How much does it cost for a housekeeper or maid in Nicaragua?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
A full time, live in maid in Nicaragua costs between $100 and $150 per month.
Some expat homeowners choose to allow their maids to live at their home. Live in help usually have a small apartment next to the kitchen / laundry area with a dresser, bed, and a small TV.
The rate for daily service is about $1/hour, depending on location, which affects market demand.
For full time...
A full time, live in maid in Nicaragua costs between $100 and $150 per month.
Some expat homeowners choose to allow their maids to live at their home. Live in help usually have a small apartment next to the kitchen / laundry area with a dresser, bed, and a small TV.
The rate for daily service is about $1/hour, depending on location, which affects market demand.
For full time service, the government requires INSS, the local social security. A withholding of 6.25% from the employee, plus 16.25% from the employer provides the employee a pension plus medical benefits. For an employee working 7 hours / day the total cost with all benefits is about $10 / day.
Posted January 19, 2014
Carol Cobb
We pay our maid US $200 a month. She works for us 28 hours a week. She has worked for me for 9 years and never misses a day. She cleans our entire house, does all the dishes, laundry and ironing. She is honest and I trust her with our pets and our children. It is true we could pay someone less or have them work longer hours but I am very happy with my arrangement.
We pay our maid US $200 a month. She works for us 28 hours a week. She has worked for me for 9 years and never misses a day. She cleans our entire house, does all the dishes, laundry and ironing. She is honest and I trust her with our pets and our children. It is true we could pay someone less or have them work longer hours but I am very happy with my arrangement.
Posted February 5, 2014
jordan clark - Aurora Leon Realty
The minimum wage in Nicaragua for domestic employees is about $140 a month. My family and I live in Leon and we feel that depending on the workload and job description, $150 to $200 a month is a fair salary. We have a wonderful woman that has been working with us for seven years and we happily pay her $225 a month. She is the glue that holds everything together for us and we could not imagine life without her.
The minimum wage in Nicaragua for domestic employees is about $140 a month. My family and I live in Leon and we feel that depending on the workload and job description, $150 to $200 a month is a fair salary. We have a wonderful woman that has been working with us for seven years and we happily pay her $225 a month. She is the glue that holds everything together for us and we could not imagine life without her.
Posted February 18, 2014
Terri Marlett - NICA
As previous posters have said, US $140 is the minimum salary for a housekeeper in Nicaragua. I have known some maids to make as much as $250 or more a month depending on experience and length of employment. For $140, you will probably find a maid with little experience, and she will require a lot of training and supervision. I would like to add that paying employees in Nicaragua is not cut and dry with a monthly salary amount. There are employment laws...
As previous posters have said, US $140 is the minimum salary for a housekeeper in Nicaragua. I have known some maids to make as much as $250 or more a month depending on experience and length of employment. For $140, you will probably find a maid with little experience, and she will require a lot of training and supervision. I would like to add that paying employees in Nicaragua is not cut and dry with a monthly salary amount. There are employment laws there that inflate this cost. For example, you will pay her 1 month salary at the end of each year due the first week of December. You will also give her 30 days of vacation each year. Unless you are ok without a housekeeper for 15 consecutive days, you'll have to find a temporary one. This is generally not hard to find, but you'll have to pay her. You will also pay her social security tax, called INSS in Nicaragua. Currently, this is about 20% of her monthly salary. You will also be expected to deduct her 6% contribution and pay that to INNS on her behalf.
So, the real cost for a $200 maid is really about $275.
$200 * 12 = $2,400
$2,400 + $200 extra month pay + $200 fill in while on vacation + $480 INSS
$3,280 / 12 = $275 each month
You are also expected to provide meals for her. If she lives with you, that is understood, but if she lives out, lunch is expected.
Posted April 4, 2014
Daniel Snider - Snider's Realty Nicaragua
The cost for domestic help ranges any where from US $100-$250 per month depending on whether they are a full time (sleep in home maid) or a part time who come in part of the week and do cleaning, laundry ect.
Having help is one of the huge perks of living in Nicaragua. Many of the people who have worked for my family have been working for us for close to 20 years and have truly become part of the family. Finding a good housekeeper can truly make...
The cost for domestic help ranges any where from US $100-$250 per month depending on whether they are a full time (sleep in home maid) or a part time who come in part of the week and do cleaning, laundry ect.
Having help is one of the huge perks of living in Nicaragua. Many of the people who have worked for my family have been working for us for close to 20 years and have truly become part of the family. Finding a good housekeeper can truly make one's life and day to day responsibilities a lot easier and as with anyone who is constantly in our life, a companion and friend.
Posted July 23, 2014
Blue van Doorninck - Rancho Chilamate Horseback Adventures & Guest Ranch
You can hire a housekeeper in San Juan Del Sur for US $200 to $250 a month and that includes social security. You also have to pay "the 13th-month", which is one extra month of salary per year. Some people pay more but $200 to $250 is the average. Generally, a full time housekeeper in San Juan del Sur will come in 6 days a week and have one day off but you pay for the 7th day as well.
You can hire a housekeeper in San Juan Del Sur for US $200 to $250 a month and that includes social security. You also have to pay "the 13th-month", which is one extra month of salary per year. Some people pay more but $200 to $250 is the average. Generally, a full time housekeeper in San Juan del Sur will come in 6 days a week and have one day off but you pay for the 7th day as well.
