South America’s four time zones (UTC-5 to UTC-3) give US teams 6-8 hours of daily overlap with LATAM developers.
Colombia and Peru (UTC-5) align perfectly with US Eastern Time. Mexico and Costa Rica (UTC-6) match US Central Time. Brazil eliminated DST in 2019 and Paraguay followed in 2024. Only Chile still changes clocks seasonally.
Below you will find each country’s time zone, DST status, and overlap windows with US time zones. We also cover why time zone alignment drives 40% faster release cycles and how to calculate cost-per-overlapping-hour when evaluating nearshore partners.
Which Time Zone Does Each South American Country Use?
South America uses four primary time zones. Countries near the equator stay on standard time year-round. Southern countries have more variation.
| Country | Time Zone | UTC Offset | DST? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | COT | UTC-5 | No |
| Peru | PET | UTC-5 | No |
| Ecuador | ECT | UTC-5 | No |
| Bolivia | BOT | UTC-4 | No |
| Venezuela | VET | UTC-4 | No |
| Chile (mainland) | CLT/CLST | UTC-4/UTC-3 | Yes (Sep-Apr) |
| Paraguay | PYT | UTC-3 | No (ended 2024) |
| Argentina | ART | UTC-3 | No |
| Brazil (most) | BRT | UTC-3 | No |
| Uruguay | UYT | UTC-3 | No |
What Time Zone Is Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru?
Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru all use UTC-5 year-round. None observe DST. This makes them the most predictable time zones in South America for scheduling.
Colombia uses Colombia Time (COT). Peru uses Peru Time (PET). Ecuador uses Ecuador Time (ECT) for mainland, with the Galapagos Islands at UTC-6. For US Eastern Time teams, these countries offer perfect alignment. See our guides to hiring in Colombia and hiring in Peru.
What Time Zone Is Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay?
Argentina, Brazil (most regions), and Uruguay all use UTC-3. None observe DST anymore.
Brazil spans four time zones due to its size. Brasilia Time (BRT) at UTC-3 covers Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and the capital. Amazon Time (AMT) at UTC-4 covers western states. Acre Time (ACT) at UTC-5 covers the far west. Fernando de Noronha Time (FNT) at UTC-2 covers Atlantic islands.
Argentina uses UTC-3 nationwide despite geographically belonging in UTC-4. This aligns business hours with Brazil. For hiring details, see our guides to hiring in Argentina and hiring in Brazil.
What Time Zone Is Chile?
Chile has three different time rules due to its length. Mainland Chile uses UTC-4 standard and shifts to UTC-3 during DST (September to April). The Magallanes region stays on UTC-3 year-round. Easter Island uses UTC-6/UTC-5 with DST.
When scheduling with Chile, verify whether your contact is in Santiago or Punta Arenas. The Magallanes exception catches many people off guard.
Does South America Observe Daylight Saving Time?
Most South American countries do not observe DST. Brazil eliminated it in 2019. Paraguay followed in October 2024. Argentina and Uruguay stopped years earlier. Only Chile still changes clocks.
Countries near the equator never adopted DST. Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela have consistent daylight year-round, making clock changes pointless.
Current DST status:
- Chile (mainland): DST from first Saturday of September to first Saturday of April (UTC-4 to UTC-3)
- Everyone else: No DST (Paraguay ended DST in October 2024)
For companies hiring remote talent, this stability is a major advantage. Fixed time zones mean predictable scheduling year-round.
Why Do South American Time Zones Matter for US Tech Companies?
Time zone alignment is the core advantage of hiring in Latin America. LATAM teams provide 6-8 hours of daily overlap with US time zones. Asia-based teams offer 0-2 hours.
This overlap drives measurable business outcomes:
- Nearshore teams respond within 2 hours at a 95% rate versus 15-25% for offshore
- 25% fewer revision cycles due to real-time clarification
- 40% faster product release cycles
- Project success rates of 80% (nearshore) versus 60% (offshore)
How Much Overlap Do US Teams Get with LATAM?
