Locations
Hire developers by location
Twelve markets, each with genuinely different talent depth, rates and time-zone economics.
Engineering rates vary by more than three times between markets for equivalent seniority, and each market has distinct strengths. These guides cover talent depth, typical rates and time-zone overlap for twelve hubs, so you can decide what you actually need to pay for.
Time zones at a glance
The single most useful thing to decide before hiring is which hours must be covered synchronously. Once that is fixed, the viable markets narrow quickly and the rate question becomes much simpler.
| Market | Zone | Overlaps well with |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | UTC-8 (Pacific Time) | Other US zones, Latin America |
| New York | UTC-5 (Eastern Time) | Other US zones, Latin America |
| Austin | UTC-6 (Central Time) | Other US zones, Latin America |
| Seattle | UTC-8 (Pacific Time) | Other US zones, Latin America |
| Boston | UTC-5 (Eastern Time) | Other US zones, Latin America |
| Chicago | UTC-6 (Central Time) | Other US zones, Latin America |
| London | UTC+0 (GMT / BST) | All of Europe, US Eastern afternoon |
| Berlin | UTC+1 (Central European Time) | All of Europe, US Eastern afternoon |
| Amsterdam | UTC+1 (Central European Time) | All of Europe, US Eastern afternoon |
| Dubai | UTC+4 (Gulf Standard Time) | Asia-Pacific, European mornings |
| Singapore | UTC+8 (Singapore Time) | Asia-Pacific, European mornings |
| Toronto | UTC-5 (Eastern Time) | All US zones, European mornings |
Every location guide
San Francisco
The deepest AI engineering talent market in the world, and the most expensive one. Both facts matter.
New York
Fintech-shaped engineering depth, high rates, and the widest global time-zone overlap of any US market.
Austin
Central Time convenience, hardware-adjacent engineering depth, and rates meaningfully below the coasts.
Seattle
The strongest distributed-systems and cloud engineering market in the US, shaped by two decades of hyperscaler presence.
Boston
Research-adjacent engineering depth, unusually strong in machine learning, biotech data and scientific computing.
Chicago
Trading systems, logistics and enterprise engineering, at Central Time convenience and mid-market rates.
London
Europe's deepest engineering market, with unusually strong regulatory and compliance engineering experience.
Berlin
Europe's strongest market for sustainability and circular economy engineering, at rates below London.
Amsterdam
Supply chain and logistics engineering depth, in a market where English is effectively the working language.
Dubai
A bridge time zone between Europe and Asia, with a fast-growing enterprise engineering market.
Singapore
APAC's most established engineering hub, with strong data governance and cross-border compliance experience.
Toronto
Deep machine learning research heritage, Eastern Time convenience, and rates well below comparable US markets.
Frequently asked questions
Does location still matter for remote engineering hires?
Two things still matter: time-zone overlap and prevailing rates. Everything else — talent depth, local industry specialisation — matters only because it changes who is available. Location as a proxy for quality stopped being useful some time ago.
How much overlap do I actually need?
Four hours of daily overlap is generally sufficient for collaborative engineering work, covering standups, reviews and unblocking. Ask for more only when the role genuinely requires continuous pairing, because each additional hour narrows the candidate pool substantially.
Why do rates vary so much between markets?
Cost of living and local demand concentration, mainly. A senior engineer in San Francisco may bill three times a comparably skilled engineer elsewhere, and the difference reflects the local market for their time rather than a difference in capability.
Should I hire locally or match the time zone?
Unless the role requires physical presence with customers or hardware, matching the time zone is usually sufficient and considerably cheaper. Nearshore options — Latin America for US zones, Eastern Europe for European zones — often give the best balance.