Hiring a local virtual assistant can have advantages such as in-depth knowledge of local real estate laws and procedures. However, the wages for local virtual assistants are generally much higher compared to offshore options. For example, hiring a virtual assistant in Australia may cost around $60,091 AUD annually, whereas hiring an offshore virtual assistant in the Philippines can cost around $21,385 AUD annually. This means you can potentially hire three workers for the price of one by opting for offshore assistance.