Best Countries to Hire Offshore SDRs in 2025 (Cost, English, Time Zone Fit)

U.S. companies are increasingly looking overseas to build their Sales Development Representative (SDR) teams. Hiring offshore SDRs (also known as outsourced SDRs) can dramatically reduce costs while tapping into a global talent pool.

An offshore SDR is simply a sales professional who works remotely from another country but performs the same role as an in-house SDR, reaching out to leads, qualifying prospects, and booking sales meetings. The key is choosing a country that offers the right mix of cost savings, English proficiency, and cultural alignment with your market. Below, we’ll explore the top countries for hiring offshore/outsourced SDRs, including how much you can save (as a percentage vs. U.S. costs) and how each location fares in language and cultural fit for American businesses.

Benefits of Hiring Offshore SDRs

• Significant Cost Savings: The most immediate benefit is drastically lower salary and overhead costs. In many talent-rich countries, SDR salaries are a fraction of U.S. levels, businesses can save on the order of 50–70% in SDR labor costs. For example, a fully loaded SDR in the U.S. might cost around $90–100K per year, whereas an offshore SDR can be as low as $30–40K for comparable output. These savings free up budget for other growth initiatives without sacrificing sales development capacity.
  
  
• Access to Global Talent: Offshoring opens up a borderless talent pool. Instead of being limited to local candidates, you can recruit top SDR talent from regions like Latin America, Eastern Europe, or Asia that have abundant educated, motivated workers. Many companies now outsource not just to cut costs but also to gain specialized skills and language abilities by tapping into global talent. This means you can find SDRs experienced in your industry or fluent in multiple languages, broadening your reach.
  
  
• Around-the-Clock Coverage: Building an international SDR team enables near 24/7 sales coverage. With team members in different time zones, prospecting and lead qualification can continue outside your U.S. business hours. For instance, an SDR in Asia can engage prospects overnight U.S. time, so fresh leads or responses are handled by the next U.S. morning. This “follow-the-sun” model keeps your sales pipeline moving even when your onshore team is offline.
  
  
• Scalability and Speed: Offshore providers or remote talent platforms can deploy ready-trained SDRs quickly, allowing you to scale up fast. Rather than spending months on recruiting and training in-house, you can onboard a vetted offshore SDR in weeks. You also gain flexibility to scale the team up or down on short notice without long-term hiring commitments. This agility is especially valuable for startups or seasonal campaigns that need quick SDR capacity.
  

With these benefits in mind, let’s look at the best countries to hire offshore SDRs. We’ll highlight the cost advantage of each location (as a percentage compared to U.S. costs) and their language and cultural alignment with U.S. businesses.

Philippines

The Philippines has earned its reputation as the “call center capital of the world” and is a top choice for outsourcing sales and support roles. For over two decades, Filipino professionals have provided world-class outsourcing services, thanks largely to the population’s exceptional English skills. English is an official language in the Philippines, so SDRs from this country communicate fluently with English-speaking prospects. In terms of cultural alignment, the Philippines has a strong Western influence in its education and media, leading to a neutral accent and familiarity with U.S. customs and idioms.

Cost savings: Hiring SDRs in the Philippines can yield extremely high savings. Salaries for educated talent are a small fraction of U.S. salaries, often 70% or more lower than U.S. costs. For example, an entry-level call center rep might earn only $4,000–$6,000 per year in the Philippines, compared to $50K+ for an SDR in the U.S. Even after factoring in provider fees or benefits, companies commonly save on the order of 60–80% by offshoring SDR work to the Philippines. Moreover, the country has a large BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry, meaning a deep talent pool and established training programs for roles like sales and customer support. The bottom line: the Philippines offers budget-friendly SDR talent with excellent English and a high comfort level interacting with American customers.

Downside: Because many candidates come from customer service and call center roles, they can sometimes operate more as “order takers” than self-driven salespeople. They excel in scripted outreach, SMB-focused sales, or direct-to-consumer dialing, but may need extra vetting for autonomy in complex outbound campaigns.