Posted October 1, 2014
Carlos Roman Gutierrez Solis - Casa Granada Properties
The minimum cost for a housekeeper or maid in Nicaragua is 6,800 Cordobas (US $226) per month, which is the minimum wage in Nicaragua. For this rate, the maid works full time and comes to work six days a week from 8 AM to 5 PM. In my company, the part-time maid who comes to work once a week for eight hours is paid $10 per day. Our maids are paid $20 per week because they come to work twice a week. My company manages 28 houses.
...
The minimum cost for a housekeeper or maid in Nicaragua is 6,800 Cordobas (US $226) per month, which is the minimum wage in Nicaragua. For this rate, the maid works full time and comes to work six days a week from 8 AM to 5 PM. In my company, the part-time maid who comes to work once a week for eight hours is paid $10 per day. Our maids are paid $20 per week because they come to work twice a week. My company manages 28 houses.
Finding good maids is just like anywhere else in that you need to keep searching for people who provide good service. Some may be lazy, but some are really good, loyal, and honest.
(Home in Nicaragua, pictured.)
Posted July 8, 2017
Miguel Moran
Full time housekeepers in Granada, Nicaragua are paid the minimum wage, which is 6,300 to 6,400 córdobas (about US $208 to $212) per month at this point. There's a regulation on this. The minimum wage goes up a little bit from year-to-year.
There are also different alternatives of hiring people on part-time basis and spend a lot less. There are some households that spend 4,000 córdobas (about $130) on housekeepers. If the housekeeper comes in once a week for a...
There are also different alternatives of hiring people on part-time basis and spend a lot less. There are some households that spend 4,000 córdobas (about $130) on housekeepers. If the housekeeper comes in once a week for a... Full time housekeepers in Granada, Nicaragua are paid the minimum wage, which is 6,300 to 6,400 córdobas (about US $208 to $212) per month at this point. There's a regulation on this. The minimum wage goes up a little bit from year-to-year.
There are also different alternatives of hiring people on part-time basis and spend a lot less. There are some households that spend 4,000 córdobas (about $130) on housekeepers. If the housekeeper comes in once a week for a day, the rate is around 200 to 400 córdobas (around $7 to $14).
It is a bit tricky to find housekeepers who do a good job. You have to really get to know the person. There are some very nice stories about housekeepers, especially the Nicaraguans because they do get attached to the people they serve and have spent years with. There are also a lot of horror stories. There are some people who come into your house and you pay them, but then they either steal or break stuff. Your satisfaction with the housekeeper's job depends on your demands and whatever you're expecting to get out of their service.
One of the ways to find a good housekeeper is to try to get leads from word of mouth. My family's strategy is to not hire a local from your town. For example, if you are living in Masaya and plan to keep working with a housekeeper for a long time, do not hire someone who is from Masaya. Hire someone from the central part of the country like Matagalpa or Estelí.
Workers from a different part of the country tend to have a better relationship and attachment with their employer because they live in the employer's house, but get to visit their family every 15 days, whereas a person who is local from your town can come into your house at any time and have their whole family running around the city as well so stuff can happen.
To find a housekeeper from another part of the country, you must establish networks and get to know people. You have to ask around a lot, especially from traditional families within the city who can help out. These families would usually have elder members who know people who have a farm in Matagalpa and tell you, "I can get you hooked up with someone who may come into your house who would be willing to travel from Matagalpa, especially if you give them a nice place to stay." Most known families have farms not only in Granada, but also in Matagalpa or other big places and can look for housekeepers.
The network you create is not a formal one and you need to search a bit to get good references, but it's worthwhile to go through the process to get a really good housekeeper who will do quality work helping out in your house.
You have to live in Nicaragua to know how to work it. Most people would advise you to put up a poster and pray that you get someone to help you out with the house. The best housekeepers come from outside the cities, not within the cities.
There are also different alternatives of hiring people on part-time basis and spend a lot less. There are some households that spend 4,000 córdobas (about $130) on housekeepers. If the housekeeper comes in once a week for a day, the rate is around 200 to 400 córdobas (around $7 to $14). It is a bit tricky to find housekeepers who do a good job. You have to really get to know the person. There are some very nice stories about housekeepers, especially the Nicaraguans because they do get attached to the people they serve and have spent years with. There are also a lot of horror stories. There are some people who come into your house and you pay them, but then they either steal or break stuff. Your satisfaction with the housekeeper's job depends on your demands and whatever you're expecting to get out of their service.
One of the ways to find a good housekeeper is to try to get leads from word of mouth. My family's strategy is to not hire a local from your town. For example, if you are living in Masaya and plan to keep working with a housekeeper for a long time, do not hire someone who is from Masaya. Hire someone from the central part of the country like Matagalpa or Estelí.
Workers from a different part of the country tend to have a better relationship and attachment with their employer because they live in the employer's house, but get to visit their family every 15 days, whereas a person who is local from your town can come into your house at any time and have their whole family running around the city as well so stuff can happen.
To find a housekeeper from another part of the country, you must establish networks and get to know people. You have to ask around a lot, especially from traditional families within the city who can help out. These families would usually have elder members who know people who have a farm in Matagalpa and tell you, "I can get you hooked up with someone who may come into your house who would be willing to travel from Matagalpa, especially if you give them a nice place to stay." Most known families have farms not only in Granada, but also in Matagalpa or other big places and can look for housekeepers.
The network you create is not a formal one and you need to search a bit to get good references, but it's worthwhile to go through the process to get a really good housekeeper who will do quality work helping out in your house.
You have to live in Nicaragua to know how to work it. Most people would advise you to put up a poster and pray that you get someone to help you out with the house. The best housekeepers come from outside the cities, not within the cities.
(Woman from Estelí, Nicaragua, pictured.)
Posted December 15, 2017