Maid Salary in Singapore 2026: What to Pay a Domestic Helper

Last updated: September 2026

Deciding on a maid salary in Singapore is one of the first real decisions a family makes, and the one most people feel least sure about. There is no published national minimum wage for domestic helpers here. The number you land on is shaped instead by the minimum standards set by the helper's own government, what the market currently pays for her nationality and experience, how demanding your household is, and what you can sustain month after month for two years.

That combination makes salary feel opaque. Families we work with often arrive with a figure in their head that came from a friend or a forum post from three years ago, and are surprised to find the market has moved. Others quote a number the helper would technically accept but that would almost certainly lead to her asking for a transfer within a year.

This guide is about one thing only: the money that goes to your helper. It covers typical monthly ranges by nationality and experience, the minimum salary requirements set by source country authorities, how salary sits alongside the monthly levy you pay to the government, annual increments and bonuses, what happens on a transfer or a contract renewal, and how to read the difference between salary and your total monthly outlay. It is not a full cost-of-hiring breakdown, because agency fees, insurance, medical checks and other one-off items belong in a separate conversation.

Everything that follows reflects the rules published by Singapore's Ministry of Manpower at the time of writing, plus what our team at Femme5 sees day to day placing helpers with families across the island. Where we give ranges rather than official figures, we say so plainly.

What a Maid Salary in Singapore Actually Covers

Before the numbers, it helps to be precise about what the salary is and is not.

A migrant domestic worker, referred to by the Ministry of Manpower as an MDW and still widely called an FDW or foreign domestic worker, is employed in Singapore on a Work Permit. A Work Permit is a work pass issued by MOM that ties a specific worker to a specific employer for a fixed duration, usually two years, and comes with conditions both sides must follow. The monthly salary you declare when you apply for that permit is binding. You cannot later pay less than what you declared.

The salary is cash that belongs to your helper. It is not a budget out of which she pays for her own food, accommodation or medical care, all of which are your responsibility as her employer. If you give a food allowance instead of providing meals, that allowance sits on top of the salary rather than inside it.

Two further points catch people out. First, there is no Central Provident Fund contribution for a domestic helper. According to the Ministry of Manpower, employers do not pay CPF for a migrant domestic worker, and pay a monthly levy instead. Second, you are not permitted to hold on to your helper's wages for her. Since 1 January 2019, MOM's rules state that an employer must not keep the helper's salary or other money belonging to her, even if she asks, and must not hold her bank book or bank card. Families sometimes offer this with entirely good intentions. It is not allowed.

On timing, MOM requires salary to be paid every month, no later than seven days after the last day of the salary period, and the salary period must not exceed one month. Most households we deal with simply pay on the same calendar date each month. MOM encourages direct bank transfer into an account in the helper's own name, not a joint account with you, and if she requests bank transfer you must pay her that way. If you pay cash, you must keep a record signed by both of you for each payment. The full requirements are on the Ministry of Manpower's guidance on paying the salary of a domestic worker.

If you are still at the stage of working out what kind of help your household needs before you think about rates, it is worth reading through the different domestic help arrangements available in Singapore, because the scope of the role drives the number more than most families expect.

Typical Maid Salary in Singapore Ranges by Nationality

Salary expectations differ noticeably by source country, mostly because each country's government sets different minimum standards for its workers abroad, and because supply and demand differ by nationality. The figures below are typical market ranges we observe in Singapore in 2026. They are not official rates, and no authority publishes a table like this. Treat them as a planning guide rather than a rule.

Nationality	Typical range, first-time helper	Typical range, experienced helper
Filipino	$650 to $700	$700 to $900
Indonesian	$570 to $650	$650 to $800
Myanmar	$500 to $600	$600 to $750
Sri Lankan and Indian	$500 to $600	$600 to $750

A few observations on why these ranges look the way they do.