Pakistan

Pakistan is an emerging outsourcing destination that offers many of the same advantages as India, a young, educated workforce with strong English skills, often at even lower costs. We (and many other U.S. companies) have hired SDRs from Pakistan with great success. Labor and operating costs in Pakistan are relatively low, so businesses can access skilled SDR talent at a fraction of U.S. cost. It’s common to see 60%+ cost savings by outsourcing sales roles to Pakistan. For example, one U.S. tech startup saved over 60% on customer outreach costs by delegating its onboarding and support SDR functions to a Pakistani firm. Salaries for full-time SDRs in Pakistan might range from only $5,000–$10,000 per year, depending on experience, which is a tiny fraction (perhaps 10–20%) of the cost of a U.S. SDR. This cost efficiency comes without compromising quality, as Pakistan’s talent pool includes many highly educated, English-proficient professionals.

Language and cultural alignment: English proficiency is a cornerstone of Pakistan’s outsourcing appeal, virtually all higher education and business communication in Pakistan is conducted in English. Most professional workers are educated in English, and they use English daily in writing and speaking. This means Pakistani SDRs can communicate with U.S. prospects clearly, with minimal language barrier.

Accents are generally neutral to moderate; many Pakistanis have exposure to American media and speak with a familiarity of Western slang and idioms. Culturally, Pakistan shares several business norms with the West. Professionals are used to Western business practices like punctual meetings and consultative sales approaches. In fact, many report little to no cultural misalignment when integrating Pakistani remote teams with U.S. teams.

There’s also a significant time zone gap (Pakistan is 9–12 hours ahead of U.S.), but companies turn this into an advantage for 24/7 operations, your Pakistan SDRs can work while the U.S. office is closed, ensuring leads are handled around the clock. For example, end-of-day leads in the U.S. can be picked up by the team in Pakistan (starting their morning) so that responses or appointments are ready by the next U.S. business day. Overall, Pakistan offers excellent value: English-speaking SDRs with a strong work ethic and Western-friendly culture, at one of the lowest price points globally.

Downside: Accent clarity can vary significantly. Some SDRs speak clear, near-native English, while others can be harder to understand for U.S. prospects. This makes video screening for accent and clarity essential before hiring.

Mexico

For U.S. companies that prioritize geographical and cultural proximity, Mexico is a leading choice for outsourced SDRs. Mexico is a nearshore destination, it shares time zones with the U.S., which allows for seamless scheduling and real-time collaboration with your remote SDRs. The big appeal of Mexico is that you get a mix of cost savings and convenience.

While labor costs are higher than in Asian countries, they are still significantly lower than U.S. rates. Businesses often find they can save roughly 40–60% on SDR labor costs by hiring in Mexico, depending on the role. One report notes that outsourcing call center operations to Mexico yields about 50% labor cost savings vs. the U.S. on average. On top of wage savings, you might save on infrastructure—Mexican outsourcing firms often provide state-of-the-art facilities and technology at a fraction of what it would cost to run internally.

Language and culture: Mexico offers a bilingual talent pool with a high rate of English-Spanish fluency. Many university-educated Mexicans speak excellent English, often with neutral accents, and can communicate effectively with U.S. customers. Additionally, cultural affinity between Mexico and the U.S. is strong. Due to geographic closeness and shared media, Mexican SDRs tend to understand U.S. consumer culture and business norms well. This cultural overlap makes for smoother rapport and collaboration.

A big advantage of Mexico is time zone alignment, Mexican SDRs can work the exact same hours as your U.S. team, facilitating instant communication and quick turnarounds on leads. There’s no late-night or early-morning coordination required as often happens with offshoring to Asia. Moreover, if your sales outreach also targets Spanish-speaking markets or U.S. Hispanic customers, Mexico’s SDRs can effortlessly switch between English and Spanish in outreach. In summary, Mexico provides moderate cost savings with maximum convenience: you get close-to-home SDRs who understand your customers, speak fluent English (often bilingual), and operate on your schedule, a nearshore solution that combines cost efficiency with high cultural alignment.

