RemotePayIndex

Cost to Hire a Remote Software Engineer in India

Median salary, statutory employer tax burden, and misclassification risk — sourced against public statutory rates, updated for 2026.

Total Cost to Hire (annual)$15,982

Salary Benchmarks

Annual USD-equivalent gross salary percentiles for Software Engineer roles in India.

Annual salary percentiles in USD
PercentileAnnual Salary (USD)
25th$10,948
50th (median)$13,867
75th$18,358
Local currency: INR. Figures are USD-equivalent annual gross salary.

Mandatory Benefits in India

  • Employer EPF contribution: 12% of basic salary + dearness allowance (mandatory up to Basic+DA of INR 15,000/month).
  • Employer ESI contribution: 3.25% of wages where gross wages are <= INR 21,000/month (<= INR 25,000/month for employees with disabilities).
  • Statutory gratuity: 15 days' wages per completed year of service, payable after 5+ years' continuous service (Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972; applies to establishments with 10+ employees).
  • Paid leave: minimum 15 working days privileged/earned leave, plus casual and sick leave as set by state Shop & Establishment Acts.

Compliance Risk

Not yet assessed

Misclassifying a software engineer as an independent contractor in India can expose employers to back taxes, statutory benefit liabilities, and penalties. An Employer of Record removes this exposure by employing the worker locally on your behalf.

Compare EOR providers for this hire

Full comparison →

We're an independent index, not a single vendor's calculator.