- SkyCom Editorial Team
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You’ve heard the pitch a thousand times: “Go offshore and save 70%+.” Or the counter: “Stay onshore for quality and control.”
But in 2026, the smartest U.S. brands are quietly choosing a third path — LATAM nearshore — because the real math finally favors it.
Let’s cut through the marketing noise and look at the true total cost of onshore vs. nearshore call centers,
backed by fresh industry data and real client outcomes.
The Hidden Costs That Eat Offshore Savings
Offshore providers still quote eye-popping hourly rates — sometimes 60–80% below U.S. levels.
On paper, unbeatable.
In reality, a 2025 Nearshore Americas report found that total cost savings from offshore average only
32–48% once you account for:
- High turnover (30–50% annually) → constant recruiting and retraining
- Time-zone friction → duplicate onshore oversight teams or overnight U.S. shifts
- Communication rework → 15–30% longer handle times and escalations
- Quality gaps → lower CSAT, higher churn, and brand damage
One major U.S. retailer discovered their “70% offshore savings” shrank to under 40%
after these factors — while customer complaints spiked.
Onshore: Quality You Pay Dearly For
Onshore delivery offers real advantages:
- Instant oversight and cultural alignment
- Highest compliance control
- Seamless integration with U.S. teams
But the cost is steep. The average fully loaded U.S. call center agent costs
$28–$35 per hour (salary, benefits, facilities, overhead),
according to the 2025 ContactBabel U.S. Contact Center Decision-Makers’ Guide.
For a 100-seat program running 24/7, that equals $6–8 million annually
before QA, training, or technology investments.
Nearshore: The Goldilocks Zone
LATAM nearshore hits the sweet spot — delivering 50–70% savings vs. onshore
with far fewer hidden costs.
2026 Cost Comparison (SkyCom & industry averages):
| Factor | Onshore (U.S.) | Offshore (Asia / EE) | LATAM Nearshore (SkyCom) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fully Loaded Hourly Rate | $28–$35 | $8–$14 | $12–$18 |
| Effective Savings vs. Onshore | – | 32–48% | 50–70% |
| Annual Turnover | 20–30% | 30–50% | 10–15% |
| Handle Time Impact | Baseline | +15–30% | –5–10% (faster) |
| Oversight Overhead | Minimal | High (duplicate teams) | Low (real-time alignment) |
| CSAT Differential | Highest | –10–20% | +5–15% vs offshore |
Result: Nearshore delivers 15–30% lower total cost than offshore
while approaching onshore-quality performance.
Real Client Math: A Healthcare Provider Case
A mid-sized U.S. clinic network moved 150 seats from an offshore provider to
SkyCom’s El Salvador center in 2025:
- Hourly rate: $11 → $16 (still 54% below onshore)
- Turnover: 45% → 12%
- Handle time: reduced by 22%
- CSAT: +18 points
- Annual savings: $2.4 million with improved patient outcomes
The provider now scales seasonally without quality dips using SkyCom’s
new 800-seat San Salvador facility.
Why 2026 Is the Tipping Point
- Offshore wage inflation: 8–12% annually in traditional hubs
- U.S. labor shortages: CX and healthcare roles among hardest to fill
- Compliance scrutiny: Rising HIPAA and PCI penalties
- Customer expectations: 73% of consumers leave after one bad experience (PwC, 2025)
Nearshore removes the trade-offs.
The Bottom Line for 2026
If quality and control matter, onshore is unaffordable at scale.
If cost alone matters, offshore still wins on paper — but rarely in practice.
LATAM nearshore delivers onshore-level performance at offshore-level pricing —
without the operational headaches.
The smartest brands aren’t asking “onshore or offshore?” anymore.
They’re asking: “How fast can we move to nearshore?”
Ready to run the numbers for your program? Get your free quote →
SkyCom operates modern bilingual facilities in El Salvador, Colombia, Belize, and Jamaica —
trusted across healthcare, financial services, telecom, and retail.
