Author: Martin English
Date published: June 26, 2026
The average salary for a virtual assistant in the Philippines in 2026 is typically ₱30,000 to ₱45,000 per month for a full-time general virtual assistant. Entry-level VAs may start around ₱25,000 to ₱30,000 per month, while experienced executive, operations, marketing, finance, or specialist VAs can earn ₱50,000 to ₱90,000+ per month, depending on skills, tools, industry experience, and shift requirements.
For overseas companies hiring in the Philippines, salary is only one part of the total cost. Employers should also budget for statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, payroll administration, employment contracts, HR support, and compliance. If you want to employ a VA locally without opening a Philippine company, Smart Outsourcing Solution can support the hire through its Employer of Record Philippines service.
Need to hire a VA in the Philippines compliantly? SOS can help you employ a full-time virtual assistant through its Philippine EOR service for a flat US$190 per employee per month.
Average Virtual Assistant Salary in the Philippines by Role
Virtual assistant salaries vary because “VA” can describe anything from basic admin support to a highly skilled executive assistant or specialist remote team member. A data-entry VA and a sales operations VA will not sit in the same salary band.
Below is a practical 2026 salary guide for full-time virtual assistant roles in the Philippines.
| VA Role | Typical Monthly Salary Range | Best Fit For |
| Entry-level general VA | ₱25,000–₱35,000 | Admin tasks, inbox sorting, basic scheduling, simple research |
| General admin VA | ₱30,000–₱45,000 | Calendar management, CRM updates, document preparation, reporting |
| Executive assistant | ₱45,000–₱75,000 | Founder support, meeting coordination, confidential admin, stakeholder follow-ups |
| Customer support VA | ₱35,000–₱55,000 | Email support, chat support, ticket handling, order updates |
| Marketing VA | ₱40,000–₱70,000 | Social scheduling, email campaigns, content uploads, basic analytics |
| Sales support VA | ₱40,000–₱70,000 | CRM hygiene, lead list building, appointment setting, follow-up tracking |
| Finance/admin VA | ₱45,000–₱80,000 | Invoicing, expense tracking, reconciliation support, bookkeeping admin |
| Specialist VA | ₱60,000–₱90,000+ | SEO, automation, project coordination, technical tools, industry-specific support |
These are base salary ranges, not total employer cost. They do not include 13th-month pay, government contributions, paid leave, equipment, workspace, recruitment, or EOR service fees. For a broader view of employment costs, see SOS’s guide to the cost to hire employees in the Philippines.
What Affects a Virtual Assistant’s Salary?
The biggest salary drivers are experience, communication skills, role complexity, software knowledge, and working hours.
A general VA who handles recurring admin tasks will usually cost less than a VA who can manage client-facing communication, prepare reports, work inside a CRM, support sales operations, or coordinate projects across departments.
The following factors usually increase VA salary expectations:
- Experience supporting overseas companies
- Strong written English and client-facing communication
- Experience with tools such as HubSpot, Salesforce, Xero, QuickBooks, Asana, Monday.com, Shopify, WordPress, Canva, or Google Workspace
- Night-shift or timezone-aligned work for US, UK, Australian, or European teams
- Industry experience in finance, healthcare, legal, real estate, e-commerce, SaaS, or professional services
- Executive support experience for founders or senior leaders
- Ability to work independently without constant supervision
In practice, the best salary range depends less on the job title and more on the actual responsibilities. A “virtual assistant” who only updates spreadsheets is very different from a “virtual assistant” who manages the CEO’s calendar, prepares board packs, coordinates with clients, and follows up on sales opportunities.
If the role is closer to founder or leadership support, compare the salary band with SOS’s guide to hiring executive assistants in the Philippines.
Entry-Level vs Experienced Virtual Assistant Salary
Entry-level virtual assistants in the Philippines usually earn around ₱25,000 to ₱35,000 per month. These candidates may be suitable for structured tasks with clear instructions, such as data entry, inbox tagging, file organisation, simple web research, basic CRM updates, and recurring admin checklists.
Mid-level VAs usually earn around ₱35,000 to ₱55,000 per month. They often have better communication skills, more confidence with business tools, and experience working with international clients. This is often the best salary band for companies hiring their first full-time VA.
Experienced and specialist VAs usually earn ₱60,000 to ₱90,000+ per month. These candidates can support higher-value functions such as executive assistance, sales administration, finance operations, marketing operations, client coordination, reporting, or technical workflow support.
