What does a helper really cost in Singapore?

Which costs does MOM set?

Levy, first helper

S$300 a month, or S$60 with the concession

Levy, each further helper

S$450 a month, or S$60 with the concession

Levy for part months

S$9.87, S$14.80 or S$1.98 a day

When the levy starts

On a first-time helper’s 5th day here, counting the arrival day; otherwise the day after she arrives

Work Permit

S$35 to apply and S$35 when issued; S$35 for each renewal

Settling-In Programme, first-time helpers

S$76.40 to S$92.65, paid by you

Medical examinations

Within 14 days of arrival, then every 6 months (not from age 50)

Insurance

Medical cover of at least S$60,000 a year and personal accident cover of at least S$60,000

Security bond

S$5,000 unless she is Malaysian, as a bank or insurer guarantee

Source: MOM — Paying levy for a migrant domestic worker (MDW) ↗ (opens in new tab) · Data period: levy rates in force from 8 July 2026 · Last checked: 12 October 2026

The bond is a pledge, not a fee: you pay a guarantee premium, often with the insurance. The helper never pays it.

When does the S$60 levy concession start?

A Singapore citizen child below 16 at home qualifies you. For a parent, it starts on the birth date; for others, when the child is added on FDW eService. MOM confirmed on 22 September 2025 that households hiring before the birth pay the standard levy until then.

An elderly Singapore citizen aged 67 or above also qualifies. So does a permanent resident aged 67 or above when the employer or spouse is a citizen. A person with disability with an AIC recommendation qualifies too. It is one helper per eligible person, two at most per household. MOM’s records decide your levy.

Which costs do you estimate?

Salary, agency fee, insurance and bond premium, clinic fees, upkeep, accommodation, the air ticket home and any home leave in the contract. The tool starts with round placeholders, not market prices. Replace each with a real quote.

One rest day a week is the rule, and at least one a month must be taken. A rest day worked is paid at the monthly salary divided by 26: about S$26.92 on S$700.

How do you turn it into one monthly figure?

1. Enter the salary, start date and contract length, usually 24 months.
2. Say who qualifies for the concession, or your baby’s due date.
3. Add the one-off costs: agency fee, insurance, permit fees, the Settling-In Programme, medical checks and the air ticket.
4. Swap each placeholder for a quote, then compare with other care.

What does this look like over a 24-month contract?

A first-time helper arrives on 1 November 2026. MOM starts the levy on her 5th day, so November has 26 days of levy at the daily rate. The tool’s placeholders: salary S$700, upkeep S$250, accommodation S$50 and agency fee S$1,500. Add insurance S$600, four medical checks at S$40 and a S$400 ticket home.

No one in the household qualifies

Levy S$7,156.62 over the contract; about S$1,415 a month all in

A Singapore citizen child below 16 already at home

Levy S$1,431.48; about S$1,177 a month all in

Baby born on 1 March 2027, 4 months in

Levy S$2,356.62 (26 days and 3 months at S$300, the rest at S$60); about S$1,215 a month all in

The concession saves S$5,725 with a child already at home, and S$4,800 when the baby arrives four months in.

Which tool and download help?

The Helper true cost calculator takes your quotes; your baby’s date stays on this phone. Take the monthly figure to the Baby and toddler care compare. Once she starts, print the Same-page house rules card in her language and English.

What does this not cover?

MOM decides your levy and eligibility. Increments, bonuses, phone plans and outings are left out. Premiums and agency fees vary, so the estimates are yours. We never rank agencies or insurers.