"What are your salary expectations?" usually arrives in the first ten minutes of the first call. Most LATAM engineers answer it badly in one of two ways. They name a local-market number and leave a lot of money on the table, or they name the US median they read online and end the conversation. Both come from the same mistake: not doing the research before the call.
Here's how to get to a number you can say with a straight face.
Key Takeaways
- Have a specific USD number ready before the first call. "Whatever is fair" costs you money.
- Your anchor is the LATAM remote market for US companies, not your local salary and not US in-office pay.
- Know whether they mean annual, monthly, or hourly, and whether you'd be a contractor or an employee.
- If you'll be a contractor, your number has to cover benefits and costs an employee wouldn't pay.
Where your number should come from
Three reference points, from least to most useful:
Your current local salary. Useful as a floor, nothing more. A US company doesn't price the role from your current pay, so don't start there.
US pay for the same role. Useful as a ceiling you won't reach. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for US software developers at $135,980 (May 2025). Companies hiring in LATAM are almost always paying less than that, and they'll tell you so if you ask for it. Knowing it helps you understand the gap, not close it.
What US companies pay LATAM engineers for this role right now. This is the anchor. Sources:
- Job posts that show a range. California law says an employer with 15 or more employees "shall include the pay scale for a position in any job posting", so many US companies now publish ranges. LATAM-only posts often skip them, but the same company's US posts for similar titles show you their scale.
- Remote boards that filter by region and show pay.
- Engineers you know who already work for US companies. Ask them directly. This is the best data you'll get, and most people will share a range if you share yours.
- Recruiters. Ask early: "What's the budgeted range for this role?" Many will tell you.
Write down three numbers: the lowest offer you'd accept, the number you'll ask for, and a stretch number. Your ask should sit near the top of the range you found, not in the middle.
Hourly, monthly, or annual?
US startups talk in annual salaries for employees and hourly or monthly rates for contractors. LATAM engineers often think monthly. Mixing these up on a call is common and it looks unprepared.
| If they ask... | Convert with |
|---|---|
| Annual | Monthly x 12 |
| Monthly | Annual / 12 |
| Hourly (full-time contractor) | Monthly / about 160 working hours |
A full-time year is roughly 2,080 hours (40 hours x 52 weeks). If you'll take unpaid time off, count fewer hours. Always confirm the unit out loud: "Just to confirm, you mean the monthly amount in USD?"
The contractor math most people skip
US companies usually hire LATAM engineers as independent contractors or through an employer of record. The difference changes what your number should be. We explain both setups in how LATAM developers get paid by US companies.
An employee gets things on top of salary: paid vacation, health coverage, social security contributions, sometimes a year-end bonus required by local law. A contractor gets none of that by default. In the US, benefits make up a big share of what employers spend on people: BLS data shows benefits were 30.0% of private-industry employer compensation costs in June 2026. Your country's number will differ, but the idea is the same. If you'll be a contractor, your rate has to pay for your own:
- Health insurance
- Vacation and holidays (unpaid unless your contract says otherwise)
- Retirement or pension contributions
- Taxes you file yourself, and an accountant to help
- Equipment, internet, coworking
- Payment platform and currency conversion fees
A contractor asking the same monthly number as an employee is quietly taking a pay cut.
How to say it on the call
Short and specific:
"For a senior contractor role, full-time, I'm looking at around USD X per month. I'm flexible depending on the full package and the scope."
If they push you to go first and you honestly don't know their range, it's fine to ask once: "Can you share the budgeted range? I want to make sure we're aligned." If they won't, give your number. Refusing twice makes you look difficult.
Don't say "I earn X now." It anchors them to your local pay.
A Concrete Version
A composite example with round numbers, for illustration only. Valeria, senior React engineer in Buenos Aires. From three friends at US companies and a few posts, she finds that similar LATAM contractor roles cluster in a range she writes down as "low" to "high."
She sets her ask near the top of that range, then checks it against her costs as a contractor. Say her target take-home after costs is USD 5,000 a month. She estimates:
- Private health plan: USD 150
- Accountant and local tax filing: USD 100
- Payment platform and conversion fees, around 1.5% of billings: about USD 90
- Two unpaid weeks off a year, spread monthly: about USD 250
- Equipment and internet reserve: USD 60
That's about USD 650 a month of costs, before income tax. So her ask becomes about USD 5,650 plus her tax estimate, not USD 5,000. On the call, she says the monthly number, confirms it's a contractor role, and asks whether paid time off is included. It isn't, so her number holds.
The Honest Counterpoint
Research gives you a range. It doesn't guarantee the company has that budget. Early-stage startups sometimes have one fixed number and no room. If your ask is 30% above it, the answer is no, and that's fine. Walk away from roles that can't meet your floor.
The other failure: overweighting salary. A slightly lower offer from a stable company, with a real contract and on-time payments, can be worth more than a high number from a startup that pays late. Ask how and when they pay before you celebrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I give a range or a single number?
A single number, or a tight range where the bottom is a number you're happy with. Companies hear the bottom of any range you give.
Can I renegotiate later?
Yes, usually at a review or contract renewal, with evidence of impact. It's much harder than getting the number right at the start.
What if they offer less than my floor?
Say so politely and give your number again. If they can't move, thank them and keep looking.
The Bottom Line
Do the research before the call, use the LATAM-remote market as your anchor, confirm the unit, and price in the benefits a contractor pays for. Then say one number, calmly. Our open roles are listed with full requirements at /jobs, for example data engineer and AI engineer. For the rest of the search, start with how to get a remote job with a US company from LATAM.
Roberto Espinoza is CEO of Ruzora, which places senior LATAM engineers with US startups. Browse open roles.
