What a Full-Time Remote Assistant Really Costs in 2026
The sticker price of a remote hire is easy to find. The real cost — what you pay all-in, what you save vs. a local hire, and where the hidden fees live — takes more digging. Here are the honest 2026 numbers.
Monthly salary, all-in, full-time
| Role | US (fully loaded) | Latin America | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive assistant | $4,200–$5,500 | $1,000–$1,600 | $700–$1,200 |
| Customer support / CSR | $3,600–$4,800 | $900–$1,400 | $600–$1,000 |
| Bookkeeper | $4,000–$5,200 | $900–$1,500 | $700–$1,100 |
| Dispatcher | $3,800–$5,000 | $1,000–$1,500 | $700–$1,100 |
| Appointment setter | $4,000–$5,500 | $1,000–$1,600 | $700–$1,200 |
"Fully loaded" US cost = salary + ~25% for payroll tax, benefits, and overhead. Remote figures are competitive full-time rates for experienced, English-fluent professionals — pay at the top of the local market and you attract (and keep) the best people.
The costs people forget
- Finding and vetting. DIY sourcing costs 20–40 hours of your time (screening hundreds of applications, interviewing, checking English on a call). An agency charges a one-time placement fee — ours runs $3,799–$6,999 by seniority — and hands you 3–4 vetted finalists with a 100-day free-replacement guarantee.
- Payment platform fees. Paying an international contractor through Deel-style platforms runs ~$49/mo; Wise transfers cost a fraction of a percent. Tip: pay monthly instead of biweekly and transfer fees drop by half. You pay your hire directly — a good agency never marks up salary.
- A bad hire. The most expensive line item on this page. Three months of salary, your time, and the work that didn't get done — this is what vetting (recorded interviews, validated English, reference checks) and a replacement guarantee actually price-protect.
Year-one math, real example
Hiring a remote dispatcher at $1,200/mo with a $4,999 placement fee and ~$50/mo in payment fees:
$14,400 + $4,999 + $600 = $19,999 year one
The same seat locally at $4,400/mo fully loaded is $52,800 — before recruiting costs. Year-one savings: ~$32,800. Year two (no placement fee): ~$38,000/yr.
Want the exact number for your role?
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