Your Guide to Hiring Developers and Software Engineers in Bogotá

Bogotá plays a key role in international business across Latin America, especially in the startup world. It’s no surprise that Colombia's capital city is also home to some of the world’s top tech talent, including software developers, software engineers, UX designers, and other professionals. Indeed, Bogotá is one of the top talent pools to hire full-time and contracted developers and software engineers in Latin America. 

Interested in building your tech team in Bogotá? Check out our guide below.

How many developers are there in Bogotá?

As Colombia’s primary tech hub, Bogotá supports a large and growing IT workforce. As of recent reports, the metro area is home to over 100,000 technology professionals across software development, engineering, IT services, and related fields.

Startups in Bogotá

Even before the pandemic, the Colombian government and Colombian businesses were betting on digital transformation and investing in startups. 

Today, Bogotá has over 1000 startups and over 50 venture capitalist firms, with more incubators, Latin American entrepreneurs, and accelerators moving to the city each month. The Latin American city is home to a number of tech unicorns, including Rappi, Globan, and Habi. 

74% of capital raised in startups in Colombia happened in Bogotá in 2023. It’s clear the Colombian capital has become a place where software engineers and other tech workers can build their portfolios, gain new skills, and launch tech careers in the country’s booming IT sector and software development space.

For companies based outside of Colombia, this investment in startups and technology means there is more top tech talent than ever before available for hire in the country. 

Why companies hire developers in Bogotá

For businesses looking to find new talent and establish themselves in the Colombian market, hiring developers, software engineers, and top tech talent in Bogotá offers many advantages.

Highly educated population 

Bogotá is home to more than 100 colleges and universities, including the prestigious Universidad Nacional Sede Bogotá (UNAL) and Universidad de los Andes. Most universities require English courses, meaning that a large majority of university graduates are bilingual. 

Fast internet

Bogotá has the 4th fastest internet in Latin America, with better broadband than most cities in Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. 

Co-working spaces

Remote workers in Bogotá can connect with other Colombians, expats, and digital nomads in co-working spaces. This is a great option for businesses looking to build a hub in Colombia but aren’t ready to open an office quite yet. 

Lower employer costs 

The cost of living is significantly lower in Bogotá than most cities in the U.S. or Europe, meaning that you can both save on employer costs while offering competitive local salaries. This makes it easier for businesses to recruit and retain top talent. 

Central airport

Bogotá’s airport, El Dorado International Airport, is the country's busiest and one of the most common points business travelers pass through when flying into Latin America. For this reason, Bogotá is home to a number of international enterprises. 

Types of developers and tech professionals working in Bogota

As the largest city in Colombia, Bogotá is home to a diverse range of tech professionals. This gives you ample opportunity to find the right talent for your business needs. Some common tech roles include: 

• Software engineers

• UX/UI designers

• Project managers

• Developers 

• C# developers 

• Application developers

• Game developers

• Mobile app developers 

• JavaScript developers

• PHP developers

• Go developers

• WordPress developers

• Blog developers

• .NET developers

• AngularJS developers 

• NodeJS developers 

How to recruit developers in Bogota

To recruit software engineers, developers, and other tech professionals in Bogotá, employers can use job boards and post a job, partner with recruiting partners, network, or consult other platforms.

• Standard job boards

• Colombian job boards

• Remote-focused job boards

• Freelance platforms

• Developer sites

• Recruiting agencies

Salary ranges for developers and software engineers in Bogotá

Compensation varies significantly depending on experience, skill set, and employer. Entry-level engineers often earn less, while more experienced engineers or those at high-performing firms may earn more. Some estimated ranges can include the following:

• Most junior developers make between $277-$705 USD per month or $3,324-$8,460 USD annually. For contractors, the rate is around $10-$18 per hour.

• Mid-level developers can make $1,094-$1,775 USD per month, or $13,128-$21,300 USD annually. 

• Senior software engineers and developers can make as much as $26,000-$32,000 USD per year. For high-level consultants, the hourly rate is around $50-$70 USD per hour.

How to hire with an EOR and build a tech team 

Employers that partner with an EOR recruit and build their teams. The EOR takes care of the paperwork, including onboarding, offboarding, payroll, benefits, taxes, employment contracts, ongoing compliance, and all other HR processes.

As your strategic partner abroad, an EOR can help you determine the right salary to offer candidates abroad to ensure that your compensation package is locally competitive. 

How Justworks Can Help 

Through Justworks, you can expand the boundaries of your talent search without setting up a local entity. Focus on building your team, and leave worrying about the nitty-gritty of HR and international compliance to us. 

With built-in compliance, our team of experts ensures that your small business remains compliant while expanding internationally. We handle the complexity of global hiring so you can focus on managing your team. 

Learn more about how you can expand your international business through Justworks, and get started today.