How Latin American Remote Workers Can Negotiate Higher Rates With U.S. Clients

You’re in the final interview stage with a US company.

They like you. You like them. Everything’s going great.

Then they ask: “What are your salary expectations?”

This is where most Latin American remote workers mess up.

They either throw out a number that’s too low because they’re anchoring to local salaries, or they freeze because they have no idea what to say.

Here’s exactly how to handle rate negotiations during the hiring process, from application to offer acceptance.

Calculate Your Target Salary Before Applying

You can’t negotiate well if you don’t know what you’re worth.

Do this first:

1. Search the job title + “salary” + “remote” on Glassdoor, Salary.com, or Payscale
2. Find what US companies pay for this exact role
3. Calculate 40-60% of that US rate as your target range
4. Write it down

Example:

• US Customer Support Manager: $55,000/year
• Your target range: $22,000-33,000/year ($1,833-2,750/month)

For hourly roles:

• US Customer Support Specialist: $22/hour
• Your target range: $9-13/hour

Don’t make this up as you go. Have your number ready before any interview starts.

What to Say When Asked About Salary in the First Interview

Many companies ask about salary expectations in the very first screening call.

It’s too early. You haven’t shown your value yet.

When they ask: “What are your salary expectations?”

Try: “I’d love to learn more about the role and responsibilities first. Can you share the range you’ve budgeted for this position?”

This does two things:

1. Gets them to show their cards first
2. Gives you more interview time to demonstrate value before negotiating

If they push and won’t share their range:

“Based on my research of similar remote roles, I’m looking at $X-Y range, but I’m flexible depending on the full compensation package and growth opportunities.”

Use the range you calculated. Don’t go lower just because you’re nervous.

Demonstrate Your Value During Job Interviews

Every interview is a chance to justify a higher rate.

Talk about:

• Specific results you’ve delivered (revenue, cost savings, efficiency gains)
• Problems you’ve solved that are similar to their challenges
• Tools and systems you already know that they use
• Your timezone availability and overlap with their team
• Your English communication level (if it’s strong, this matters)

Don’t just list skills. Tell stories about outcomes.

“In my last role, I reduced response time by 40% by implementing a new ticket categorization system” is worth more than “I’m experienced in customer support.”

You’re building leverage for when the money conversation comes.

What to Do When You Receive a Job Offer

They say: “We’d like to offer you $1,800 per month.”

Your research said $2,200-2,800 was the range.

Do not say yes immediately. Even if you’re excited.

Say: “Thank you, I’m excited about this opportunity. Can I have 24 hours to review the offer?”

This is not rude. It’s standard. US companies expect candidates to take time.

Use these 24 hours to:

1. Compare their offer to your research
2. Calculate what it means in your local currency after taxes
3. Decide your counter-offer number
4. Plan your negotiation approach

How to Counter a Job Offer That’s Too Low

You’ve decided their $1,800/month offer is too low. Your research shows $2,400 is reasonable.

Email or call them back:

“Thank you for the offer. I’m very interested in joining the team. Based on my experience with [specific relevant skill] and the market rate for this role in the remote space, I was expecting something closer to $2,400 per month. Is there flexibility in the budget?”

What you just did:

• Showed continued interest (not just demanding more money)
• Justified the higher number with specifics
• Ended with a question, not a demand

They’ll respond in one of three ways:

1. “Yes, we can do $2,400”
Great. Accept and move forward.

2. “We can meet you halfway at $2,100”
Decide if that works for you. If it’s in your acceptable range, take it. If not, try once more: “I appreciate you moving on this. Could we do $2,250? That would work for me.”

3. “Unfortunately $1,800 is our budget for this role”
Now you decide: is $1,800 worth it for other reasons (learning opportunity, great company, room for quick promotion)?

If yes, accept. If no, walk away: “I understand budget constraints. Unfortunately that’s below what I can accept right now, but I appreciate the opportunity.”

How to Answer What Salary Are You Looking For

Sometimes they don’t make an offer. They just ask what you want.

“What salary are you looking for?”

Your answer:

“Based on my experience and research of similar remote positions, I’m looking for $2,600 per month.”

Pick the higher end of your range. Not the middle. Not the low end.

They will negotiate down. Start high enough that coming down still lands you where you want to be.

If they say: “That’s higher than we expected”

Don’t panic and drop your number.

Ask: “What range were you thinking?”

Let them give you information. Maybe they say $2,200. That’s only $400 apart—very negotiable.

Maybe they say $1,200. That’s a huge gap and probably not worth your time.

Other Benefits You Can Negotiate Besides Salary

Sometimes the base rate is fixed but other things are negotiable:

Ask about:

• Performance bonuses or raises (when and how much)
• Paid time off (Latin America generally expects more than US)
• Professional development budget
• Equipment stipend
• Internet reimbursement
• Health insurance (some remote companies offer global coverage)
• Start date (negotiate extra time if you need it)

“I understand the base rate is set. Are there other aspects of compensation we can discuss, like performance bonuses or professional development budget?”

How to Position Yourself for a Raise After Getting Hired

Let’s say you accepted $2,200/month. Good.

During your first month, ask your manager:

“What does success look like in this role? What would I need to accomplish to be considered for a raise at my 6-month or 1-year review?”

Get specific success metrics. Then hit them.

When review time comes, you’re not asking for a raise because you “need it.” You’re asking because you delivered the results they defined as valuable.

That’s how you go from $2,200 to $2,600 to $3,200 over time.