Singapore Domestic Helper Cost: Salary, Levy, Insurance, and Hiring Steps

Direct answer: The cost of a domestic helper in Singapore is more than the monthly salary. A family should budget for the salary declared to the Ministry of Manpower, the monthly levy, Work Permit fees, insurance, food, medical care, leave travel, accommodation, and any agency or sourcing costs. For the current rates checked on 18 September 2026, MOM lists a normal levy of S$300 a month for a first helper, S$450 for a subsequent helper, and a S$60 concessionary levy for households that qualify.

Families often search for a single domestic helper cost in Singapore and find a salary number that leaves out half of the arrangement. The honest budget starts with the job itself. Is the helper caring for children, supporting an older adult, cooking, cleaning, or doing all of those tasks? Are you hiring directly, using a licensed employment agency, or taking over a transfer helper?

This guide separates the costs that MOM sets, the costs that vary by household, and the steps that prevent an expensive mistake. It also covers the related searches families use when comparing a transfer maid, a domestic helper agency, or a household cleaning service.

What is a domestic worker in Singapore?

A domestic worker in Singapore is a migrant domestic worker, usually called an MDW or helper, who works in a household under a Work Permit and the conditions agreed with the employer.

The title does not define the whole job. A family may need help with cleaning, cooking, laundry, childcare, elder support, or a combination of household duties. Put the real duties in the job brief and employment contract before anyone accepts the role. A helper who agrees to household cleaning should not discover after arrival that the family expects full-time infant care, heavy lifting, driving, or work for another address.

Singapore's rules also make the family an employer. That means the family must plan the permit, levy, insurance, accommodation, salary records, medical care, rest days, and safe working conditions. A domestic helper agency can assist with parts of the process, but the family still needs to understand what it is agreeing to.

How much does a domestic helper cost in Singapore?

There is no universal monthly total. Use the table below as a budget structure, then fill in the figures for the specific helper and household.

| Cost item | What to budget for | Current rule or planning note | | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Salary | The monthly amount agreed with the helper and declared to MOM | Pay at least the declared salary, every month, no later than seven days after the salary period ends | | Monthly levy | S$300 for a normal first helper, S$450 for a subsequent helper, or S$60 at the concessionary rate | The concession depends on household eligibility and can change | | Work Permit application | S$35 per application | MOM lists this fee when the application is submitted | | Work Permit issuance | S$35 per permit | Pay when the permit is issued | | Security bond | A S$5,000 guarantee for each non-Malaysian helper | This is a bond, not a fee to charge to the helper. It must be active before arrival | | Medical and personal accident insurance | A policy premium paid by the employer | The policy must meet MOM's coverage rules, including S$60,000 annual medical claim coverage and S$60,000 personal accident sum assured | | Employer orientation | EOP course fee for a first-time employer | MOM's listed providers currently show different classroom and online fees. Check the provider before booking | | Agency or sourcing costs | The fee in the agency's written service agreement | Ask for the replacement, refund, transfer, and dispute terms before paying | | Food and household costs | Three meals a day, toiletries, transport for required appointments, and other agreed needs | These costs belong in the monthly household budget even when no invoice is issued | | Medical and leave travel | Routine care, six-monthly examinations, unexpected treatment, and an eventual ticket home | The family is responsible for the helper's medical needs and repatriation duties that apply to the employment |

The security bond needs special treatment in a family budget. A bank or insurer provides the guarantee, so the S$5,000 figure is not the same as spending S$5,000 on the hire. It is still a serious financial responsibility. MOM says the bond can be forfeited when the employer or helper breaches Work Permit conditions, when salary is not paid on time, when the employer does not send a helper home after the permit ends, or when a helper goes missing. Read the official security bond requirements before the helper travels.

Insurance is another area where a cheap package can give a family the wrong impression. MOM requires medical insurance for inpatient care and day surgery with an annual claim limit of at least S$60,000. Personal accident insurance must have a sum assured of at least S$60,000 and pay the helper or her beneficiaries. The employer cannot pass the insurance purchase cost to the helper. Compare the actual policy wording, exclusions, co-payment, and payment process instead of comparing only the premium.

The salary is usually the largest recurring line, but it is not the only one. MOM requires the family to pay the salary declared to it and to pay on time. MOM also says an employer must not keep the helper's salary, bank book, bank card, or other money. Use a direct bank transfer where possible. If you pay cash, keep a signed record for each payment.

What changes the monthly budget?

The levy rate

The levy is paid every month while the Work Permit is active. The current normal rate is S$300 for a first helper and S$450 for a subsequent helper. A family may qualify for the S$60 concessionary rate if an eligible Singapore citizen child, older person, or person with a disability lives in the household. The concession is not a general discount for every family that hires a helper.