If the VA will directly support founders, clients, sales teams, finance teams, or department heads, it is usually better to hire in the mid-level or experienced range rather than choosing the lowest-cost option.
How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost an Overseas Employer?
For overseas employers, the monthly salary is not the full cost of hiring a VA in the Philippines. A compliant employment setup must also account for:
- 13th-month pay
- SSS contributions
- PhilHealth contributions
- Pag-IBIG contributions
- Payroll processing
- Employment contract preparation
- HR administration
- Leave tracking
- Payslips and statutory reporting
- BIR and local employment compliance
- Replacement and offboarding support where applicable
As a simple example, a VA with a base salary of ₱40,000 per month will cost more than ₱40,000 once statutory benefits, payroll administration, and employer responsibilities are included.
For companies that do not have a Philippine entity, SOS can act as the local Employer of Record. SOS employs the VA through its own Philippine legal entity and handles payroll, government contributions, contracts, 13th-month pay, and HR administration. The SOS EOR fee is a flat US$190 per employee per month, separate from salary and statutory employment costs. For the fee breakdown, see SOS’s guide to EOR pricing in the Philippines.
This allows overseas companies to hire a full-time VA in the Philippines without creating a local company, managing local payroll, or learning Philippine employment rules from scratch.
For a full breakdown of VA roles, employment options, and compliant hiring steps, see this guide on how to hire and employ a VA in the Philippines.
Virtual Assistant Salary by Function
Different VA functions sit in different salary bands. Below are common examples.
Admin Virtual Assistant
An admin VA usually handles inbox support, calendar updates, file management, online research, data entry, CRM updates, document formatting, and recurring admin tasks.
Typical salary range: ₱30,000 to ₱45,000 per month
This is often the most cost-effective first hire for founders or small teams that need daily operational support.
Executive Assistant
An executive assistant provides higher-level support to a founder, CEO, managing director, or department head. Tasks may include calendar ownership, meeting preparation, travel coordination, confidential documentation, follow-ups, reporting, and stakeholder communication.
Typical salary range: ₱45,000 to ₱75,000 per month
The stronger the communication and decision-making required, the higher the salary should be. For a deeper role-specific comparison, read SOS’s page on executive assistant providers in the Philippines.
Marketing Virtual Assistant
A marketing VA may support content uploads, social media scheduling, email campaigns, CRM tagging, basic reporting, landing page updates, Canva graphics, and marketing admin.
Typical salary range: ₱40,000 to ₱70,000 per month
A marketing VA with SEO, automation, analytics, or paid media support experience may cost more.
Customer Support Virtual Assistant
A customer support VA handles email, chat, order updates, appointment coordination, ticket management, FAQs, and customer follow-ups.
Typical salary range: ₱35,000 to ₱55,000 per month
If the role requires night shift, voice support, complex product knowledge, or direct client escalation handling, budget toward the higher end.
Finance or Bookkeeping Admin VA
A finance VA may assist with invoices, expense records, receipts, reconciliation support, vendor follow-ups, timesheets, and finance admin.
Typical salary range: ₱45,000 to ₱80,000 per month
Finance-related VAs usually command higher salaries because accuracy, confidentiality, and software experience matter more.
Should You Hire the Cheapest VA Available?
Hiring the cheapest VA is not always the best option. A very low salary may attract inexperienced candidates, increase turnover risk, or limit the quality of work you receive.
For B2B companies, the better approach is to match salary to responsibility. If the role is simple, repetitive, and heavily documented, an entry-level VA may be enough. If the role affects clients, sales, finance, reporting, or executive time, paying for a stronger candidate is usually more cost-effective.
The real cost of a bad hire is not only the salary. It includes missed deadlines, repeated training, quality issues, client frustration, manager time, and replacement hiring.
A fair, market-aligned salary helps employers attract better candidates and retain them longer. If you are comparing VA employment against broader outsourcing models, SOS’s guide on outsourcing costs in the Philippines can help frame the difference between salary, provider margin, and compliant employment cost.
Contractor vs Employee Salary Expectations
Many overseas companies first think about hiring a Filipino VA as a contractor. Contractor rates may appear cheaper or easier at the beginning, especially for part-time work or project-based support.
However, if the VA works full-time, follows your schedule, uses your systems, reports to your managers, and performs ongoing work for your company, the arrangement may start to look like employment rather than independent contracting. For more on the classification issue, read SOS’s guide to contractor vs employee rules in the Philippines.
