Published 12 September 2026 by Offshored. Every Australian figure below is linked to its source so you can check it.
Offshore staff cost from A$1,900 per month in 2026 for a full-time, dedicated team member in the Philippines through Offshored, rising to A$2,450 to A$5,500 per month for certified AI Operator roles, with recruitment, employment, payroll, office space and equipment included in the one monthly fee.
That is the short answer. The longer one depends on the role, the experience you need and what a provider's fee actually covers. This guide sets out Offshored's published 2026 prices by role, what the fee includes, how the numbers compare with a Sydney hire once superannuation, payroll tax, leave and recruitment are counted, and what moves a quote up or down.
Offshored publishes a monthly cost band for every one of the 32 roles it staffs. The bands below are the all-inclusive monthly fee in Australian dollars for one full-time team member who works only for your business, in your hours, from Offshored's office in BGC, Manila. Prices are current at September 2026.
| Role group | Example roles | Monthly cost | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration and support | Administrative assistant, data entry, appointment setter, customer service, virtual receptionist, live chat and email support | A$1,900 to A$2,400 | A$22,800 to A$28,800 |
| Finance, executive support and coordination | Bookkeeper, accounts payable and receivable, payroll administrator, executive or personal assistant, sales support, lead generation, social media manager, IT support | A$2,100 to A$2,800 | A$25,200 to A$33,600 |
| Qualified professionals | Accountant, architectural, structural and services drafters, estimator, landscape architect, interior designer, graphic and web designer, digital marketing and analytics | A$2,400 to A$3,400 | A$28,800 to A$40,800 |
| Senior finance and software | Financial controller, software developer, game developer | A$3,000 to A$4,800 | A$36,000 to A$57,600 |
| Certified AI Operators | Certified to the Offshored AI Operator Standard, priced by tier up to AI Pod Lead | A$2,450 to A$5,500 | A$29,400 to A$66,000 |
Bands are typical; a specific person's fee depends on experience and qualifications, as covered under what moves the price. The pricing page has the full band table, the commercial terms and a saving calculator; the roles page lists every role with a description of the work.
The reason a single figure like A$1,900 a month can be compared with a local salary is that it is the whole cost of the person, not a wage with the on-costs left out. Offshored's fee covers:
What it does not include: seats in your own software, tools specific to your business, and your time managing the work day to day, which is the same as for any employee. Full commercial terms are in the Offshored Terms of Service.
Bookkeeping is the role Australian owners offshore most often, so it makes the clearest comparison. The local column assumes a full-time Sydney bookkeeper on A$85,000, between Indeed's Sydney average of A$75,511 and Robert Half's Sydney median of A$92,650. The offshore column is Offshored's published band. Superannuation is at the current 12 percent guarantee rate; NSW payroll tax only applies once your total Australian wages pass A$1.2 million a year.
| Cost line | Local full-time bookkeeper, Sydney | Offshored offshore bookkeeper | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | A$85,000 a year | Included in the monthly fee | Indeed, Robert Half |
| Superannuation guarantee, 12% | A$10,200 | Not payable: the team member is not your employee under Australian law | ATO |
| Payroll tax, NSW 5.45% | A$0 if your total wages are under A$1.2 million; A$5,188 on salary plus super if they are over | Not payable | Revenue NSW |
| Paid leave | Four weeks annual leave, 10 days personal leave and NSW public holidays, all paid inside the salary: about seven weeks a year not worked | Philippine leave entitlements and leave cover included in the fee; staff work Australian public holidays unless the day is also a Philippine holiday | Fair Work |
| Recruitment | A$12,750 to A$17,000 one-off through an agency (15 to 20 percent of salary for junior and mid-level roles), or a job ad plus your own time | Included, no placement fee, and replacement at Offshored's cost if the person leaves | ManpowerGroup |
| Workers compensation, desk, computer | Extra; the premium varies by industry and the office costs by setup | Office, desk, equipment and IT included; you supply software seats | icare NSW |
| Year one total | A$107,950 to A$117,388 A$8,996 to A$9,782 a month | A$25,200 to A$33,600 A$2,100 to A$2,800 a month | |
| Each year after (no recruitment) | A$95,200 to A$100,388 A$7,933 to A$8,366 a month | A$25,200 to A$33,600 A$2,100 to A$2,800 a month |
On those figures an offshore bookkeeper saves between A$61,600 and A$92,188 a year, or roughly 65 to 79 percent, before you count the desk, the computer and the workers compensation premium the local hire also needs. The saving holds even at the bottom of the local market: the minimum weekly rate for a Level 4 clerk under the Clerks Private Sector Award is about A$1,240 from 1 July 2026, around A$64,500 a year, which becomes more than A$72,000 once the 12 percent superannuation guarantee is added and before anyone has been recruited.