Filipino helpers sit at the top of the range partly because of a firm salary floor set by the Philippine government, explained further down, and partly because English fluency is common, which matters to families who want a helper to supervise homework or handle appointments. Indonesian helpers are the largest single group in Singapore households and the market is deeper, which tends to keep first-time rates a little lower, while experienced Indonesian helpers with strong references command figures well into the upper range. Myanmar helpers have become a larger share of new placements in recent years and typically start lower, though families should factor in a longer settling-in period where language is concerned.

One thing we would gently push back on is treating the bottom of a range as a target. In our experience placing helpers, households that anchor on the lowest possible figure are the ones most likely to be back in our office within twelve months. A helper who discovers her friend in the next block earns eighty dollars more for a lighter job will raise it, and you will either match it later or lose her. Paying at the middle of the range from the start is usually the cheaper decision over a two-year contract. Our team keeps the list of helpers available for placement up to date with current profiles and salary expectations.

How Experience, Skills and Job Scope Move the Number

Nationality gives you a starting bracket. Experience and job scope decide where inside that bracket, or above it, you land.

First-time versus transfer versus ex-Singapore. A first-time helper has never worked overseas. A transfer helper is already in Singapore with another employer and is looking to move. An ex-Singapore helper completed a contract here, went home, and is returning. Transfer and ex-Singapore helpers typically ask for $50 to $150 above a first-timer of the same nationality, and the premium is usually justified. They know how an HDB flat or condominium runs, understand local expectations on cleanliness and cooking, and need far less supervision in the first three months.

Infant and newborn care. This is the single largest premium we see. A helper genuinely comfortable with a baby under twelve months, including night feeds, will command more than one who is not, and rightly so. Families often underestimate how much of a specialist skill this is.

Elderly care. Where the role involves helping an elderly family member with activities of daily living such as bathing, transferring from bed to chair, or toileting, expect to pay above the general range. This is physically demanding work with real responsibility attached.

Cooking. Families who want a specific cuisine cooked well, rather than simple daily meals, generally pay a premium. Confident cooking is one of the most requested skills and one of the least commonly available at entry level.

Household size and property type. A landed property with three floors and a garden is a materially different job from a three-room flat, and two adults with one school-age child is different from five people across two generations. Be honest about this when you set the number, because the helper will work it out in her first week regardless.

Driving. A helper with a valid licence who will drive the family car is in a small minority and is priced accordingly. Some households keep the helper's core role domestic and arrange school runs separately, which is worth considering if driving is the only reason you are stretching the budget. Our helper with transportation duties option covers how that arrangement typically works.

A practical way to use all of this: start from the nationality bracket, add for each specialist demand on the role, then sanity check the total against what comparable households near you pay. For a conventional live-in arrangement covering housekeeping, cooking and childcare, our overview of what a full-time live-in helper typically handles is a useful scope checklist.

Minimum Salary Requirements Set by Source Country Authorities

Singapore does not set a minimum wage for domestic helpers. Several source countries do, and those minimums are enforced at the point the employment contract is verified, which means they are effectively binding on you as the employer.

The most clearly documented is the Philippine requirement. Under Department of Migrant Workers Advisory No. 25, Series of 2025, the minimum monthly salary for newly hired Filipino domestic workers was raised to USD 500, applied in Singapore as SGD 650. According to the Migrant Workers Office in Singapore, which operates out of the Philippine Embassy on Nassim Road, this applies to all new employment contracts processed on or after 21 October 2025, and to contracts of vacationing or returning workers renewed from that date. It replaced a previous floor of USD 400.

The same advisory sets out other conditions alongside salary. Filipino domestic workers are exempt from placement fees under Philippine law, and salary deductions to recover recruitment costs are prohibited, whether described as a loan, an advance, or a deduction agreement. The worker's passport must stay with her, the minimum hiring age is 24, and a video conference between employer and prospective helper is required before the contract is finalised. Full details are published in the Migrant Workers Office's guide to hiring Filipino domestic workers in Singapore.

Other source countries operate differently. Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India each have their own embassy or ministry requirements for their nationals abroad, and these can be revised without much public notice. In our experience the practical floor for Indonesian helpers sits below the Philippine figure, and the working minimum we see applied in Singapore for a first-time Indonesian helper is around $570 to $600. We would not present that as an official published rate, because the Indonesian authorities do not publish it the way the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers does. A licensed agency will know the current requirement.

