The true cost of hiring an offshore bookkeeper in Australia in 2026
Chris Raad · 1 July 2026
A local bookkeeper runs $85,000 to $105,000 a year fully loaded. Here is what the offshore version actually costs, line by line, with nothing hidden.
Most owners compare an offshore hire to their local salary and stop there. The honest comparison is fully loaded cost against fully loaded cost. Here is the whole picture for a bookkeeper, in 2026 numbers.
The local number, fully loaded
A Sydney bookkeeper on $70,000 does not cost $70,000. Add superannuation at 12 percent, leave, insurance, equipment, software and payroll tax, and the real figure lands between $85,000 and $105,000 a year. Recruitment adds another $5,000 to $25,000 on top.
The offshore number
A full-time bookkeeper in the Philippines, paid in the top half of their market band, costs about AU$1,400 a month, or AU$16,800 a year. That salary is paid directly to the person. If you use an employer of record for compliance, add roughly AU$300 to 600 a month, invoiced at cost.
Where the fee goes
Our fee is $5,000, once. A $500 deposit starts the search and is credited to the fee. The $4,500 balance is due only when you hire. There is no monthly margin and nothing bundled into the salary.
The first-year total
Salary of about AU$16,800, the $5,000 fee, and the optional employer-of-record cost bring year one to roughly $26,000 to $38,000 for a full-time professional. The comparable Sydney hire is $85,000 to $105,000.
The salary goes to the person. The fee comes to us. Nothing recurs.
The saving is real, but it is not the only reason to do it. A bookkeeper who works with AI properly clears the work two people used to carry. Look at the current candidates and watch one reconcile a real bank feed before you pay a cent.