Initially, 119 countries were included in the analysis, but due to data limitations, 40 countries were left that could be compared and ranked relatively, according to Bookipi. Finally, the comprehensive analysis extended to compiling a list of the top 20 countries with the most expensive freelancers, shedding light on the varying cost structures prevalent in the global freelance market.
Australia leads the list, with freelancers charging an average of $594.56 per job, making it the most expensive country for freelance work. India and Morocco are closely followed as the second and third most costly countries for freelancers.
In contrast, Columbia is the most budget-friendly destination for hiring freelancers, with an average rate of $72.13 per job.
The study compiled the rankings by examining popular services such as logo design, video editing, and data entry. Notably, Australia was identified as the priciest country for creative writing, web programming, and mobile app development projects, illustrating the diverse cost differentials in the freelance market.
India ranked second overall and stood out as the costliest nation for data entry services, charging an average of $75.92 per job. Meanwhile, Morocco claimed the third spot, with freelancers charging an average of $402.03 per job and excelling in video editing services, with rates averaging $122.35.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey are the top five most expensive countries for freelancers, with average rates of $401.64 and $393.88 per job, respectively.
Regarding the findings, Tim Lee, CEO and founder of Bookipi, said: "Our team members come from various corners of the world - Asia, Africa, Europe, and America and their life stories and experiences contribute to our team's richness. Working closely together has taught me an immense amount about appreciating different cultures. As a result, we were interested in how these different experiences are reflected in the costs of freelance workers worldwide.
Commenting on the findings, Lee said that countries with robust economies and high living standards tend to host the most expensive freelancers, which the data reflects by finding Australia the most costly freelance country. Although this is true for India, the second country to appear in the ranking, freelancers can command a higher rate thanks to their specialised skills and expertise in software development, IT services, and digital marketing.
"We hope this ranking will help empower freelance workers worldwide to know their worth and be more confident in fairly pricing their services."
The top 20 countries with the most expensive freelancers
| Rank | Country | Average price per freelancing job |
|---|---|---|
|
1. |
Australia | $594.56 |
|
2. |
India | $501.00 |
| 3. |
Morocco | $402.03 |
| 4. | Saudi Arabia | $401.64 |
| 5. |
Turkey | $393.88 |
| 6. |
Nepal | $382.50 |
| 7. | Portugal | $380.03 |
| 8. |
Serbia | $347.07 |
| 9. |
United Kingdom | $343.52 |
| 10. | France | $329.71 |
| 11. |
Ukraine | $314.51 |
| 12. | Canada | $298.40 |
| 13. | United Arab Emirates | $285.52 |
|
14. |
Pakistan | $284.17 |
|
15. |
China | $273.97 |
|
16. |
Macedonia | $262.75 |
|
17. |
United States of America | $243.72 |
|
18. |
Vietnam | $223.67 |
|
19. |
Italy | $201.33 |
|
20. |
Spain | $187.00 |
Commenting on the findings, Lee said that countries with robust economies and high living standards tend to host the most expensive freelancers, which the data reflects by finding Australia the most costly freelance country. This, however, is not true for India, the second country to appear in the ranking; despite being a developing country, its freelancers command a higher rate thanks to their specialised skills and expertise in software development, IT services, and digital marketing.
He added, "We hope this ranking will help empower freelance workers worldwide to know their worth and be more confident in fairly pricing their services."