I Envy Developers From First-World Countries
Picture this: a small desk positioned strategically to catch the fan’s breeze, a second-hand laptop that I swear has a mind of its own, and an internet connection that’s as temperamental as it gets. This may not be the glossy, high-tech image that comes to mind when you think of the world of software development. Yet, it’s my reality — and that of countless developers from third-world countries.
Hold up, before you start feeling sorry, let me tell you — it’s not all doom and gloom. We’re like those cooks on a TV show who get a weird mix of ingredients and somehow whip up a gourmet dish. There’s a kind of magic in making things work, no matter what. However, there’s a real conversation that needs to happen about the differences in opportunities for devs in first-world and third-world countries.
The Salary Spectrum
First, let’s talk numbers. The average annual salary of a software developer in the US is around $110,000 and in the UK — $70,000. Do you know how much a coder from Argentina makes? 5k. Per year.
The argument I often hear is “If everyone had to be paid the same regardless of where they live, companies would stop hiring people in expensive areas. But if the pay is adjusted based on the cost of living, they can hire people from anywhere and make sure it’s fair.” I don’t disagree with it. With $30k a year, I can live pretty comfortably and way better than most of the people in my country. And it’s hard to imagine someone from the States trying to get by on the same salary.
However, is it really fair?
Does an hour of my work really cost less than a person from a different country? Do my time and effort really scale based on where I live? Is it really a fair argument to increase someone’s pay just because they live in a more expensive country? When we strip it down, I’m just another person, the same as any other coder, regardless of where I live. But for some reason, I have less value.
The Prejudice
Here’s a close paraphrase of the comment I’ve seen on Reddit: “I’d rather pay more and get reliable, high-quality work than gamble with developers from third-world countries. It’s just good business sense.” So now it’s somehow my fault that you’re not paying me what I’m worth, right?
The global tech industry, although connected, is far from prejudice-free. There’s a (un)spoken bias that devalues our work, assuming it to be inferior due to the geographical location. This bias, often deeply ingrained and subconscious, can close off opportunities, and hinder professional growth. Overcoming this prejudice is a grueling task, requiring not just top-notch skills, but also the determination to prove them over and over again.
Look, I get it. There are objective difficulties that can arise when working with folks from different countries. Time zones are tough. Asynchronous work is tough. Communication can also be tough at times. But people who criticize off-shore developers don’t often get into specifics. “The work is subpar”, “unreliable”, “lazy”, “they lack professionalism” — these are the words I hear most often. The critique is being unfairly applied to all developers from third-world countries. There are bad coders, of course. But they exist everywhere, not only in third-world countries.
The Resources
Imagine being a web developer and needing to save three months of salary — the entire salary — just to afford a $600 laptop. Imagine working on a laptop so old and with the internet so bad that you feel stuck in a time warp trying to upload your code. Believe me, few things test your patience like a video call that freezes every two minutes.
And then there’s the whole deal with fancy software. See, they don’t come cheap; sometimes, we just can’t afford them. So, we make do with what’s free out there, even if they’re not as good.
Being a developer in a third-world country means grappling with more than just outdated hardware and biased attitudes. It also means missing out on a wealth of networking and learning opportunities that are commonplace in the West. Tech meetups, industry expos, knowledge-exchange events — these are far and few between where I come from. These interactions are essential, not just for learning, but also for creating a sense of community and camaraderie.
But you know what? We roll with it. We get creative, we find ways around problems, and we keep coding. Because when you strip it all back, it’s not about the flashy tools or the fast internet. It’s about the code, the problem-solving, and the thrill of building something cool. And no amount of resource scarcity can take that away.
The Conversation
And here’s where you come in. Engage in conversations, dispel misconceptions, and advocate for inclusivity. Perhaps consider mentoring a budding developer from a third-world country. By fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect, we can create a more diverse and vibrant global tech community.
No matter where we come from, at the end of the day, we’re all developers. We speak the same language of code and are motivated by the same desire to innovate and solve problems. The journey might look different, but the passion, commitment, and joy of creating something meaningful — are universal. The stories of developers like us are slowly gaining visibility, and with this, I believe more opportunities will arise. So, here’s to a more inclusive, interconnected tech world, and to the magic of code that unfolds in every corner of it.