Check the current MOM levy rates and concession rules when preparing the offer. The daily rate applies when the helper does not work a full calendar month, so the first and last month may not look like a normal monthly bill.

The household's real duties

The cost question is also a scope question. A family with two adults and occasional cleaning needs may not need a live-in MDW. A family with a baby, an elderly person, school runs, cooking, and daily cleaning may need a different skill set and a higher salary than a household seeking basic upkeep.

Write down the duties, schedule, rest-day plan, languages, cooking expectations, pets, stairs, lifting, and care responsibilities. If the work is really occasional cleaning, compare it with a household cleaning service before you commit to a live-in employment relationship. MOM itself points families to part-time help with household chores as an alternative in some cases. The right answer is the one that matches the hours and risks, not the one with the most familiar search result.

The agency arrangement

An agency may charge for sourcing, documents, interviews, work permit administration, arrival support, and replacement coverage. Those are separate from the government fees above. Ask the agency to itemise each amount and say who pays it.

MOM requires an employment agency to sign a written service agreement with an MDW employer. The agreement should explain terms such as replacements, fee refunds, and dispute resolution. A family should read that agreement before paying a deposit, not after the helper arrives.

Direct hire, agency hire, or transfer maid?

Families often compare a domestic helper agency with direct hiring because the advertised fee can make the choice look simple. The trade-off is time and responsibility, not just price.

| Route | What the family gains | What the family still has to do | | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Direct hire | More control over sourcing and potentially fewer agency service fees | Find and interview the helper, check documents, obtain consent, apply for the permit, buy the bond and insurance, arrange medical checks, and manage arrival steps | | Licensed agency | Help with candidate sourcing, documents, permit administration, and replacement terms | Verify the agency, read the service agreement, confirm the helper's details, understand every fee, and remain responsible for the employment relationship | | Transfer maid | A helper already in Singapore may be able to transfer without an overseas arrival process | Obtain written consent from the current employer, follow the Work Permit transfer process, confirm the transfer date, and never let the helper start for the new employer before the permit is issued |

Use MOM's eight-step hiring guide to compare the workload. It says families should check the employment agency directory before choosing an agency, and it explains that direct hiring may be cheaper but requires more sourcing and administration.

For a transfer maid, do not treat an informal handover as a hiring shortcut. MOM says the Work Permit application must include written consent from the current employer. The approval letter states the transfer date, and the helper should not work for the new family before the Work Permit is issued in the new employer's name.

The eight steps to hire a domestic helper legally

1. Define the job and check the family's eligibility

Write the household brief first. Include the people living in the home, the care needs, the duties, the expected schedule, the accommodation, the rest-day arrangement, and the salary budget. Then check MOM's eligibility and household requirements for the application you plan to make.

2. Choose direct hiring or a licensed employment agency

If you use an agency, check it in MOM's employment agency directory and look at its published indicators of performance. Ask who will handle the application, insurance, arrival, replacement, and dispute process. If you hire directly, set aside time for every administrative step rather than assuming a profile match completes the hiring.

3. Complete the Employers' Orientation Programme

First-time employers must attend the Employers' Orientation Programme, or EOP, at least two working days before submitting a Work Permit application. MOM describes it as a three-hour programme, with classroom and online options listed by approved providers. The EOP is an employer responsibility, not a task the helper should be expected to solve.

4. Select the helper and check the agreement

Interview against the real household brief. Ask about relevant experience, language, cooking, childcare, elder support, lifting, and the type of accommodation the helper has accepted before. Check that the salary, duties, rest days, and start date match the terms that will appear in the application and contract.

5. Submit the Work Permit application

The employer or an authorised employment agency can apply. MOM currently lists a S$35 application fee and says an FDW eService application is usually processed within one week unless more information is required. The helper's passport details, the family's particulars, and income information must be accurate. Send the in-principle approval letter to the helper before she travels.

6. Arrange the bond, insurance, and arrival requirements

Before a non-Malaysian helper arrives, buy the S$5,000 security bond and the required medical and personal accident insurance. Register a first-time helper for the Settling-In Programme. Check that the bond is effective on the arrival date. If it is not active, the helper may be refused entry.

7. Complete the first-week requirements

For a first-time helper, arrange the Settling-In Programme within seven days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays. For every helper, arrange the medical examination within 14 days. The Work Permit cannot be issued unless the helper passes the required medical examination.

8. Issue the permit and start the employment properly

Apply for Work Permit issuance within two weeks of arrival, pay the S$35 issuance fee, and complete fingerprint and photo registration if MOM requires it. Before the helper starts, agree the employment contract and sign the required safety agreement. Give clear instructions, provide safe accommodation, and start the salary and rest-day records from the first month.

