Overview
Southeast Asia has become one of the world's most attractive regions for hiring software developers. With a combined population of over 680 million and rapidly growing tech ecosystems, countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia offer deep pools of engineering talent at 50-70% lower costs than Western markets.
The region produces over 200,000 IT graduates annually, and the quality of talent has improved dramatically as local tech unicorns (GoTo, Grab, VNG, Sea Group) have raised the bar for engineering standards. Remote work infrastructure has also matured significantly since 2020.
Why Hire This Role Offshore?
The cost-quality ratio in Southeast Asia is exceptional. A senior full-stack developer in Vietnam costs $24,000-$30,000/year — compared to $80,000-$120,000 in the US or $60,000-$90,000 in Singapore. Yet the quality of work is comparable, especially for developers from top universities like HUST (Vietnam), UP Diliman (Philippines), or ITB (Indonesia).
Salary Comparison by Country (USD/Year)
Min-max salary ranges across key hiring markets.
Key Skills to Look For
Best Countries to Hire
Best value for money. Strong in React, Node.js, Python. 50,000+ IT grads/year.
Excellent English. Good for full-stack roles requiring client communication.
Largest talent pool. Startup-experienced developers from GoTo, Tokopedia ecosystem.
Hiring Tips
Use technical assessments (HackerRank, Codility) to validate skills objectively
Prioritize communication skills alongside technical ability for remote roles
Offer competitive salaries within local market context — don't lowball
Provide clear career growth paths to improve retention
Consider timezone overlap when choosing countries
Start with a 2-week paid trial project before full-time commitment
Recommended Interview Questions
"Walk me through a complex system you designed. What trade-offs did you make?"
"How do you handle code reviews and feedback from remote team members?"
"Describe a time you had to debug a production issue under pressure."
"How do you stay current with new technologies and frameworks?"
"What's your experience with agile/scrum in a remote team setting?"