The Housekeeping Guide: Housekeeper Cost

Find out about pay rates for housekeepers

The cost of housekeeping services can be based on many factors and varies from one area to another.

It is usually necessary to have an in-home consultation with your prospective housekeeper/agency, so they can get a better understanding of your home, its cleaning requirements, and your cleaning specifications, in order to determine a price.

Factors that impact cost:

  • Size of your home (number of bedrooms/bathrooms)
  • Frequency of cleaning (weekly, bimonthly) and housekeeping
  • Number of people and pets in your household
  • Level of clutter (can your housekeeper access the areas to be cleaned?)
  • Amount of different surfaces to be cleaned
  • Special requirements, such as cleaning windows
  • Level of experience of the housekeeper
  • Number of people cleaning your home (an individual or team from an agency)
  • Paying by the job or paying by the hour

Cost estimates:

  • In a larger metropolitan area, for a medium-sized apartment or house, plan on paying at least $100 for cleaning twice a month.
  • In less populated cities or towns, for an average-sized house (2500 square feet), around $75 is a typical fee.
  • For a large national chain, monthly cleaning service in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home, runs around $175 per cleaning.

Definitely ask your neighbors and friends how much they pay for cleaning services to get an idea of the going rates in your area. You may need to negotiate with the prospective housekeeper in order to arrive at a fair price, especially as your needs are specific to your home and lifestyle.

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Comments (14)
Leslie - Gals Dig It
I live in the country now, so I no longer have a housekeeper, but I can tell you that while I had one, it cut down on a lot of frustration with my family and freed me up to do the things I never got around to doing or ran myself into the ground trying to accomplish. A worthwhile investment.
Posted: December 12, 2011 at 2:30 PM
Arthur C.
Having the King of Klean come in once a month is the biggest help for a working professional. He gets the biggest part of the work done and makes in between cleaning a breeze for me. He's a nice man and he listens!
Posted: April 14, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Diane O.
Hello,
i have 2 br 2 bath 1,200 square foot apartment. I need once a month house cleaning. I do not need any cleaning in either of the bedrooms and do not need laundry done. I need both bathrooms cleaned completely, including tubs, sinks, floors, tiles, and toilet, each bathroom is small/medium size. I need a full kitchen cleaning and mopping of the floor, our kitchen is medium size. I need stove and refrigerator cleaned inside & out as needed. I need vacuuming, dusting, Windex on windows and general tidying up of living room area.
I also prefer someone who brings their own cleaning products. I can provide my vacuum.

How much should i pay?
Posted: October 01, 2012 at 11:18 PM
Stacy W.
I am not sure where care.com is coming up with these numbers. I live in a rural/medium income area and I do not know of any housekeeper who will clean for less than $25/hour. I currently pay $200/month for biweekly cleaning of a 2900sqft house.
Posted: February 14, 2013 at 2:31 PM
Claudia
Hello,I am a professional housekeeping and I believe you have to actualize this page and salaries or probably get in touch with real private agencies,I also think no one can make a decent living in the united states with those salaries!!!!!
Posted: February 21, 2013 at 10:10 AM
Maine Y.
@ Claudia in your opinion what would be a fair living wage for a Live in housekeeper working 8 hours a day... weekends off.... food & shelter provided...her duties would Range from not just cleaning the home but Home manager Cooking Cleaning and running errands
Posted: March 17, 2013 at 1:45 PM
Photo of Alicia M.
Alicia M.
I have a small cleaning business that I have started a few months ago.But I have been cleaning for over 25 years.I will say that some of these prices that other cleaning services charge are the top.I am very resonable.Care.com if right on it.
Posted: April 06, 2013 at 6:36 PM
Hazira C.
@ Diane O it depends where you live...
@ Stacy I work for less than $25/hour, even $20 is ... I don't know
If someone live in area for about 10/18 miles far from me, I will came for $20/hour, but if that persons have kids, they need to know that I have kid too, and I drop her un school around 7:15, and pick her up in 2:45,so that means,
from 8 am till 1:45, and after 3 pm I am available, on weekends all day...
Even who live close to me, can pay less ...
Posted: April 07, 2013 at 11:40 PM
Photo of Susanne P.
Susanne P.
I started cleaning in college and later opened my own Residential Cleaning Business. Back then in 1991-1999 I was making anywhere from $13-$25 hour. However I only cleaned the first time at an hourly rate to establish how long the job took and priced my jobs on a flat rate. The range in my prices varied according to things like I brought my own supplies/equipment, customer provided supplies/equipment, corporate housing cleaning service paid considerably more (650 sq ft furnished apartment w/gally kitchen, 1B/1B including changing bedding and laundering towels and bedding for $75).

I am now re-establishing my cleaning business since my unemployment ran out and I can't find work as a Director. Whatever it takes. Point being, if I made $15 hour in 1999, $20/$25 an hour in 2013 is not unreasonable. I have injured my back several times cleaning and we have to pay for our own health insurance at a much higher rate than when I was in Corp World.
Posted: April 20, 2013 at 6:57 PM
Photo of Susanne P.
Susanne P.
Another thing to consider is not drive time but in the Buffalo, NY are our gas is $4/gal and I only expect it to go up during summer travel season.

Here's a tip, supply and demand. If I was low on jobs I was more flexible with prices. So you might be able to pick up someone willing to do it for $15/hr. Post something at the college with what you want to pay. More than likely if you really pushed the envelope and low balled them, then you might be told there is a price increase and if you don't accept they aren't too worried. So you might be able to catch a deal til business picks up?
Posted: April 20, 2013 at 7:14 PM
Photo of Louise M.
Louise M.
i charge by the house! usually the first time is the hardest( and i don't charge extra either,) i'm getting my routine down pat and getting to know the house! doing all the woodwork around the house, looking for cobwebs, i clean like i clean my own house! plus i like to stay local too. (so i go by that too)! charging for a houseclean goes by how many rooms you have throughout the house! i think i'm very fair!
Posted: April 29, 2013 at 5:49 AM
Ma Cherry Residential Commercial Cleaning
I typical charge based on the size of the house and whether the client is supplying supplies or if I am. Also during my initial assessment the client and I discuss what areas are to be cleaned and I don't deviate from that assessment. I have a biweekly client where I charge $100 to vac, mop, disinfect counter area, clean two small bathrooms, a dining and family area. Then I have a client with a 3 bedroom home for which I do basic cleaning throughout. This particular client is weekly and very basic and I charge $125 per cleaning. I try to be reasonable and fair with my clients because they provide me with referrals that helps grow my business. I also do commercial cleaning as well and one client owns a restaurant which I clean and have now started cleaning his residence on a weekly basis...
Posted: April 29, 2013 at 10:46 PM
Christina C.
I had a question I have a friend of mine she got a house of 3 bathroom n two bed rooms she wants
To have dusting done and polish all the furniture n mop n sweep all the floors
How much will I charge her for all that...
Posted: May 08, 2013 at 1:59 PM
Mary Ellen B.
I think that the hourly rate is ridiculous for cleaning and the client does not provide the cleaning products. In today's market, they are very expensive and so are vacuums.
Posted: May 11, 2013 at 11:45 PM
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