Managing Maid and Household Helper Costs in Singapore

The True Cost of Employing a Helper

Many families budget only the monthly salary when hiring a migrant domestic worker (MDW) and then find themselves surprised by medical, levy, insurance, and renewal costs. Build a household-specific estimate from the current contract and official MOM requirements.

Here's a complete picture.

Fixed Monthly Costs

Salary

Salary is set by agreement and can vary with experience, skills, and applicable requirements. Use the employment contract and verify any current source-country requirements with MOM and the relevant embassy rather than relying on a generic market estimate.

Foreign Worker Levy

Paid monthly to MOM. At the article's latest review:

• Standard levy: S$300/month
• Concessionary levy (for families with young children, elderly, or persons with disabilities): S$60/month

Check MOM's website for current levy amounts — they are reviewed periodically.

Food and personal allowance

Employers are required to provide adequate food. If you agree on a food allowance rather than providing meals directly, use the employment agreement and actual household costs to set the budget.

Days off / rest day pay

If your helper works on their rest day by mutual agreement, you must compensate them for that day at their daily rate.

Annual / One-off Costs

Six-monthly medical examination

Employers must send MDWs for the medical examination required by MOM every six months. Clinic fees vary, so confirm the amount with an approved clinic.

Medical insurance (MOM-mandated)

Employers must maintain medical insurance with at least S$60,000 annual claim coverage for inpatient care and day surgery. MOM permits a co-payment feature for claim amounts above S$15,000, subject to its conditions.

Personal accident insurance

Personal accident insurance is also mandatory. Check MOM's current minimum sum assured and compare policy exclusions and premiums before purchase.

Work Permit renewal

Confirm the current Work Permit renewal timing and fee in MOM's renewal notice. If an agency handles the renewal, add its quoted administrative fee separately.

Security bond

Employers generally need a S$5,000 security bond for each non-Malaysian MDW. The bond is a government guarantee rather than an employment charge; insurers may offer bond products with different premiums and terms.

Airfare (home leave)

Employers are responsible for repatriation costs when employment ends. Estimate travel using the worker's destination and likely travel period rather than a fixed generic range.

How to Budget for It All

Convert annual and one-off costs to a monthly accrual. A dedicated maid account can also help separate household purchases and reimbursements from the rest of the family ledger:

Add this accrual to your core monthly costs (salary + levy + food) for a realistic all-in figure.

Tracking in Your Expense Tracker

Create a Domestic Help category with these sub-categories:

• Helper salary
• MOM levy
• Food / grocery allowance
• Medical & insurance (monthly accrual)
• Ad hoc (medical visits, extra leave pay, etc.)

Running a 12-month average reveals your true per-month cost — useful when deciding whether to renew a contract or plan for a period without a helper.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not accruing for the levy. Some families pay the levy separately from the salary and forget to include it in their budget totals.
2. Missing insurance renewals. Set a calendar reminder 6 weeks before expiry.
3. Underbudgeting for medical. The required six-monthly examination is not the only possible healthcare cost, so keep a buffer for unplanned visits.
4. Forgetting the off-day allowance. If helpers regularly work rest days, those compensation payments add up.

A comprehensive budget for domestic help prevents the all-too-common experience of realising mid-year that this cost category is significantly over what you planned. Review it alongside the rest of the household at a monthly financial check-in.