Pretoria - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Affordable. We have a nanny and a gardener. Few households (even professional level local staff at the mission) wouldn’t have some housekeeping or nanny help. - Oct 2024
It's very cheap because the supply far outstrips the demand. I had a weekly maid that was included in my rent, but I think my landlord paid her around $20/day which seems to be the going rate. Many people hire nannies and gardners as well and sometimes have them live in. It depends on what your needs are. Get a recommendation for household help if you can. Mine was fantastic, but quality can vary. Also, explain what you want. - Apr 2023
Going rate seems to be about $20-25 per day for a housekeeper and $30-35 per day for a gardener. US Embassy personnel frequently advertise these types of services in the newsletter. - Mar 2023
House cleaners charge 300 Rand per day, which is currently about $20. I don't think they always stay ALL day so if you need childcare it may be a little more. Almost everyone hires a housecleaner 1-5 days per week; people with small children employ nannies; many people have a gardener come 1-2 days per week. A few people hire drivers to pick up kids from school. - Jun 2022
A full-time live in housekeeper/nanny will run about US$550-$700 a month with all the allowances factored in. Some of the available workforce are Zimbabwean and may need assistance in sorting out visas. Most do not cook. - Jan 2020
We use a weekly cleaning service (someone takes care of all legal requirements for the staff!) for about R1900 ($150) per month. A gardener is about R400 per day. Live-in housekeepers are plentiful (but we don't want one or have the space). Live-out housekeepers are less plentiful. - Dec 2019
We pay $400 - $700/month for full-time help, which is on the upper end. - Mar 2019
Live-out mostly. Embassy staff have elevated salaries so expect to pay a very high amount. - Jun 2018
Household help, such as a live-in housekeeper, runs about $300 per month. A gardener's wages are about $20 a week. Babysitters and drivers are also very affordable. - Jan 2018
Expats pay about US$300-$500 dollars/ month for a full-time, live in housekeeper/ nanny. - Jun 2012
Pretty inexpensive, around 100R a day for a non-live-in. - Dec 2009
There is an overabundance of 'unskilled' labor looking for housekeeper/gardener work. Be careful - the South African work ethic is not great and there have been many complaints about attitudes, trust, etc. We have had great luck with our housekeeper (we have a live-in) and not such great luck with gardeners. There is always a list of domestic workers with experience among embassy families circulating in the CLO office. - Aug 2009
Day maids go for about 120 Rand a day (US$12) while live-ins go for anywhere between 1500 and 2000 Rand a month (US$150 to 200).The Embassy folks tend to over pay their maids and any maid you consider hiring will always tell you they want over 2000 Rand a month. - Feb 2009
Cleaners and garden help costs about US$15-20/day plus food and transport for a 7 am - 3 pm work day (live out). Do not expect real housekeepers/maids - workers w/ skills are hired in private sector. Plan to teach anyone who works for you exactly what you would like him/her to do. - Oct 2008
Pool of domestics that have worked with Embassy folks and have been reviewed by RSO. We pay about US$17/day. Live-in help is different, but I do not know how much they cost. Note that most day domestics work from 8am - 3pm so that they can catch the bus back to their home before dark. - Sep 2008
Readily available US$250-$300 per month. - Jun 2008
