Why is it a stark contrast between locally on-site and overseas? There are plenty of Perl programmers in the US who are native speakers of English and live in time zones closer to yours (unless you're outsourcing to Canada or Brazil, of course). Many parts of the US have lower costs of living than New Jersey, too, so you still could have some of that price break.

Don't forget that someone telecommuting on contract isn't using your real estate, your electricity, and your health plan. That's no less true if they're contract telecommuters from Trenton or Basra.

It's much less expensive if you do need a rare meeting in person to have someone travel from Portland than Johannesburg, and they won't have to wait for a visa. The Internet communication is the same cost. If you use traditional wired or cellular phones, though, the differences between domestic long distance and international calls can be drastic.

For long-term contracts of even a few hours per week, I've been known to charge between $25 and $50 per hour. I'm in the same country, one time zone away, and willing to travel on occasion. I'm also feeling the pinch of the economy right now. I'd bet I'm not unique in any of these respects among your fellow Perl Monks.

If you can save enough money by recruiting contractors overseas, then go ahead. I'm not against finding talent where it is. I just think that with your concerns about the difficulties of finding someone local or coordinating with someone halfway around the world that you're overlooking a huge middle ground.