The important takeaway is that a salary below the applicable minimum is not simply a bad offer, it is an offer that will not clear contract verification. Families occasionally ask whether they can agree a lower figure directly with a helper who says she is happy with it. The answer is no. Our frequently asked questions on hiring a helper cover the common queries on how verification works, and you can read more about how Femme5 supports families through the hiring process if you are weighing agencies.

How Maid Salary in Singapore Interacts With the Monthly Levy

The levy is the item most likely to distort your sense of what a helper actually costs, so it is worth understanding on its own terms.

The foreign worker levy, usually just called the levy, is a monthly charge paid by the employer to the Singapore government, used to regulate the number of foreign workers here. It is not a tax on the helper and not part of her pay. She never sees it and it must never be deducted from her salary.

According to the Ministry of Manpower, the current monthly levy rates for a migrant domestic worker are $300 for a first helper, $450 for each subsequent helper, and $60 at the concessionary rate. Equivalent daily rates of $9.87, $14.80 and $1.98 apply for months not worked in full. The rates and payment rules are on MOM's page on paying the levy for a migrant domestic worker.

The concessionary rate of $60 is the single biggest variable in most households' monthly arithmetic, and a surprising number of families do not realise they qualify. MOM grants it where there is an eligible person living in your household: a Singapore citizen child below 16, a Singapore citizen aged 67 or above, a permanent resident aged 67 or above where the citizenship conditions are met, or a person with disabilities certified by a Singapore-registered doctor as needing help with at least one activity of daily living. The concession covers one helper per eligible person and is capped at two helpers per household. For a citizen child, or for an employer or spouse turning 67, it starts automatically. For other household members it depends on addresses matching and the person being listed on the FDW eService.

The gap between $300 and $60 is $240 a month, or $5,760 across a two-year contract, so check carefully rather than assuming.

Timing matters when you budget the first month. For a first-time helper the levy begins on the fifth day after arrival, counting the arrival date, and for other helpers the day after arrival. Payment is due by the 17th of the following month, and most families set up GIRO. MOM states that if you miss levy payments for two consecutive months, your helper's Work Permit will be revoked the following month.

The practical point for salary setting is this. Levy is a fixed cost you cannot negotiate, and salary is a variable cost you can. Households on the concessionary rate have roughly $240 a month of headroom compared with those paying the full rate, and that is often exactly the difference between hiring an experienced helper and settling for a first-timer. Confirm your levy rate before you fix your salary budget, not after.

Annual Increments, Bonuses and Contract Gratuity

There is no legal requirement in Singapore to give a domestic helper an annual increment. MOM's guidance goes as far as saying employers should consider raising the salary periodically as a reward for good performance and loyalty, and should also consider a contract gratuity payable when the contract ends. In practice, households we work with who keep helpers for many years almost all do something here, and the common patterns are these.

The annual increment. Typically $20 to $50 a month, reviewed on the anniversary of the helper joining. Smaller households and those already paying at the top of the range tend to sit at the lower end. Where a helper has taken on additional responsibility, such as a new baby arriving or an elderly parent moving in, families usually go higher, and we would argue a change in job scope deserves a proper repricing rather than an increment.

Festive bonus. Commonly one or two weeks of salary, or a round figure such as $100 to $300. Some families give an ang bao at Chinese New Year and a separate gesture at Christmas, Hari Raya or Deepavali depending on the helper's background. None of this is required, and it is not a substitute for a fair base salary.

Contract completion gratuity. A lump sum at the end of a completed two-year contract, often $200 to $500. This is the mechanism MOM specifically suggests, and it rewards the helper for seeing the contract through rather than leaving midway.

