GCC Cost Guide
A transparent breakdown of GCC setup and operating costs — salaries, infrastructure, compliance, and everything in between. Real numbers, not marketing ranges.
40-60%
cost savings vs US
12-week
setup timeline
2025
updated figures
55-65% of total cost
Fully loaded compensation including base salary, benefits, bonuses, and statutory contributions (PF, gratuity, insurance).
| Role / Item | Annual Cost (India) | Equivalent (US) |
|---|---|---|
| AI/ML Engineer | $30K - $55K | $150K - $250K |
| Full-Stack Developer | $20K - $40K | $120K - $180K |
| Data Engineer | $25K - $45K | $130K - $200K |
| DevOps/Cloud Engineer | $22K - $42K | $130K - $190K |
| QA/SDET Engineer | $18K - $35K | $100K - $150K |
| Engineering Manager | $45K - $75K | $180K - $280K |
AI/ML Engineer
Full-Stack Developer
Data Engineer
DevOps/Cloud Engineer
QA/SDET Engineer
Engineering Manager
15-20% of total cost
Workspace, furnishings, power backup, internet, and facility management.
| Role / Item | Annual Cost (India) | Equivalent (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Grade-A office space (per seat/year) | $1,800 - $3,600 | $8,000 - $15,000 |
| Furnishing & fit-out (one-time/seat) | $800 - $1,500 | $3,000 - $6,000 |
| Co-working/managed space (per seat/year) | $2,400 - $4,800 | $6,000 - $12,000 |
Grade-A office space (per seat/year)
Furnishing & fit-out (one-time/seat)
Co-working/managed space (per seat/year)
10-15% of total cost
Hardware, software licenses, cloud infrastructure, collaboration tools, and cybersecurity.
| Role / Item | Annual Cost (India) | Equivalent (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop + peripherals (one-time) | $1,000 - $1,800 | $1,500 - $2,500 |
| Software licenses (per person/year) | $2,000 - $5,000 | $3,000 - $7,000 |
| Cloud infra (per person/year) | $1,500 - $4,000 | $2,000 - $5,000 |
Laptop + peripherals (one-time)
Software licenses (per person/year)
Cloud infra (per person/year)
5-10% of total cost
Entity registration, legal counsel, statutory compliance, accounting, payroll, and HR administration.
| Role / Item | Annual Cost (India) | Equivalent (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Entity registration (one-time) | $3,000 - $8,000 | $5,000 - $15,000 |
| Legal & compliance (annual) | $10,000 - $25,000 | $30,000 - $80,000 |
| Payroll & HR admin (per person/year) | $500 - $1,200 | $1,500 - $3,000 |
Entity registration (one-time)
Legal & compliance (annual)
Payroll & HR admin (per person/year)
All-in estimates including salaries, office, technology, and operations.
5-10 people
Monthly cost (India)
$25K - $50K
Annual cost (India)
$300K - $600K
US equivalent (annual)
$900K - $2M
MVP validation, focused AI/ML or engineering pods
15-25 people
Monthly cost (India)
$65K - $130K
Annual cost (India)
$780K - $1.56M
US equivalent (annual)
$2.7M - $5M
Multi-function teams with engineering, data, and QA
50-100 people
Monthly cost (India)
$200K - $450K
Annual cost (India)
$2.4M - $5.4M
US equivalent (annual)
$7.5M - $15M
Full GCC with multiple pods, leadership, and support functions
India's top GCC hubs offer different cost-talent tradeoffs.
| City | Talent Pool | Cost Index | Key Strengths | GCCs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | Largest | Highest in India | AI/ML, cloud, SaaS, deep tech | 600+ |
| Hyderabad | Very Large | 10-15% lower than Bengaluru | Enterprise tech, data, pharma-tech | 400+ |
| Chennai | Large | 15-20% lower than Bengaluru | Manufacturing-tech, BFSI, embedded systems | 250+ |
| Pune | Large | 15-20% lower than Bengaluru | Automotive-tech, ERP, full-stack engineering | 200+ |
AI/ML, cloud, SaaS, deep tech
Enterprise tech, data, pharma-tech
Manufacturing-tech, BFSI, embedded systems
Automotive-tech, ERP, full-stack engineering
The numbers most vendors don't talk about. We include these in every feasibility assessment.
Agency fees (8-15% of CTC), job board subscriptions, and recruitment team salaries. Budget 10-15% of first-year salaries for initial hiring.
India's tech attrition runs 15-25%. Factor in 2-3 months of overlap and recruitment cost per backfill. A strong EVP and culture investment reduces this significantly.
Quarterly leadership travel between HQ and GCC. Budget $15K-$30K per trip for a small team. Critical for culture alignment in the first 12 months.
New hires typically reach full productivity in 3-6 months. Factor in onboarding, training, and knowledge transfer time when planning delivery timelines.
Including entity setup, office, hiring, salaries, IT, and compliance, expect $400K-$700K for the first year. This is roughly 40-50% of what the same team would cost in the US, with ongoing savings of 60-70% from year two onward.
The salary ranges shown are national averages weighted toward Tier-1 cities. Bengaluru tends to be at the higher end, while Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune are 10-20% lower. We provide city-specific estimates as part of our feasibility assessment.
Yes. All salary figures are fully loaded, including Provident Fund (12%), gratuity, ESI (where applicable), professional tax, and statutory bonuses. We also factor in standard benefits like health insurance and meal allowances.
Per-person costs generally decrease by 10-15% as you scale beyond 25 people due to better office rates, shared infrastructure, and operational efficiencies. Leadership and management layers add cost but improve delivery quality and retention.
EOR (Employer of Record) is cheaper for teams under 5 people or for pilot programs. Beyond that, an owned entity is more cost-effective long-term and gives you full control over IP, data, and operations. Many clients start with EOR and transition.
GCC costs are primarily in INR. The INR/USD rate has been relatively stable (within 3-5% annually). For budgeting, we recommend building a 5% currency buffer. Some clients hedge with forward contracts for large committed expenditures.
Every GCC is different. Tell us your team size, roles, and city preference — we'll build a detailed cost model specific to your requirements.
Or email us at reachus@neointelli.com