Fully loaded employer cost for remote workers in the Philippines, 2026.
Two scenarios: local employer base and US employer remote base, both with full Philippines statutory costs, 13th month, equipment, and overhead. Monthly cost in USD.
Last updated: May 2026This page reports fully loaded monthly employer cost for remote workers in the Philippines under two base salary scenarios. The local scenario applies Philippines statutory contributions to the local employer median salary from Salaries — Philippines (Glassdoor/Payscale/Indeed sources). The US remote scenario applies the same statutory contributions to the US employer remote median salary from the same page (Arc.dev or BLS OES May 2024 offshore-discount estimate). The statutory contribution rates, 13th month benefit, equipment costs, and overhead estimate are identical in both scenarios — only the base salary differs.
"Fully loaded cost" includes SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, mandatory 13th month pay, equipment amortization, internet stipend, management overhead, and a training reserve. It does not include income taxes paid by the employee, optional benefits, or equity. For full methodology, see Methodology.
Statutory contributions — Philippines
Rates reflect 2026 government schedules and apply equally to both scenarios.
| Contribution | Employer Rate | Salary Base / Cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security System (SSS) [1] | 10% | MSC up to ₱35,000/month | Employee contributes 5%. MSC cap: ₱35,000 ($568). Max employer contribution: $57/month. Cap binds for all roles in the US remote scenario. |
| PhilHealth [2] | 2.5% | Monthly salary up to ₱100,000 ($1,623) | Total premium 5%, split evenly. Capped at $41/month for salaries above $1,623. Uncapped for salaries below; effective rate is 2.5% of base. |
| Pag-IBIG [3] | 2% | Monthly salary up to ₱10,000 ($162) | Maximum mandatory employer contribution: $3/month. Cap binds for all roles in this dataset. |
| 13th Month Pay [4] | 8.33% of annual basic | Full basic salary, no cap | Mandatory under Presidential Decree 851. Equivalent to one month's basic salary, paid before December 24. Modeled monthly as 8.33% of base. |
- Social Security System — SSS Contribution Table 2026. taxumo.com/blog/bir-tax-table-2026/. Accessed May 2026.
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation — Contribution Table 2026. philhealth.gov.ph/partners/employers/ContributionTable_v2.pdf. Accessed May 2026.
- Pag-IBIG Fund — Contribution Table 2026. requirementph.com/pag-ibig-contribution-table-2026/. Accessed May 2026.
- Department of Labor and Employment Philippines — 13th Month Pay Guidelines (Presidential Decree 851). taxumo.com/blog/bir-tax-table-2026/. Accessed May 2026.
Scenario comparison — all roles
The table below compares total monthly employer cost under both scenarios for all 15 roles. Base salary source for each scenario is documented in Salaries — Philippines.
| Role | Local Base | Local Total | US Remote Base | US Remote Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer, mid-level | $1,600 | $2,038 | $3,433 | $4,162 |
| Senior Software Engineer | $2,500 | $3,082 | $6,022 | $7,162 |
| Full-Stack Developer | $1,700 | $2,156 | $3,628 | $4,388 |
| DevOps Engineer | $1,800 | $2,271 | $1,915 | $2,405 |
| Data Analyst | $1,100 | $1,448 | $2,100 | $2,619 |
| Data Scientist | $1,600 | $2,038 | $3,684 | $4,453 |
| QA Engineer | $900 | $1,211 | $2,300 | $2,851 |
| AI / ML Engineer | $2,700 | $3,314 | $4,200 | $5,051 |
| Mobile Developer (iOS / Android) | $1,600 | $2,038 | $3,360 | $4,078 |
| UI / UX Designer | $1,100 | $1,448 | $2,200 | $2,734 |
| Product Manager | $1,500 | $1,921 | $3,800 | $4,588 |
| Project Manager | $1,200 | $1,565 | $2,200 | $2,734 |
| Customer Support Specialist | $500 | $731 | $950 | $1,269 |
| Medical Billing Specialist | $650 | $914 | $1,100 | $1,448 |
| CAD Drafter | $750 | $1,033 | $1,550 | $1,979 |
US employer remote scenario — detailed breakdown
The tables below show the full cost breakdown for the US employer remote scenario by section. The local scenario follows the same formula applied to the local base salary; detailed local breakdowns are derivable from the salary and statutory rate data on this page.
