Key Takeaways
- Latin America offers the best balance of quality and cost for US companies hiring machine learning engineers, with professionals who work the same working hours and understand US business culture and salaries 30–70% less than US-based talent.
- Ukraine serves as a middle-ground option with moderate time zone differences (especially for East Coast companies) and competitive rates between Latin America and India, while India offers the largest talent pool at the lowest costs but requires managing significant time zone differences (9–12 hours from the US).
- When choosing where to hire ML engineers, prioritize based on your specific needs: choose Latin America if real-time collaboration is essential, Ukraine if you want a balance of cost savings and partial working hour overlap, or India if maximum cost savings matters more than synchronous communication.
With ML talent in high demand and salaries soaring in the US, offshore hiring can be a great option. But where should you look: Latin America (LatAm), Eastern Europe, or Southeast Asia?
The right choice depends on your company’s workflow, collaboration needs, and budget.
This article explores which location is best for hiring an offshore machine learning engineer, comparing LatAm vs. Ukraine vs. India.
The Rise of Latin America as an Offshore Hiring Hot Spot
Latin America has become an attractive destination for US companies looking for tech talent, including machine learning engineers. While large enterprises like Amazon, Microsoft, and JP Morgan have relied on LatAm talent for years, small and mid-sized businesses are now catching on to this cheat code as remote work has become normalized.
Below is a list of key reasons US companies are shifting their focus to LatAm talent:
Time zone alignment
One of the biggest advantages of hiring ML engineers from Latin America is real-time collaboration. Machine learning engineers in LatAm share 3–8 hours of overlap with US teams.
This makes real-time collaboration smoother than with Eastern European or Southeast Asian engineers and is particularly valuable for agile teams that rely on frequent communication.
When your ML team in Buenos Aires is working while you’re working, you can jump on a quick call to discuss model performance issues, get instant replies in Slack, and maintain the kind of spontaneous collaboration that’s crucial for complex ML projects.
Booming tech industry
LatAm countries have a growing tech talent pool, including AI-related talent, due to continued investment from global tech companies and government initiatives.
For example:
- In 2024, Microsoft announced plans to invest $1.3 billion over the next three years to build up its infrastructure for cloud computing and artificial intelligence across Mexico and boost the adoption of AI technology by local SMBs.
- São Paulo, Brazil, has become one of the biggest and strongest startup ecosystems in LatAm.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina, hosts the regional headquarters of over 30 global companies, including Google, Salesforce, and IBM.
This isn’t just creating more machine learning engineers—it’s creating better ones who understand US business practices and expectations.
A-player talent at reasonable rates
The most compelling reason companies turn to LatAm is simple: you can hire machine learning engineers who perform at the same level as your best US hires, but for significantly less.
This isn’t about finding budget talent. It’s about finding exceptional engineers at rates that make financial sense.
LatAm professionals often earn significantly more working for US companies than they would locally, creating motivated, loyal team members while still giving you substantial cost advantages.
Why Ukraine and India Are Also Tech-Hiring Hot Spots
While companies can find ML talent across Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, Ukraine and India have long been go-to regions for offshore tech talent.
These two countries have established themselves as major hubs that exemplify the strengths and tradeoffs of their respective regions.
Ukraine: deep expertise, but with some risks
With over 130,000 engineering graduates annually, Ukraine has the second-highest number of IT specialists (307,000) among CEE countries. Many Ukrainian developers have solid mathematical and algorithmic skills, making them well-suited for machine-learning roles. The country has also ranked #4 globally in AI tech skills proficiency.
Lower salary rates are also attractive to many companies. A senior Ukrainian ML engineer earns an average of $55,000 annually, significantly less than their US counterparts make.
However, the ongoing geopolitical instability is a challenge. It can create uncertainty for long-term partnerships and pose logistical challenges in terms of internet connectivity, power disruptions, and workforce stability.
That said, Ukrainian engineers have shown remarkable resilience, and many remote companies have successfully adapted to continue leveraging their expertise.
India: lowest costs, but time zone challenges
India remains the global leader in sheer volume of tech talent, producing approximately 1.5 million engineering graduates annually.