Rest day compensation. This one is not discretionary and is frequently misunderstood. Since 1 January 2023, MOM requires that every helper has at least one rest day each month that cannot be compensated away. If you both mutually agree she works her remaining rest days, you must pay at least one day's salary for each rest day not taken, on top of her monthly salary. MOM's stated method is to divide the monthly salary by 26, regardless of how many days are in the month. On a $650 salary that is $25 per rest day worked, so a helper who works two of her four rest days should receive $700 that month. The worked examples are on MOM's calculation of pay in lieu of a weekly rest day.

Budget for this properly. A household that regularly buys back three rest days a month on a $700 salary adds roughly $81, close to a 12 percent uplift on the headline figure.

Salary on Transfer and on Contract Renewal

Two moments reliably force a salary conversation: taking on a transfer helper, and renewing an existing contract.

Transfers. When you take over a helper already working in Singapore for another employer, her existing salary is the starting point of the negotiation, not the ceiling. Most transfer helpers are moving because something in the current household is not working, and money is often part of it. In our experience a transfer helper expects at least her current salary, and frequently $30 to $100 more if the new role is larger. Trying to move someone downward on salary rarely holds. Be explicit at the interview about the full scope of the job, household size, property type and the rest day arrangement, so the figure you agree reflects the actual work rather than a job title.

Renewals. A two-year contract ending is the natural review point. A helper who has been with you for two years knows your household and routines in a way no new hire will for at least six months, and the cost of replacing her is not only the agency fee and paperwork but the disruption. Most families we advise offer something at renewal, commonly a $30 to $80 monthly increase for a first renewal, with more for helpers taking on materially greater responsibility. Helpers renewing for a third or fourth contract often sit well above the market range for their nationality, and that is usually money well spent.

Whatever you agree, the new salary must be declared to MOM as part of the renewal, and from that point it is the figure you are bound to. Put it in the employment contract and be specific: base salary, rest day arrangement and how buy-back will be calculated, any fixed allowances, and whether an increment is expected annually. Ambiguity here is the root of most salary disputes we see. The same applies if your helper takes home leave partway through a contract. Settle in advance whether the period away is paid and whether her return is treated as a continuation or a renewal.

Salary Versus Total Monthly Cost: A Worked Example

Salary is the largest recurring number but not the only one, and families who plan only around it tend to feel squeezed by month three. The household below is illustrative rather than a specific client, but it reflects a very common shape.

The Tan family live in a four-room HDB flat: two working parents, a six-year-old in primary school and a three-year-old at childcare. Both children are Singapore citizens, so the household qualifies for levy concession. They hire an Indonesian helper with three years of prior Singapore experience, strong references for young children, and reasonable cooking, at $700 a month.

Their recurring monthly commitment looks roughly like this:

• Base salary: $700
• Concessionary levy: $60
• Rest day buy-back, assuming the helper chooses to work two of four rest days by mutual agreement, at $700 divided by 26, which is $26.92 per day: about $54
• Food, estimated by the family at: $200
• Mobile phone plan and incidentals: $30

That comes to approximately $1,044 a month, of which $754 is money in the helper's hands. Without levy concession, the same household would be at about $1,284. Had they hired at $850 for stronger infant care credentials, the helper's take-home would be around $915 and the monthly total roughly $1,205 on the concessionary rate.

This example deliberately leaves out items that are one-off or annual rather than monthly: the agency placement fee, medical examinations, insurance and security bond premiums, airfare, the settling-in programme, and home leave airfare at the end of a contract. A security bond, for reference, is a $5,000 undertaking to the Singapore government required for non-Malaysian helpers, which employers almost always satisfy by buying an insurance policy rather than putting down cash. Those belong in a total cost-of-hiring calculation, a separate exercise from setting a salary.

The reason we separate them is simple. One-off costs are largely fixed and outside your control. The salary is the number you actually choose, and it determines whether you attract the calibre of helper your household needs and keep her. If you need something lighter than a live-in arrangement, compare against part-time and ad hoc helper options before committing to a full contract, because the economics are quite different.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a legal minimum maid salary in Singapore?