For the official sequence and current forms, use MOM's Work Permit application guide. It includes the application fee, arrival deadlines, medical examination, issuance, and card steps in one place.

Contract, salary, rest days, and accommodation

Singapore domestic workers are not covered by the Employment Act in the same way as many other employees, but MOM encourages a written employment contract to prevent disputes. The contract should record the salary, placement loan, number of rest days, compensation for an agreed rest-day work arrangement, notice period, and compensation in lieu of notice.

The safety agreement is separate. The family and helper must sign it before work begins, except where the renewal exception applies. It covers safe conditions for cleaning the exterior of windows. The helper's copy should be in a language she understands, and the employer, agency, and helper should keep copies.

MOM says a helper is entitled to one rest day per week. If she agrees to work on a rest day, the employer must pay at least one day's salary in addition to the basic salary. At least one rest day each month must be taken and cannot be replaced with payment. Discuss the rest-day calendar with the helper instead of announcing it after the contract starts.

Accommodation must protect the helper from the weather, include a mattress and basic toiletries, have adequate ventilation, and be safe. The helper must not sleep in the same room as a male adult or teenager. A separate room is preferred. If the family cannot provide one, the arrangement must still give adequate space and privacy. Do not install cameras in sleeping, changing, or bathroom areas. If cameras are used elsewhere, tell the helper where they are.

MOM also says the employer must provide three meals a day and pay for the helper's medical needs, including hospitalisation and six-monthly medical examinations. The family should ask about dietary needs and religious restrictions before the helper arrives. Food and healthcare are employment costs, even when the family does not call them salary.

Mistakes that make a domestic helper cost more

• Comparing salary only. A lower salary can disappear inside a higher agency fee, levy, insurance package, medical bill, or replacement cost.
• Using an unlicensed agency. Search for the agency in MOM's directory and check the named personnel before handing over money or documents.
• Leaving the job scope vague. Cleaning, childcare, cooking, elder support, driving, and pet care are different expectations. Write down the duties and the schedule.
• Charging the helper for the security bond or required insurance. MOM says the employer must buy these protections and cannot pass those costs to the helper.
• Holding the helper's salary or bank card. The family must pay the declared salary on time and must not keep the helper's money or bank materials.
• Treating a transfer maid as an informal replacement. Obtain the written consent and complete the permit transfer before work starts.
• Ignoring privacy and rest. A crowded room, hidden camera, or lost rest day can become a safety, relationship, and compliance problem.
• Posting one person for two jobs. If the household needs a cleaner, full-time childcare, and an elder-care worker, price the combined role honestly and confirm the helper's experience.

For a practical checklist before you post a role, read the family hiring guides, compare available helper profiles, and use the Singapore market page to see the route that Helpers supports. Helpers is a marketplace, not a Singapore employment agency, so the family must still complete the official MOM process or use a licensed local provider for regulated services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a domestic helper cost in Singapore each month?

There is no single total because the salary, levy rate, food, insurance, transport, medical costs, and agency arrangement differ by household. Start with the salary declared to MOM, add the applicable monthly levy, then budget for food, insurance, medical care, leave travel, and other household costs.

What is the levy for a domestic helper in Singapore?

MOM currently lists a normal levy of S$300 per month for a first helper, S$450 for a subsequent helper, and a concessionary rate of S$60 when the household meets the criteria. Check the official levy page before budgeting because rates and eligibility can change.

Can I hire a domestic helper directly in Singapore?

Yes. An employer can apply for the Work Permit directly through MOM's FDW eService if the family can manage the sourcing, documents, insurance, bond, medical checks, and arrival steps. A licensed employment agency can handle more of the administration but charges for its service.

What does a transfer maid cost and how is the process different?

A transfer helper still needs a Work Permit application and a written consent from the current employer to transfer. The exact financial arrangement depends on the employers, helper, agency, and remaining contract, so put every payment and obligation in writing instead of relying on a verbal promise.

Do I need an agency to hire a domestic helper in Singapore?

No, an agency is not always required. If you use one, verify it in MOM's employment agency directory and read the written service agreement for fees, replacement terms, refunds, and dispute handling before paying.

A practical next step for Singapore families

Start with the duty list and the full budget, not with an agency quote. Check the current MOM rates and deadlines, decide whether direct hiring or a licensed agency fits your time, and show the helper the same written terms that you will use in the Work Permit application and employment contract.

When the role is clear, create a family account, browse Singapore-compatible profiles through /sg, and use the same scope when you interview each candidate. If you need a narrower cleaning role instead, compare cleaner profiles before choosing a live-in domestic worker.