Cost of Hiring a Maid in Singapore (2026): Complete Guide

The cost of hiring a maid in Singapore is not one headline fee. MOM’s official term is migrant domestic worker (MDW); this guide also uses “domestic helper” because that is how many employers search. Employers pay an agreed salary, the monthly MDW levy, living and medical costs, insurance, Work Permit charges and, often, maid agency fees. The figures below were fact-checked on 5 August 2026 and separate official amounts from planning assumptions so you can compare quotations without mistaking an estimate for a rule.

The short answer: monthly maid cost in Singapore

A realistic planning figure is about S$1,235 a month for a first helper on the standard levy, or about S$995 with the concessionary levy, using the assumptions below. These are household-budget examples, not government tariffs or guaranteed market averages.

For upfront cash, MOM reported that the median recruitment outlay for a new MDW was about S$4,700 in January 2026. About half was a loan to the helper that employers subsequently recover. That makes S$4,700 a useful day-one cash benchmark, but not a universal net cost.

How we researched this 2026 cost guide

• Official amounts and duties were checked against current MOM, IRAS and AIC pages on 5 August 2026.
• Salary evidence comes from a Biodata.sg snapshot of 388 active listings on 5 August 2026. Of these, 88 disclosed a positive numeric expected base salary.
• The middle 50% of disclosed salaries was S$529 to S$650; the median was S$560. This directory sample is not a government wage survey and should not be treated as a salary recommendation.
• Agency packages, insurance premiums, clinic prices and airfares change quickly. This guide tells you where to obtain a live quote instead of presenting one provider’s promotional price as the market price.
• All money is in Singapore dollars unless stated otherwise.

One-time and upfront hiring costs

MOM’s Work Permit application guide lists S$35 to apply and S$35 to issue the pass. A first-time employer must complete the Employers’ Orientation Programme at least two working days before applying. A first-time helper must attend the Settling-in Programme within seven days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays, and may start work only after attending it.

The S$5,000 bond is a guarantee, not a “free” item

For every non-Malaysian helper, MOM requires a S$5,000 security bond. It is a banker’s or insurer’s guarantee, so the employer does not normally transfer S$5,000 to MOM on day one. However, the guarantee is not the same as protection from liability: MOM may call on the bond if permit or bond conditions are breached. Check the premium, indemnity terms and any optional waiver or excess in the policy documents.

Salary: what current listings show

Singapore does not prescribe a general minimum wage for migrant workers. Source-country or embassy requirements may still affect an individual contract. The agreed salary must not be below the amount declared to MOM, and it must be paid monthly no later than seven days after the salary period ends.

Use the sample as a starting point, then price the actual role. Infant care, mobility assistance, night duties, a larger home, driving, specialised cooking and prior Singapore experience can change expectations. Evaluate the person’s verified experience, skills and interview answers rather than treating nationality, race or religion as a proxy for suitability.

Maid levy rates in Singapore for 2026

The official MOM levy page says the concessionary rate may apply where an eligible young child, elderly person or person with disability lives in the household. Detailed citizenship, relationship and address rules apply. A concession saves S$240 a month against the first-helper rate, or S$5,760 across 24 months.

Rest days are part of the cost calculation

MOM requires one rest day each week. At least one rest day each month cannot be compensated away. If the helper freely agrees to work on another rest day, the employer must pay at least one additional day’s salary. MOM calculates that day as monthly salary divided by 26.

Example: at S$560 a month, one paid rest day is S$21.54. If the helper agrees to work on three eligible rest days, add about S$64.62 that month. Record the agreed rest-day arrangement and the additional payment clearly; do not build a budget that assumes every weekly rest day can be bought out.

Insurance and medical costs

Before arrival, the employer must buy medical and personal accident insurance. MOM’s current insurance requirements require medical insurance with an annual claim limit of at least S$60,000 for inpatient care and day surgery, and personal accident insurance with at least S$60,000 sum assured a year. For medical claims above S$15,000, the enhanced minimum policy uses a 75% insurer and 25% employer co-payment up to the policy limit. The insurance cost cannot be passed to the helper.