That is why many companies choose an EOR model for full-time VAs. Under an EOR setup, the VA becomes a properly employed team member in the Philippines, while the overseas company manages the person’s day-to-day work.
This structure is especially useful when the VA is expected to work long term, handle sensitive company information, communicate with customers, or become part of the core operating team.
If you already work with a Filipino VA as a contractor and want to move them into compliant employment, see SOS’s guide on how to convert existing Filipino contractors into employees without setting up a Philippine entity.
Why Hire a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines?
The Philippines is one of the strongest markets for virtual assistant hiring because of its English proficiency, service culture, large remote talent pool, and experience supporting international companies.
Many Filipino VAs are already familiar with US, UK, Australian, Singaporean, and European business practices. They can support admin, customer service, sales, finance, marketing, e-commerce, and operational roles at a cost that is often significantly lower than hiring locally in Western markets.
For overseas employers, the goal should not be to find the lowest possible salary. The goal should be to build a reliable offshore support role that is fairly paid, legally employed, and set up for long-term performance.
If you are building a larger offshore team beyond one VA, see SOS’s guide to the best EOR for remote teams in the Philippines.
How SOS Helps Companies Hire Virtual Assistants in the Philippines
Smart Outsourcing Solution helps overseas companies hire full-time virtual assistants in the Philippines without setting up a local entity.
SOS acts as the Philippine Employer of Record and handles:
- Local employment contracts
- Payroll processing
- SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions
- 13th-month pay administration
- Payslips and payroll records
- HR administration
- Leave tracking
- Compliance support
- Employee onboarding
- Ongoing employment administration
SOS owns its own Philippine legal entity and is registered with DOLE, PEZA, and BIR. That means clients work with a local provider rather than a reseller of a global platform. The standard EOR fee is a flat US$190 per employee per month, and go-live is typically around 3 business days once the candidate and employment details are ready.
This makes SOS a practical option for companies that already have a VA candidate, want to move an existing contractor into compliant employment, or need support hiring and employing a full-time VA in the Philippines.
If your company wants to hire employees in the Philippines without opening a company, read SOS’s guide on how to hire employees in the Philippines without setting up a company.
Hire a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines with SOS
If you already have a VA candidate or want to hire one full-time in the Philippines, SOS can help you employ them legally without setting up a local entity. SOS handles Philippine employment contracts, payroll, statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, HR administration, and compliance through its local Employer of Record service.
Contact SOS to discuss your VA hiring plan.
FAQs
What is the average salary for a virtual assistant in the Philippines?
The average salary for a full-time virtual assistant in the Philippines in 2026 is typically ₱30,000 to ₱45,000 per month. Entry-level VAs may earn around ₱25,000 to ₱30,000, while experienced or specialist VAs may earn ₱50,000 to ₱90,000+ depending on the role.
How much should I pay a beginner VA in the Philippines?
A beginner VA usually earns around ₱25,000 to ₱35,000 per month for full-time work. This range is suitable for structured admin tasks, basic research, data entry, calendar updates, and simple recurring workflows.
How much does an experienced Filipino VA cost?
An experienced Filipino VA usually costs ₱45,000 to ₱75,000 per month. Specialist VAs with executive support, finance, marketing, sales operations, or technical skills may cost ₱80,000 to ₱90,000+ per month.
Is salary the only cost when hiring a VA in the Philippines?
No. Employers also need to account for 13th-month pay, statutory contributions, payroll processing, HR administration, employment contracts, and compliance. If you use an EOR, you will also pay an EOR service fee.
Can I hire a VA in the Philippines without setting up a company?
Yes. An overseas company can hire a VA in the Philippines through an Employer of Record. SOS acts as the local legal employer and handles payroll, statutory contributions, employment contracts, HR administration, and compliance.
Is it better to hire a VA as a contractor or employee?
For short-term or project-based work, a contractor arrangement may be suitable. For full-time, ongoing work where the VA follows your schedule and works as part of your team, employment through an EOR is usually a more compliant and stable option.
What is the SOS fee for employing a VA in the Philippines?
SOS charges a flat US$190 per employee per month for EOR services. This is separate from the VA’s salary and statutory employment costs.
How quickly can SOS help onboard a virtual assistant?
SOS can typically support go-live in around 3 business days once the candidate, compensation, and employment details are ready. Recruitment timelines may be longer if the client still needs help finding the right VA.