US Eastern Time teams get 6-8 hours of overlap with most LATAM countries. Colombia and Peru align perfectly at zero-hour difference.
| US Time Zone | Best LATAM Match | Overlap Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (EST) | Colombia, Peru (UTC-5) | 8 hours (100%) |
| Eastern (EST) | Argentina, Brazil (UTC-3) | 6 hours |
| Central (CST) | Mexico, Costa Rica (UTC-6) | 8 hours (100%) |
| Central (CST) | Colombia (UTC-5) | 7 hours |
| Pacific (PST) | Mexico (UTC-6) | 7 hours |
| Pacific (PST) | Colombia (UTC-5) | 5 hours |
| Pacific (PST) | Argentina, Brazil (UTC-3) | 3 hours |
US Central Time teams get the best alignment with Mexico and Costa Rica (both UTC-6). For a complete overview, see our guide to hiring developers in Latin America.
What Is Cost-Per-Overlapping-Hour?
Cost-per-overlapping-hour reveals the true cost of collaboration, not just the hourly rate. The formula: hourly rate divided by percentage of workday overlap.
Example comparison:
- Offshore developer at $30/hour with 1 hour overlap = $240 per collaborative hour
- Nearshore developer at $65/hour with 7 hours overlap = $74 per collaborative hour
Higher hourly rates do not mean higher collaboration costs. Overlap drives efficiency.
What Is the Golden Window for Cross-Continental Meetings?
The Golden Window is 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST. During this 2-hour block, teams from San Francisco to Montevideo are simultaneously active.
Schedule mission-critical meetings during this window. Reserve non-overlapping hours for deep work. This eliminates the late-night and early-morning calls that offshore models require.
For a deeper comparison of nearshore vs offshore models, see our analysis of nearshore vs offshore development.
How Do You Schedule Meetings Across South American Time Zones?
Start by identifying your overlap window. For US teams, this is typically mid-morning to early afternoon local time for LATAM partners.
What Tools Help Track Multiple Time Zones?
Let technology handle conversions. Manual calculations fail when DST is involved.
Recommended tools:
- World Time Buddy: Visual overlap calculator for multiple cities
- Google Calendar: Display multiple time zones and set working hours
- Calendly: Automatically shows availability in recipient’s local time
- Slack/Teams: Status indicators showing local time and availability
Configure calendar apps to display your team’s time zones. Enable “working hours” settings to prevent scheduling outside overlap windows.
What Communication Rules Work Best for Distributed Teams?
Define core hours when everyone must be available. A four-hour window (e.g., 11 AM to 3 PM EST) works for most US-LATAM teams.
Essential ground rules:
- Reserve synchronous time for decisions and architectural discussions
- Move routine updates to async channels
- Set 24-hour response expectations for non-urgent items
- Document everything in a shared hub (Notion, Confluence)
- Use async video tools like Loom to reduce meeting load by up to 62%
Frequently Asked Questions About South American Time Zones
Quick answers to the most common time zone questions for scheduling with South American teams.
How Many Time Zones Does Brazil Have?
Brazil has four time zones. Brasilia Time (UTC-3) covers major cities like Sao Paulo and Rio. Amazon Time (UTC-4) covers western states. Acre Time (UTC-5) covers the far west. Fernando de Noronha Time (UTC-2) covers Atlantic islands. Brazil eliminated DST in 2019.
Why Is Argentina in UTC-3 Instead of UTC-4?
Argentina chose UTC-3 to align business hours with Brazil, its largest trading partner. Geographically, most of Argentina belongs in UTC-4. The practical benefit: more evening daylight and synchronized schedules with Brazilian companies.
Which South American Countries Still Use Daylight Saving Time?
Only Chile still observes DST. Chile changes clocks from September to April. Paraguay discontinued DST in October 2024 and now uses UTC-3 year-round. All other South American countries use fixed time zones.
What Time Zone Is Best for US Companies Hiring Remotely?
For US Eastern Time: Colombia and Peru (UTC-5) offer perfect alignment. For US Central Time: Mexico and Costa Rica (UTC-6) match exactly. For US Pacific Time: Mexico offers the best overlap at 7 hours. Argentina and Brazil work for morning-heavy schedules.
Do LATAM Developers Work US Holidays?
LATAM countries have different national holidays than the US. Your team may be available on Thanksgiving or July 4th, while taking local holidays you might not expect. Coordinate holiday calendars during onboarding to avoid surprises.
Ready to Build Your LATAM Engineering Team?
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