• Compare the annual hospital limit, sub-limits, exclusions, age band, outpatient cover and co-payment terms—not only the premium.
• Budget for outpatient treatment and bills beyond insurance. MOM says the employer remains responsible for the helper’s medical needs.
• A pre-employment medical examination is required within 14 days of arrival before the permit can be issued.
• A six-monthly medical examination is generally required during employment and is paid by the employer; helpers aged 50 and above follow the renewal medical-examination rule instead.
• Keep a separate emergency buffer. The statutory minimum insurance limit is not a cap on the employer’s responsibility.

See MOM’s six-monthly medical examination rules for timing and test requirements.

Maid agency fees: compare the same scope

Maid agency fees in Singapore are commercial prices. A low headline may omit insurance, travel, source-country documentation, medical checks, lodging, training or replacement administration. MOM’s S$4,700 median recruitment-outlay figure is more useful than a single promotional package because it covers the cash employers actually needed in a recent national benchmark.

• Ask for the agency service fee and GST as separate lines.
• Separate government and third-party pass-through costs from the agency’s own fee.
• Identify any placement loan: amount, who owes it, repayment schedule and what happens if employment ends early.
• Confirm whether insurance, bond guarantee, SIP, medical examination, airfare, local transport and lodging are included.
• Read the replacement window, recurring charges and refund conditions before paying.
• Verify the agency and salesperson in MOM’s EA directory, then compare at least three written quotations over the same 24-month period.

For qualifying contracts, MOM’s employment-agency refund rule requires at least 50% of the employer-paid service fee to be refunded if employment ends within the first six months and the stated conditions are met. The rule does not make every amount on the invoice refundable: Work Permit fees, SIP, medical examination, inbound travel, certain source-country costs, requested training and the helper’s placement loan are excluded.

A transparent 24-month planning model

The model below combines two disclosed anchors: MOM’s S$4,700 median upfront recruitment outlay, of which roughly half was subsequently recovered, and Biodata.sg’s S$560 median disclosed expected salary. It also assumes three paid rest days a month, S$250 monthly household spending and a S$60 contingency reserve. It is a planning scenario, not a quote.

Do not subtract a placement loan unless the written arrangement is valid and the money is actually recovered. If employment ends early, your real net cost may be higher. Likewise, a major uninsured medical bill or replacement can move the total materially above this example.

Grants, concessions and tax in 2026

The S$60 concessionary levy is the largest broadly relevant saving: S$5,760 over two years versus the normal first-helper rate. Families caring for a person who permanently needs help with at least three activities of daily living may also qualify for the Home Caregiving Grant. AIC currently lists means-tested payouts of S$200, S$400 or S$600 a month and says the grant can be used for care needs such as hiring a helper. Eligibility and disability assessment rules apply.

Do not include the old Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Relief in a 2026 tax estimate. IRAS says the relief was discontinued from YA 2025, with YA 2024 as the final claim year.

Costs employers commonly miss

• Adequate food, accommodation, toiletries and household utilities.
• Rest-day compensation when the helper agrees to work on an eligible rest day.
• Outpatient treatment, insurance co-payment and bills above policy limits.
• Six-monthly medical examinations and later Work Permit renewal.
• Home-leave arrangements agreed in the employment contract.
• Replacement administration, fresh insurance or medical checks after an early mismatch.
• Repatriation: when employment ends, the employer must pay for the air ticket with check-in luggage and connecting transport to the required destination.
• Salary increases, training and additional compensation when the role expands.

MOM’s repatriation guidance requires departure within two weeks of Work Permit cancellation and an employer-paid ticket with check-in luggage, including connecting transport to the international port nearest the helper’s hometown.

Before you sign: cost checklist

• Set a 24-month ceiling, not only a day-one budget.
• Check whether your household qualifies for the S$60 levy before comparing packages.
• Interview the helper and agree on duties, salary, rest days and living arrangements in writing.
• Ask every agency to quote the same scope and label refundable, recoverable and non-refundable amounts.
• Choose insurance by financial exposure and exclusions, not only price.
• Keep an emergency medical and replacement reserve.
• Do not make a hiring decision from nationality, race, religion or a “cheap” profile; compare verified experience and the actual household role.

Next, browse current maid biodata and expected salaries, then compare listing agencies and request itemised quotations. This guide is general information, not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice. Verify time-sensitive amounts with the linked authority or provider before committing.