Singapore itself does not set a minimum wage for domestic helpers. The Ministry of Manpower requires that you pay at least the salary you declared when applying for the Work Permit, and that you pay it monthly within seven days of the end of the salary period, but it does not prescribe a floor figure. Minimums instead come from the helper's home country. The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers sets a minimum of USD 500, applied as SGD 650 in Singapore, for newly hired Filipino domestic workers on contracts processed from 21 October 2025. Other source countries have their own requirements, which a licensed agency should be able to confirm for you before you agree a figure.

Do I need to pay CPF for my domestic helper?

No. According to the Ministry of Manpower, employers do not make Central Provident Fund contributions for a migrant domestic worker. Instead you pay a monthly foreign worker levy, currently $300 for a first helper, $450 for subsequent helpers, or $60 if you qualify for the concessionary rate. The levy is a government charge on you as the employer, not a deduction from your helper's pay, and it must never be taken out of her salary. It is due by the 17th of the following month, and most employers arrange GIRO so the payment happens automatically.

Can I pay my helper's salary in cash?

You can, but there are conditions. MOM encourages payment by direct bank transfer into an account in your helper's own name, and if she requests bank transfer you are required to pay her that way. If you pay cash, you must keep a record of every payment and both you and your helper must sign each record to confirm it was made. You must also be able to produce those records if MOM asks. Separately, you are not permitted to hold your helper's salary, bank book or bank card for her, even if she asks you to do so.

How much should I increase my helper's salary each year?

There is no required amount. MOM suggests employers consider periodic raises for good performance and loyalty, and a contract gratuity at the end of a contract. Among the families we work with, an annual increment of $20 to $50 a month is the common pattern, with larger jumps where the job itself has grown, for instance when a new baby arrives or an elderly parent joins the household. At contract renewal after two years, $30 to $80 a month is typical. Weigh any increment against the cost and disruption of replacing a helper who already knows your household well.

What happens to salary when a helper transfers to my household?

Her existing salary sets the baseline. Most transfer helpers expect at least what they are currently earning, and often somewhat more if your household is larger or the role is more demanding than the one they are leaving. Agreeing a lower figure than her current salary is possible in principle but rarely sticks in practice. The new figure must be declared to MOM as part of the Work Permit application and, once declared, becomes binding. Be thorough at the interview about household size, property type, rest day arrangements and any specialist care needs, so the salary you settle on reflects the actual job.

Do I have to pay extra if my helper works on her rest day?

Yes, for any rest day she works by mutual agreement. Since 1 January 2023, MOM requires that every migrant domestic worker has at least one rest day a month that cannot be compensated away. For the remaining rest days, if you both agree she will work, you must pay at least one day's salary per rest day on top of her monthly salary. MOM's method for calculating one day's salary is to divide the monthly salary by 26, regardless of the number of days in the month. On a $650 salary that works out to $25 per rest day worked.

Conclusion

Setting a maid salary in Singapore is less about finding the one correct number and more about being deliberate. Start from the applicable minimum for your helper's nationality, because that is a hard constraint rather than a suggestion. Work out where in the typical market range the role sits, based on the experience you need and how demanding the household genuinely is. Check your levy rate before you finalise the figure, since the difference between the full $300 and the concessionary $60 changes what is affordable. Then add what sits next to base salary, particularly rest day buy-back, so your budget resembles what actually leaves your account.

Two habits serve families well. The first is writing everything down: base salary, rest day arrangement, how buy-back is calculated, any allowances, and when salary will be reviewed. Most disputes we are asked to help resolve trace back to something assumed rather than agreed. The second is treating salary as something that moves. A helper who has been with a family for four years and is still on her starting figure is usually quietly looking around, and replacing her costs more than the increment would have.

If you would like a view on what a fair salary looks like for your household, our team is happy to talk it through, including which nationality options fit your needs and what the market is currently asking at the experience level you are after. You can reach us through the Femme5 enquiry page, or browse our maid agency services in Singapore first. An honest conversation about budget early on tends to save everyone time.

The Femme5 Team
Maid placement specialists, Femme5 Maid Agency

The Femme5 team works with Singaporean and expatriate families on live-in and part-time domestic help placements, and advises on salary, contract terms and Ministry of Manpower requirements as part of every placement.