Cleaner Costs in Singapore: Part-Time vs Full-Time vs Agency (2026)

Keeping a home clean in Singapore is easy to outsource — the harder part is working out which arrangement makes sense for your household and budget. The choice runs from an occasional part-time cleaner to a full-time live-in helper, with agency services in between, and the costs differ enormously. This guide lays out the real 2026 numbers and helps you pick the right level of help.

Part-time cleaners: the flexible option

For most households, a part-time cleaner is the sensible default. Rates typically run about S$20–S$35 an hour, with the majority of homes paying somewhere in the low-to-mid twenties. Almost all bookings carry a 3–4 hour minimum, which covers the cleaner’s travel time and ensures the job is done properly rather than rushed. The big advantage is flexibility: you book what you need, when you need it, with no long-term commitment.

The rate you pay depends on frequency and scope. One-off cleans (say, before guests arrive or at move-out) sit at the higher end because there’s usually more to do. Recurring weekly or fortnightly bookings are cheaper per session — often 10–20% less — because you’re giving the cleaner reliable, repeat work.

What a regular clean actually costs

To make it concrete: a once-a-week, four-hour clean generally works out to roughly S$300–S$400 a month. Fortnightly cleaning halves that, and a one-off deep clean is a separate, higher one-time cost. For a typical HDB flat or condo, a weekly or fortnightly part-time clean keeps the home in good shape without the cost or commitment of full-time help. Bear in mind that heavy jobs — a post-renovation clean, or a move-out clean — take longer and cost more; see our guide to end-of-tenancy cleaning.

Booking direct vs through an agency

You can hire a part-time cleaner directly (through word of mouth or listings) or via a cleaning agency or platform. Direct hiring is usually cheaper and lets you build a relationship with one trusted person, but you handle scheduling and any cover if they’re unavailable. An agency costs a little more but offers vetting, insurance, consistent standards and a replacement if your regular cleaner can’t come — worth the premium for many people, especially when you’re starting out and don’t yet have a trusted cleaner.

Full-time live-in helpers: a different commitment

A full-time, live-in migrant domestic helper is a fundamentally different arrangement — and a much larger responsibility. The salary is roughly S$1,000 a month, but that’s only part of the cost. On top you pay the government levy — S$300 for a first helper at the normal rate, and S$450 for subsequent helpers — plus food, medical insurance, a security bond, and other statutory obligations as the employer. There are also rules on rest days, accommodation and welfare that you’re legally required to meet.

A live-in helper only makes financial and practical sense when you genuinely need daily help — with cleaning, cooking, childcare or eldercare — and you can meet the full ongoing cost and the employer responsibilities. For pure cleaning needs, it’s usually far more than required.

Comparing the options

Here’s the quick way to choose:

• Occasional or weekly cleaning only: a part-time cleaner (S$20–S$35/hr, ~S$300–S$400/month for weekly) is almost always the right answer.
• You want vetting, insurance and reliability: book part-time through an agency or platform.
• You need daily, all-round help (cleaning + cooking + care): a full-time live-in helper — but go in with eyes open about the ~S$1,000/month plus levy and the responsibilities.

Getting good value

Whatever you choose, a few things keep costs sensible and results high: agree the scope clearly (which rooms, what tasks) so nothing is missed or disputed; provide decent cleaning supplies; book recurring rather than ad-hoc to get the lower rate; and, if you find a great cleaner, keep them — reliability is worth more than a couple of dollars an hour. To compare quotes from vetted cleaning services in your area, use the form below.

Standard clean vs deep clean

Not all cleans are the same, and the difference explains a lot of the price variation. A standard/maintenance clean — the kind you’d book weekly or fortnightly — covers the regular stuff: floors, surfaces, bathrooms, kitchen wipe-down, and taking out the rubbish. A deep clean goes much further: inside cupboards and the oven, descaling the bathroom, windows and grilles, behind and under furniture, and detailed work that builds up over time. Deep cleans take longer and cost more, and are worth booking periodically (say, quarterly) or at move-in and move-out. When you get a quote, be clear which you want, because “a clean” can mean very different scopes to different providers.

Getting the most from your cleaner

A good working relationship makes the money go further. Agree the scope clearly up front — which rooms and which tasks — so nothing is missed or disputed. Provide decent cleaning supplies and equipment, or agree who brings them. Book recurring rather than ad-hoc to get the lower per-session rate and the consistency of the same person learning your home. And if you find someone reliable and thorough, keep them: continuity is worth more than saving a dollar or two an hour, and a cleaner who knows your home works faster and better over time. To compare vetted cleaning services in your area, use the quote form below.

Budgeting realistically

To set expectations: a weekly four-hour part-time clean lands around S$300–S$400 a month, fortnightly roughly half that, and a one-off deep clean is a separate, larger cost. A full-time live-in helper is a different order of commitment at roughly S$1,000 a month plus levy and other obligations, and only makes sense for daily, all-round help. Most households comfortably meet their needs with a recurring part-time clean — the flexible, affordable middle ground. Decide how often you genuinely need help, book recurring to get the better rate, and scale up only if your needs (childcare, eldercare, daily cooking) truly warrant it.

Direct hire or platform?

One last decision: book directly or through a platform. A trusted direct hire is usually cheapest and builds a relationship with one person who learns your home, but you handle scheduling and cover if they’re unavailable. A cleaning platform or agency costs a little more but adds vetting, insurance and a guaranteed replacement — reassuring when you’re starting out and don’t yet have a cleaner you trust. Many people begin with a platform to find a reliable cleaner, then continue with that same person directly. Whichever route you choose, agree the scope clearly and book recurring to lock in the lower rate.

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