13th month note: The 13th month benefit is mandatory and adds approximately 8.33 percent to annualized base salary cost. PhilHealth is uncapped for base salaries below $1,623/month; for Customer Support ($950), Medical Billing ($1,100), and CAD Drafter ($1,550) in the US remote scenario, PhilHealth is calculated at the actual rate (2.5% of base) rather than the $41 cap.
| Role | Base Salary | SSS 10% | PhilHealth 2.5% | Pag-IBIG 2% | 13th Month† | Equipment | Internet | Mgmt Overhead‡ | Training | Total Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer, mid-level | $3,433 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $286 | $45 | $15 | $257 | $25 | $4,162 |
| Senior Software Engineer | $6,022 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $502 | $45 | $15 | $452 | $25 | $7,162 |
| Full-Stack Developer | $3,628 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $302 | $45 | $15 | $272 | $25 | $4,388 |
| DevOps Engineer | $1,915 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $160 | $45 | $15 | $144 | $25 | $2,405 |
| Data Analyst | $2,100 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $175 | $45 | $15 | $158 | $25 | $2,619 |
| Data Scientist | $3,684 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $307 | $45 | $15 | $276 | $25 | $4,453 |
| QA Engineer | $2,300 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $192 | $45 | $15 | $173 | $25 | $2,851 |
| AI / ML Engineer | $4,200 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $350 | $45 | $15 | $315 | $25 | $5,051 |
| Mobile Developer (iOS / Android) | $3,360 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $280 | $45 | $15 | $252 | $25 | $4,078 |
SSS employer contribution: 10% of MSC, capped at $57/month. PhilHealth employer: 2.5% of monthly salary, capped at $41/month (salary base ≤ $1,623). Pag-IBIG: capped at $3/month for all roles.
† 13th month pay: 8.33% of monthly base (mandatory under Presidential Decree 851).
‡ Management overhead: 7.5% of base salary. Not a quoted rate from any specific provider.
| Role | Base Salary | SSS 10% | PhilHealth 2.5% | Pag-IBIG 2% | 13th Month† | Equipment | Internet | Mgmt Overhead‡ | Training | Total Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UI / UX Designer | $2,200 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $183 | $45 | $15 | $165 | $25 | $2,734 |
| Product Manager | $3,800 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $317 | $45 | $15 | $285 | $25 | $4,588 |
| Project Manager | $2,200 | $57 | $41 | $3 | $183 | $45 | $15 | $165 | $25 | $2,734 |
| Customer Support Specialist | $950 | $57 | $24 | $3 | $79 | $45 | $15 | $71 | $25 | $1,269 |
SSS employer contribution: 10% of MSC, capped at $57/month. PhilHealth employer: 2.5% of monthly salary, capped at $41/month (salary base ≤ $1,623). Pag-IBIG: capped at $3/month for all roles.
† 13th month pay: 8.33% of monthly base (mandatory under Presidential Decree 851).
‡ Management overhead: 7.5% of base salary. Not a quoted rate from any specific provider.
| Role | Base Salary | SSS 10% | PhilHealth 2.5% | Pag-IBIG 2% | 13th Month† | Equipment | Internet | Mgmt Overhead‡ | Training | Total Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Billing Specialist | $1,100 | $57 | $28 | $3 | $92 | $45 | $15 | $83 | $25 | $1,448 |
| CAD Drafter | $1,550 | $57 | $39 | $3 | $129 | $45 | $15 | $116 | $25 | $1,979 |
SSS employer contribution: 10% of MSC, capped at $57/month. PhilHealth employer: 2.5% of monthly salary, capped at $41/month (salary base ≤ $1,623). Pag-IBIG: capped at $3/month for all roles.
† 13th month pay: 8.33% of monthly base (mandatory under Presidential Decree 851).
‡ Management overhead: 7.5% of base salary. Not a quoted rate from any specific provider.
Edited by Joel Deutsch, Remote Workforce Cost Index. Statutory rates sourced from SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG (May 2026). US employer remote salary data from Arc.dev and BLS OES (May 2026). Local salary data from Glassdoor Philippines, Payscale Philippines, and Indeed Philippines (May 2026). See Methodology for full source list and limitations.