Downside: Costs are typically higher than in Southeast Asia or South Asia, which can make scaling large SDR teams more expensive. Still, the cultural familiarity and low communication friction often justify the premium for many U.S. companies.

Colombia

Colombia has rapidly grown into a top outsourcing hub in Latin America, especially for sales and customer support functions. Like Mexico, Colombia offers nearshore convenience for U.S. firms along with notable cost savings. Companies can save around 50% on labor costs by outsourcing to Colombia.

The lower cost of living means salaries for skilled SDRs in Colombia are much lower than those in the U.S., even for bilingual professionals. For instance, businesses report up to 50% savings on operational costs when running support and sales teams from Colombia versus the U.S.. These savings can be reinvested into growth or pricing advantages. Colombia’s government and private sector have also invested heavily in technology and BPO training in recent years, so the infrastructure and skill set are in place to support high-quality SDR work.

Language and cultural alignment: A major draw of Colombia is its bilingual workforce. Many Colombians speak both Spanish and English; in fact, Colombia is known for its neutral Spanish accent which is great for Spanish-speaking customers, and a growing number of young professionals are fluent in English. For U.S.-focused SDR work, you can find candidates with strong English proficiency (often with minimal accent) who can communicate confidently with American prospects.

Culturally, Colombians have a friendly, relationship-oriented approach that fits well in sales development roles. They are often very familiar with American culture, partly due to the popularity of U.S. media and close ties through travel and business. This cultural affinity means Colombian SDRs can connect with U.S. buyers without awkward misunderstandings. Additionally, Colombia’s time zone (which aligns closely with U.S. Eastern Time) makes collaboration straightforward, your Colombia team can work standard U.S. business hours with ease.

Companies also choose Colombia for the strong work ethic and service mindset of its professionals, honed by a thriving outsourcing sector. In summary, Colombia delivers bilingual, culturally aligned SDR talent with significant cost savings and no major time zone hurdles, an ideal combo for many U.S. businesses looking to outsource SDRs.

Downside: Like Mexico, labor costs tend to be higher than in Asian or African markets, which can affect ROI if cost savings are the primary driver for going offshore.

South Africa

South Africa is sometimes overlooked in outsourcing discussions, but it offers an excellent balance of quality and cost for SDR teams. For companies targeting English-speaking markets, South Africa stands out because it has a highly educated, English-speaking workforce with very neutral accents. In fact, many South African professionals speak English as a first language.

This makes communication with U.S. (and UK) customers extremely smooth, the accent and cultural references can be surprisingly similar to what U.S. customers expect, reducing friction on calls. Culturally, South Africa aligns strongly with Western business norms; professionalism, direct communication, and sales acumen are strengths of South African talent. The country’s workforce is known to excel in roles like sales, customer support, and marketing that require client interaction.

Cost savings: South Africa’s labor cost is lower than the U.S. or Europe, though higher than some Asian or Latin American locations. You might see around 40–60% lower SDR costs compared to hiring in the U.S., depending on the role and experience level. While not the absolute cheapest, South African rates are still very affordable vs. onshore hiring.

For slightly higher salaries than, say, India or the Philippines, you get near-native English speakers with Western cultural familiarity, a trade-off many companies find worth it. Another benefit is time zone overlap: South Africa’s time zone is 6-7 hours ahead of Eastern Time, which means a decent partial overlap with the U.S. workday (especially for European time zones it overlaps fully).

SDRs in South Africa can often work an afternoon/evening shift to cover U.S. mornings or have a few hours of real-time collaboration with U.S. teams each day. The talent pool in South Africa, while smaller than giant countries like India, is rich in quality, many outsourcing providers there focus on high-touch sales and support services. In fact, some experts consider South Africa one of the best overall offshoring choices when balancing skills, accent neutrality, and time zone convenience. In summary, South Africa is a prime location if you want top-notch English skills and cultural compatibility at a significantly reduced cost compared to U.S. staffing.

