Base Salaries in Southeast Asian Start-ups Double Since 2016
The landscape of tech talent compensation Asia has transformed dramatically over the past decade. According to a 2021 report by Monk's Hill Ventures and Glints, base salaries in Southeast Asian start-ups have at least doubled since 2016. This surge reflects a growing war for talent, as both local innovators and global tech giants compete for a limited pool of skilled professionals.
The findings come from the first-of-its-kind "Southeast Asia tech talent compensation" report, which analyzed salary data across Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. These three hubs represent the core of the region’s tech ecosystem, where demand for engineering, product management, and data science roles continues to outpace supply.
Engineering Leads Demand and Pay
Among all roles, engineering ranks as the most in-demand skill in Southeast Asian start-ups. Full-stack developers, in particular, command a wide salary range due to their cross-functional expertise. In Singapore, a junior full-stack developer earns between $2,700 and $7,100 monthly, while senior developers can reach up to $11,000.
Despite lower starting salaries in Indonesia and Vietnam due to an oversupply of junior engineers, pay scales rise quickly with experience. This trend underscores a regional shift: early-career roles may be competitive, but technical professionals see rapid salary growth as they gain expertise.
| Role | Country | Experience Level | Monthly Base Salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Stack Developer | Singapore | Junior | $2,700–$7,100 |
| Full-Stack Developer | Singapore | Senior | Up to $11,000 |
| Product Manager | Indonesia | Junior | $500–$1,200 |
| Data Scientist | Singapore | Junior | $2,500–$5,000 |
| Data Scientist | Vietnam | Senior | $2,000–$5,000 |
Product and Data Roles See Strong Growth
Product management ranks second in demand. Though formal qualifications are scarce, the role requires a blend of leadership, technical understanding, and business acumen. Junior product managers in Singapore earn $1,500 to $3,000 per month, compared to $500 to $1,200 in Indonesia.
Data science is the third most sought-after skill. A junior data scientist in Singapore earns $2,500 to $5,000 monthly. In Vietnam and Indonesia, the same role pays $1,000 to $2,000. Senior data scientists in Vietnam can earn up to $5,000, highlighting strong upward mobility.
Workers in technical roles earn up to 54% more than their non-technical peers. As the report notes:
"Workers in such roles can expect to earn up to 54% more than their counterparts in non-technical roles, as both local start-ups and incoming U.S. and China tech giants seek to attract the region's top talent, the study found."
CTOs Out-Earn CEOs: A Sign of Technical Scarcity
One striking finding is that median base salaries for CTOs consistently exceed those of CEOs. This reflects the high value placed on technical leadership. CTOs are considered scarce assets, especially in early-stage companies where engineering execution is critical.
The pay gap also compensates for equity imbalances. CEOs typically own more equity than CTOs. In the earliest stages, a CEO may own up to 100% of the company. As funding rounds dilute ownership, CTOs—who often hold less equity—receive higher base pay to maintain alignment.
For example, CEOs of start-ups with $0–$5 million in funding earn $1,000 per month in Vietnam, rising to $6,000 at the $5–$10 million stage. In Singapore, the same roles command $4,000 and $11,500, respectively.
Global Competition and the Remote Work Shift
U.S. and Chinese tech firms are intensifying pressure on local start-ups. Companies like TikTok, Tencent, Alibaba, and Zoom are entering Southeast Asia and offering above-market rates—or, as the report states, "write blank checks for high performers."
"There's a talent crunch regionally — particularly in Singapore — for engineering and product manager roles. U.S. and China tech companies entering the region — including TikTok, Tencent, Alibaba and Zoom — are more likely to pay above-market rates for tech talent or, in some cases, write blank checks for high performers" — the report
Local start-ups can’t match Silicon Valley-level pay. As Oswald Yeo, co-founder and CEO of Glints, puts it:
"If we try to position ourselves against a Facebook or Stripe, and we compete only on compensation, we'll never win"Instead, they must differentiate through mission and culture.
"If we choose to compete on vision and mission, this is where we can stand out" — Oswald Yeo, co-founder and CEO, Glints
Remote work has become a strategic advantage. With distributed teams now common, start-ups can tap talent beyond Singapore.
"A lot of companies are now coming to Singapore, but Southeast Asia is more than just Singapore" — Oswald Yeo, co-founder and CEO, GlintsThis regional approach allows smaller firms to access broader talent pools.
"There's a big opportunity here for remote work and remote hiring, and an increased openness for tech companies to run their teams remotely" — Oswald Yeo, co-founder and CEO, GlintsAnd as Yeo notes:
"This is how start-ups can flank the competition"
Sources
CNBC.