The comparison is indicative. Your own numbers depend on the salary you would actually pay, whether you pass the NSW payroll tax threshold, and how you recruit. Ask your accountant to confirm your position on superannuation and payroll tax; Offshored's answer is on the FAQ page.
Seven things decide where a specific person lands inside their band.
The lowest rate per hour and the most work for you: you find, vet and manage the person, they usually serve several clients, and no employer stands behind them. Fine for a project, hard to build a function on.
A large outsourcing firm sells seats on a floor, often with minimum seat numbers, multi-year terms and a management layer between you and the staff. The per-seat price looks competitive; the commitment is the cost.
One full-time person, employed by Offshored's Philippine entity, working only for you in your systems and hours, for one all-inclusive monthly fee. An employee's commitment without the employer's admin, and you can stop with 30 days' notice.
An offshore bookkeeper costs A$2,100 to A$2,800 a month through Offshored, all inclusive, or A$25,200 to A$33,600 a year. A full-time bookkeeper in Sydney on a market salary of A$85,000 costs A$7,933 to A$8,366 a month once the 12 percent superannuation guarantee and NSW payroll tax are added, before recruitment, equipment or leave cover.
On the Sydney bookkeeper comparison above, between A$61,600 and A$92,188 a year, or roughly 65 to 79 percent, depending on whether you pay NSW payroll tax and how you recruit. The percentage is similar for administration and customer support roles, and somewhat lower for senior finance and software roles, where Philippine salaries are closer to Australian ones.
Qualified professional roles such as accountants, architectural and structural drafters, estimators, interior designers and digital marketing specialists cost A$2,400 to A$3,400 a month through Offshored, all inclusive. Financial controllers and software developers are A$3,000 to A$4,800. Every role and band is listed on the Offshored pricing and roles pages.
No. Offshored's team members are employed in the Philippines by Australian Pathways OPC, so they are not your employees under Australian law and the superannuation guarantee, PAYG withholding, payroll tax and workers compensation do not apply to them. You pay Offshored one monthly service fee. Confirm your own position with your accountant.
A competitive professional salary in Manila is a fraction of a Sydney salary, and Offshored already owns the office, the equipment and the Philippine employing entity, so the monthly fee only has to cover the person, their statutory benefits and health insurance, and Offshored's recruitment and management. Nothing is left out to make the number look smaller.
An hourly freelancer can look cheaper per hour, but you carry the recruiting, the management, the tax and contractor risk, and the gaps when they are unavailable. Offshored's fee buys a full-time, dedicated employee working your hours in a managed office, with replacement and leave cover included, for a fixed monthly amount.
More questions? The full FAQ covers legality, data security, time zones, working hours, qualifications and performance management.
Figures checked 12 September 2026. Local cost calculations use a A$85,000 salary, the 12 percent superannuation guarantee, the NSW payroll tax rate of 5.45 percent on salary plus superannuation, and agency recruitment at 15 to 20 percent of salary. Offshore figures are Offshored's published bands.
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