Downside: Few notable drawbacks, though the time zone difference with the U.S. means either late shifts in South Africa or adjusted schedules for real-time collaboration.

Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine, Romania, etc.)

Eastern European countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Romania, and the Czech Republic have become popular for offshoring a variety of roles, including SDR and sales support, due to their strong educational systems and lower labor costs. Eastern Europe offers a middle ground in terms of cost and convenience. You can typically save 50% or more on SDR salaries compared to U.S. hires by offshoring to Eastern Europe.

In some cases, companies report savings up to 70% when hiring in lower-cost Eastern European locales or when candidates work from smaller cities. The cost of living in these countries is lower than in the U.S., and even technical professionals command lower wages. For example, an SDR or BDR (Business Development Representative) in Poland or Ukraine might earn in the range of $15K–$25K annually, whereas a similar role in the U.S. could be $50K–$70K+. Those differences translate into substantial budget relief for a growing sales team.

Language and culture: A key advantage of Eastern Europe is the high level of education, many SDR candidates will have university degrees and speak multiple languages. English proficiency is generally strong among the younger workforce, especially in countries like Poland and Romania where English is taught widely and used in business. These SDRs can conduct outreach in English effectively, though you may encounter varying accents (usually quite understandable and neutral in tone). Culturally,

Eastern European professionals are accustomed to Western business practices and often have a direct communication style that works well in sales. There is also a tech and startup familiarity in cities like Kyiv, Warsaw, and Bucharest, meaning SDRs there may already have experience selling for SaaS or IT companies internationally.

One consideration is time zone difference: Eastern Europe is 6–9 hours ahead of U.S. time zones. This can be managed by scheduling some overlap (e.g. Eastern European SDRs working later in their day to correspond to U.S. morning hours), or by focusing their efforts on prospecting via email and LinkedIn during U.S. off-hours. Some outsourcing providers in Eastern Europe even set up office-based teams aligned to U.S. hours, so real-time collaboration is possible while still capturing the cost benefits.

Overall, Eastern Europe provides skilled, versatile SDR talent at roughly half the cost of U.S. hires, with the added benefit of potentially handling European or other multilingual outreach if your business needs it. Companies that prioritize a strong education background and closer cultural affinity (Europe is culturally closer to the U.S. than Asia in many respects) will find Eastern Europe to be a strategic choice for building an outsourced SDR team.

Downside: While English is widely spoken, accents can sometimes make phone communication more challenging for certain U.S. audiences, especially in high-volume cold calling roles. This is less of an issue for email- or LinkedIn-based SDR work.

The Summary

Each of these countries (and regions) brings unique strengths. The best country to hire offshore SDRs ultimately depends on your priorities, be it maximum cost savings, time zone alignment, language requirements, or cultural fit. Some businesses even adopt a blended strategy, hiring SDRs in multiple regions to cover different markets or time zones. By carefully vetting candidates and providing good training, you can integrate offshore/outsourced SDRs from any of these countries into your team and start filling your pipeline at a fraction of the usual cost.

Conclusion

Hiring offshore SDRs can be a game-changer for U.S. companies seeking to expand sales outreach cost-effectively. By leveraging talent in the right countries, businesses can drastically reduce expenses while maintaining quality in their sales development efforts. The best country for your outsourced SDR team will depend on your specific needs, whether it’s the ultra-low costs in Asia, the time-zone and cultural proximity of Latin America, the language skills of Eastern Europe, or the fluent English and professionalism of South Africa. The good news is that in 2025, the world is more connected than ever: with the proper vetting, training, and management, an offshore SDR can perform just as well as an in-house rep. Many companies are already reaping the benefits of global SDR teams, enjoying bigger pipelines and faster growth at a fraction of the usual cost. By doing your due diligence and fostering integration, you too can build a high-performing offshore SDR team that opens new opportunities worldwide, all while keeping your budget under control. Good luck with your global sales expansion!