What do you think about the following price for translation:?

Question

In Ukraine freelance translators charge 3 EUR for translation from Englisn into Russian (for 250 words). I wonder how much do freelancers charge for written translation in Europe.

Answer 1

It all depends on the quality of the translator and the location of the client. I have a close friend who lives in Ukraine and translates between Russian and English and Ukrainian and English. Americans or Western Europeans will typically pay 5 euro cents per word (and think they are getting a bargain). Russians and Asians, however, tend to be cheap and will only pay about 2 euro cents per word (and think they are paying well).

The rate you quoted is actually very, very cheap. If you were offering to pay that, I would say you are being very unfair. But since that is what they are quoting, they are clearly undercutting the market.

Answer 2

In Spain translators charge about 0.06€ per word (so 250 words = 15€), more or less, but I have read about some translators that charge more money depending on what is the text about.

Answer 3

The going rate is at least twice as much as that in other parts of Europe, but there are always people who are prepared to undercut it and that is why translation rates are being reduced in real terms. If you are a well qualified and competent translator and you try to obtain reasonable rates of pay for your work, you find that you are passed by in favour of somebody less competent who is prepared to do the work at half the price. Many people are, for instance, turning to countries such as India in order to get their translations done at cheap local rates.