UX/UI design has recently come to the fore as a major determinant of web product success. Thus, SMEs, startups, and large companies are on the hunt for skilled and experienced UI/UX designers. The good news is that UI/UX is getting more popular today, and more specialists join the global workforce, offering professionalism and creativity to employers. The major bummer is that UX/UI designer hourly rates become an unpleasant surprise for many.
So, is UX/UI too expensive?
In some parts of the world, it really is. But it's not a good reason to refuse thorough UX/UI research and design to make your product stellar. UX Consultants are professionals who can really assist with your project. An ideal way out for a company on a budget is to outsource the UX/UI work to experts in other locations. If you're looking for execution on top of consultation, a UX Agency might be a great option.
So, when you need to hire UX designers, you're sure to face a dilemma of choice. We've decided to help you out and searched wide for UX/UI design rates across the globe. Here is comprehensive geography of UX/UI design rates to help you choose a balanced offer with reasonable rates and high service quality guarantees.
The North American continent is justly considered one of the most expensive designer locations, as Canada and the USA have high living standards, high costs of property rental, etc. So, developers and designers naturally charge much for their services to keep to these high living standards and provide for their living.
The average UI/UX designer salary in the USA is $100,000 per year, making it around $8,500 per month. However, large cities with developed IT hubs typically feature even higher salary offerings, with the annual income of a UX/UI designer reaching $130,000-$140,000. An average hourly rate among American UI/UX designers is $50+.
Canadian UX/UI designers' rates are significantly lower, with the annual salary of designers ranging from CAD50,000 to CAD100,000+. The average hourly rate is around $48 here. The country's tech hubs are Vancouver and Toronto, and designers working in these cities charge the highest prices.
Here, rates vary broadly across European countries. For instance, UX designers in the UK earn £34,000 to £58,000 a year, depending on their experience level and location. The average hourly rate of a UK UX/UI designer is £24+.
Germany is regarded as one of the most expensive locations. In fact, the average UX designer salary reaches $65,000 per year, translating into an hourly rate of €34.
Going a bit eastward in the EU gives you a much better bargain. For instance, an average hourly rate for UX design in Estonia is less than €13, and Italian UX designers are ready to work for €27 per hour on average. Ukraine is one of the popular UI/UX outsourcing destinations in Eastern Europe. They offer a high quality of work and reasonable hourly rates starting at $20 per hour.
Latin America is well-known as a huge IT hub for North American businesses. Many countries in this region have invested in top-quality web design and development education. Thus, raising a new generation of experts catering to global clients' needs. Several countries take the lead as outsourcing hubs for software development, UI/UX, and other tech industries.
Mexico is the region's largest IT hub with a larger number of skilled UX/UI designers. Businesses will find highly competitive hourly rates here, with an average of $10 per hour for UX/UI work. Argentina is another popular IT outsourcing destination, with UX/UI designers' hourly rates of $7 per hour. Brazil also offers a huge labor force in the IT industry, with hourly rates for UX/UI design starting from $13 per hour.
Asian countries have always been regarded as a vibrant IT workforce with the lowest rates globally. Therefore, many businesses resort to Asian software providers and UX/UI designers. Here are the hourly rates of the most popular outsourcing destinations:
Though these countries are pretty far from other continents and do not enjoy the reputation of popular web design outsourcing locations, they also have many skilled and talented specialists. So, local businesses may be tempted to find a qualified UX/UI designer nearby. Thus, avoiding a considerable time difference and work delays.
Australian UX/UI designers are, nevertheless, an expensive bargain. The average hourly rate for UX/UI design work in this country is $56+. Specialists of this niche charge from $84,000 to $146,000+ per year of their full-time work. This greatly exceeds the average salaries of UX/Ui specialists in the USA.
The same is relevant to New Zealand UI/UX workforce. New Zealand UX designers charge around $51 per hour, which equals a salary range from $76,000 to $132,000+ per year. The figures are high compared to the European states, equaling the designer rates in the USA.
As our statistic shows, the hourly rates for UX/UI work vary broadly, exceeding $50 in western countries (even reaching $100 per hour for senior-level specialist tasks). This estimate may be unaffordable for most small companies or startups on a budget wishing to launch their businesses with modest investments.
By looking for experts across the globe, you receive a unique opportunity to partner with skilled experts and reduce the costs of UX/UI design work manifold. However, when choosing your outsourcing partner, take into account the time and language differences. These are the greatest barriers to communication and productivity. Try to find either a nearshore company or a UX Studio with a similar culture and mindset.
These criteria may seem secondary at the initial stage of provider selection, as you may be striving for the lowest price. Still, problems may surface in the work process if you have few overlapping hours with your outsourcing firm. This can cause issues with not being able to reach a common ground in project vision and strategy. Thus, it's much better to work with like-minded people in a close or related geographical region that offer fair pricing within your budget.