They also have the lowest salaries. ML engineers in India earn an average of $11,000 to $15,000 per year, drastically lower than US salaries. This dramatic difference makes hiring in India incredibly attractive for budget-conscious companies.
The challenge is the significant time gap of over 9 hours between India and the US, which means no working hours overlap. When you sign on in the morning, your Indian engineers will have finished their working day.
While many Indian remote workers adjust their schedules to accommodate US clients, this arrangement creates challenges on both sides. You’ll need to build in extra time for communication delays in project timelines and establish more formal handoff processes where teams document progress before signing off.
If your ML projects require frequent meetings, spontaneous collaboration, or real-time problem-solving, the time zone gap can significantly slow down development cycles and create frustration on both sides.
Top 4 LatAm Countries to Consider Instead of Ukraine and India
If you’re considering hiring in ML talent in Latin America, these four countries stand out:
1. Brazil
- The largest talent pool in LatAm: According to Statista, Brazil has a pool of approximately 500,000 software developers and is home to over 12,000 startups, making it the region’s biggest tech ecosystem.
- Strong AI & engineering base: Home to top institutions like University of São Paulo (USP) and Unicamp, Brazil ranks 12th globally in IT market size.
- Government investments in AI: In 2024, the Brazilian government announced a $4 billion investment plan in artificial intelligence to boost technological autonomy and economic development in the AI sector.
2. Mexico
- Growing tech hubs: Cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara (“the Mexican Silicon Valley”) are major tech hubs, excelling in software development and tech services.
- Nearshore advantage: Its proximity to the US also means many engineers are more exposed to US-based companies and projects.
- US corporate presence: Companies like Google, IBM, and Oracle have major development centers in Mexico, meaning local engineers gain further experience with global industry standards.
3. Argentina
- Skilled AI workforce: The University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA) have some of the strongest AI research programs in the region.
- Government tech initiatives: The Inter-American Development Bank’s $100 million investment in expanding internet access and financial digital training in Argentina is also helping to develop a highly skilled tech workforce in the region.
- Proven experience: LatAm outsourcing companies like BairesDev and Globant were founded in Argentina and help local engineers get more exposure to international projects and the US business culture.
4. Colombia
- AI & innovation hub: In particular, Medellín has a strong AI foothold, with engineers working on cutting-edge AI applications.
- Global tech investments: In October 2024, the World Economic Forum, in partnership with the City of Medellín, relaunched the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) to drive AI adoption and technological innovation. This initiative aims to accelerate digital transformation, benefiting not just Colombia but the broader Latin American region.
- Government support: Colombia’s push for digital transformation has positioned it as a competitive offshore hiring destination.
Time Zone Comparison
Below is a time zone chart to help you visualize how the key LatAm, Ukrainian, and Indian cities compare with US working hours during Daylight Saving time:
This practical comparison shows why LatAm provides the most natural collaboration experience for US teams. When your team in San Francisco starts their day, their counterparts in Mexico City are also just getting started. Meanwhile, your Kyiv or India-based team would be finishing dinner or heading to bed.
Final Thoughts
The choice between Latin American countries and Ukraine or India isn’t just about finding the cheapest talent. It’s about finding the right fit for your business.
If budget is your absolute top priority and you don’t mind working around significant time zone challenges, India offers the lowest costs.
If you want a middle ground of cost savings and time difference (especially if you are on the East Coast), and are comfortable with the geopolitical uncertainties, Ukraine has exceptional talent.
But if you want the best balance of quality, cost, and collaboration, Latin America stands out as the strategic option.
We’ve helped hundreds of companies build successful remote teams in LatAm, and we’ve consistently seen that the time zone alignment and cultural compatibility of LatAm talent leads to better outcomes for US companies.
Your ML engineers aren’t just implementing models—they’re collaborating with your data scientists, product teams, and business stakeholders. When that collaboration happens in real-time rather than with 24-hour delays, your projects move faster and deliver better results.
Want to find the best LatAm machine learning engineers? Book a free consultation call or simply fill out this form to receive a list of pre-vetted candidates today.
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
%20(1).webp)
%20(1).webp)
%20(1).webp)
.png)
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)