparison at /compare-countries/.