How much does a helper cost in Singapore per year? 2026 salary, levy, insurance and agency fees

Yiru · Updated 1 November 2026

In one worked example, hiring a new helper (maid) in Singapore costs about S$15,000 to S$18,000 in the first year. The monthly costs are her salary (commonly S$600–700), the levy (S$300 a month, or S$60 if you qualify for the concession) and her food and daily needs. On top of that come two compulsory insurance policies, a S$5,000 security bond, a medical exam every six months, and the agency fee, Work Permit fees and air ticket when you hire. The biggest difference is whether you get the levy concession.

The rules below were checked against the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) pages in 2026. Salaries, agency fees and insurance premiums have no official rate; the figures are common market prices and vary by household.

How much does a helper cost each month?

About S$1,150–1,350 a month, or about S$910–1,110 with the levy concession.

Item	Per month (S$)	Notes
Salary	600–700	Singapore has no legal minimum wage for helpers. New helpers are commonly in this range; experienced and transfer helpers earn more, and it also depends on her home country (SmartCalculator, 2026)
Levy	300	S$450 a month from the second helper; S$60 with the concession (next section)
Food and daily needs	250–350	Meals, toiletries, phone card and so on, depending on your household

The levy is paid monthly, by the 17th of the following month (moved to the next working day if it falls on a weekend or public holiday); with GIRO it is deducted on that day (MOM, 2026).

How low can the levy go?

If your household has one of the following, the levy drops from S$300 to S$60 a month, saving S$5,760 over two years (MOM parliamentary reply, January 2026; conditions from MOM, 2026):

a Singapore Citizen child under 16;
a Singapore Citizen aged 67 or above; a permanent resident aged 67 or above qualifies if you or your spouse is a citizen and other conditions are met;
a person with disabilities who needs help with at least one activity of daily living, certified by a Singapore-registered doctor (a citizen, or a permanent resident with a citizen parent, spouse or child), with a recommendation letter from AIC.

Each eligible family member covers one helper, up to two helpers per household. Families whose children are not Singapore Citizens (for example, Employment Pass holders) can't use the child criterion.

What do you pay once when you hire?

Item	S$	Notes
Agency fee	1,000–3,000 (market price)	Varies widely. MOM says the median upfront outlay to hire a new helper is about S$4,700, about half of which is a loan to the helper that employers later recover
Work Permit	70	S$35 to apply, S$35 on issue
Settling-in Programme (SIP)	about 77	First-time helpers attend within 7 days of arrival (excluding Sundays and public holidays), paid by the employer; the three providers charge S$76.40, S$77.00 and S$92.65
Air ticket to Singapore	about 400 (market price)	Some agency packages include it

Which costs are required by law and paid by the employer?

Two insurance policies: medical insurance with an annual claim limit of at least S$60,000, and personal accident insurance of at least S$60,000. Buy both before she arrives; you can't pass the premiums on to your helper (MOM, 2026). A 26-month policy costs about S$400–800 at market prices.
S$5,000 security bond: a guarantee bought from a bank or insurer, not a cash deposit, usually bought together with the insurance; not needed for Malaysian helpers (MOM, 2026).
Six-monthly medical exam (6ME): you pay for the exam and any medical costs arising from it; if she misses it, her Work Permit will be revoked (MOM, 2026; MOM FAQ). Clinics commonly charge about S$50–80 each time.
Sending her home when the contract ends: you pay for her air ticket, including checked luggage, and she leaves within 2 weeks of the Work Permit being cancelled (MOM).

First-year budget (example)

Assumptions: a new helper on S$650 a month, S$300 a month for food and daily needs, and a S$1,500 agency fee. All figures in S$.

Item	Without levy concession	With levy concession
Salary 650 × 12	7,800	7,800
Levy × 12	3,600	720
Food and daily needs 300 × 12	3,600	3,600
6ME 70 × 2	140	140
Every year	15,140	12,260
Agency fee	1,500	1,500
Work Permit + SIP + air ticket	547	547
Insurance and bond guarantee (26 months)	500	500
First-year total	about 17,700	about 14,800

From the second year there is no agency fee or inbound ticket, so it is mostly the "every year" part; renew the insurance when you renew her permit. Swap in your own numbers and work it out again.

You've invested in hiring her; start by making the house guide clear

Hiring a helper isn't cheap, and the costliest outcome is a poor start that ends in a replacement within months. For the first week, see how to hand over housework to a new helper; for rest days, see Singapore helper rest day rules.

If you don't share a language, you can use Yiru: you write in your language, she reads it in hers on her phone, and she can ask you questions in her own language. Free for employers and helpers.

FAQ

How much does a helper cost per month in Singapore?

Salary, levy and food and daily needs come to about S$1,150–1,350 a month, or about S$910–1,110 with the levy concession. That excludes insurance, medical exams and one-off hiring costs.

Is there a minimum salary for helpers in Singapore?

Singapore has no legal minimum wage for helpers. New helpers commonly earn S$600–700 a month and experienced helpers more; some home countries set their own reference salaries, so ask your agency before signing.

Who qualifies for the levy concession?

Households with a Singapore Citizen child under 16, a Singapore Citizen aged 67 or above (permanent residents have extra conditions), or a person with disabilities certified as needing help with daily living can apply for the S$60 rate, for up to two helpers per household.

Can my helper pay for her own insurance?

No. MOM requires the employer to buy both policies, and the premiums can't be passed on to the helper.

Do I pay the S$5,000 security bond in cash?

No. The bond is a guarantee bought from a bank or insurer, usually together with the insurance; Malaysian helpers don't need one.

Sources

Checked in October 2026. Rules may change; the official websites prevail.