Domestic Helper vs Part-Time Cleaner in Singapore: The Numbers Compared
23 October 20267 min read
Quick answer: In Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) levy alone for a first live-in domestic helper is $300 a month at the normal rate, before salary, insurance, food or lodging. A part-time cleaner has no levy, bond or insurance cost for the household: at our recurring rate of $23/hr, a 3-hour clean every fortnight works out to $138 a month. A helper only makes financial sense when you need daily help or care, not just cleaning.
This page lays out the figures side by side. If you want the longer explanation of each cost and the non-financial trade-offs, read our honest cost comparison of a part-time cleaner and a maid. Here, the focus is on the numbers and what they mean for different households.
What are the fixed costs of hiring a domestic helper?
These figures come from MOM's published rules for employers of migrant domestic workers (MDWs). Salary is negotiated privately, so it is not included.
| Cost item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Levy, first helper (normal rate) | $300 a month | MOM |
| Levy, each subsequent helper | $450 a month | MOM |
| Levy, concessionary rate | $60 a month | MOM |
| Security bond (non-Malaysian helpers) | $5,000 | MOM |
| Medical insurance, minimum annual claim limit | $60,000 | MOM |
| Personal accident insurance, minimum cover | $60,000 | MOM |
| Rest days | Weekly rest day; at least one a month cannot be compensated away | MOM |
According to MOM's levy payment page, the $60 concessionary rate applies to families with a young child, an elderly member or a person with disability. MOM's insurance requirements page sets the $60,000 minimum annual claim limit for medical insurance, and employers co-pay part of large claims. The security bond is usually bought as an insurance-backed bond rather than paid in cash, but the employer bears the cost.
On rest days, MOM has required since 1 January 2023 that every MDW gets at least one rest day a month that cannot be paid out in lieu, as set out in its employer guide on rest days. So even a live-in helper is not available every single day.
Costs not listed because they vary too much to state honestly: salary, agency fees, food, airfare for home leave, and the value of the room a helper occupies.
What does a part-time cleaner cost?
A part-time cleaner is paid only for hours worked. Our rates are:
| Option | Rate |
|---|---|
| First ad-hoc trial | $20/hr |
| Weekly or fortnightly recurring plan | $23/hr |
| On-demand ad-hoc (same-day available) | $26/hr |
| Levy, bond, insurance for the household | None |
| Agency fee or contract | None |
Our cleaners are trained, background-checked and insured, and the business is NEA-approved and fully insured. You provide the cleaning supplies, so there are no product mark-ups built into the rate. There is a minimum session length per booking.
How do the monthly numbers compare? Four scenarios
The scenarios below use our rates and MOM's levy figures only. A month is treated as four weeks for simplicity; months with five weekly visits cost one visit more.
| Household | Part-time cleaner plan | Monthly cleaning cost | Helper levy alone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Couple in a 3-room flat | 3 hrs fortnightly at $23/hr | $138 | $300 (normal) |
| Family in a 4-room flat | 3 hrs weekly at $23/hr | $276 | $300 (normal) |
| Family in a 5-room or executive flat | 4 hrs weekly at $23/hr | $368 | $300 (normal) or $60 (concessionary) |
| Busy month before Chinese New Year | Weekly plan plus one extra deep clean | Weekly cost plus the extra hours | Unchanged |
Scenario 1: a couple in a smaller flat
Fortnightly cleaning at $138 a month is less than half the normal-rate levy. Once salary, insurance and food are added to the helper side, the gap is very wide. For a household that only needs cleaning, a part-time cleaner is the clear choice.
Scenario 2: a family in a 4-room flat
A weekly 3-hour clean at $276 a month is still below the $300 levy by itself. A helper becomes worth considering only if the family also needs cooking, laundry or childcare every day.
Scenario 3: a larger home on the concessionary levy
Here the comparison narrows. If a household qualifies for the $60 levy, the government charge is small. But salary, insurance, food and a spare room still have to be added. A larger home with an elderly parent who needs daily help may find a helper the better fit, while a larger home that just needs cleaning will usually still pay less with a part-time plan.
Scenario 4: seasonal peaks
Part-time help scales up and down. You can add a deep clean before festivals and drop back afterwards. A helper's costs stay the same every month regardless of workload.
How should you choose between a helper and a part-time cleaner?
| If you need... | Better fit |
|---|---|
| The home cleaned well, a few hours a week | Part-time cleaner |
| Daily cooking, laundry and childcare | Live-in helper |
| Eldercare or someone home all day | Live-in helper or a specialised care service |
| No employer duties, permits or paperwork | Part-time cleaner |
| Privacy and no spare room to give up | Part-time cleaner |
| Flexible hours around travel and festivals | Part-time cleaner |
A note on legality: you cannot pay another family's helper to clean for you on her rest day. MOM states that it is an offence for a foreign domestic worker to take part-time work, with or without her employer's consent. Part-time domestic help has to come through a company. Our guide on agency vs freelance cleaners covers this in more detail.
For more on sizing a plan, see how many hours of cleaning you need and our comparison of weekly vs fortnightly cleaning. More household cleaning figures are collected in our Singapore home cleaning report.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the maid levy in Singapore?
According to MOM, it is $300 a month for the first helper at the normal rate and $450 for each subsequent helper. Eligible households with a young child, an elderly member or a person with disability pay a concessionary $60.
Is a part-time cleaner cheaper than a domestic helper?
For cleaning alone, almost always. A fortnightly 3-hour clean on our recurring plan costs $138 a month, which is less than the normal-rate levy before any salary is paid.
Do I pay any levy or insurance for a part-time cleaner?
No. When you book through a cleaning company, you are buying a service. The company handles its own staff obligations, and our cleaners are insured.
Can a part-time cleaner replace a helper for a family with young children?
For cleaning, yes. For childcare, no: a part-time cleaner cleans the home and does not look after children or elderly relatives.
Running the numbers for your own home? A weekly or fortnightly plan locks in $23/hr, comes with priority scheduling ahead of busy periods like Chinese New Year, and keeps most regular cleans within a typical 3-hour session. Book your first clean or message +65 8166 0891 to work out the hours.