Kathmandu - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Household help is extremely affordable, on the order of $300-$350 per month for full time help. Most expats have a driver and housekeeper. Some also employ a full-time nanny, which I understand may be more expensive, but I can't verify as we don't have children in Nepal. - Jun 2024
Very affordable and one of the best perks of living in Kathmandu. Nannies, housekeepers, drivers and chefs are commonly employed by our community. A full time nanny can be $250-300 a month. I love our nanny and driver, they are so wonderful at their jobs and so kind. I think the household help is well trained and very helpful. - Aug 2022
Household help is extremely cheap, $200-300/month. Most Embassy folks employ a housekeeper, driver, gardener, and nanny if you have kids. I have found that the reliability and workk ethic is extremely lacking here. We went through 3 housekeepers before we found a good one. Sadly stealing is a very common practice here and we fired 2 people for stealing. It's also common to have house help do some strange things like use the same rag for the bathrooms as the kitchen, not listen when you ask them to do something, buy peanuts when they know your kid had a peanut allergy, etc... That said, if you do find someone good, it's wonderful. Make sure you have a contract that includes a 3-month trial period! - Aug 2019
Cheap and prevalent. Many people employe 3 or 4 local staff, from housekeepers, nannys, drivers, gardeners, and guards. A typical salary is less than US$150 a month. Many staff can be afraid of dogs, but if you search you can usually find good quality staff to suit your needs. - Aug 2015
Plentiful and cheap. - Jul 2014
Very available and cheap, about US$100-170/month for a full time nanny, US$70-100 for full time gardener, US$150 for a driver. - May 2014
Very cheap but not very good. We clean our house ourselves; it is never clean enough. - Apr 2014
Most people hire maids, cooks, and/or drivers. Good help will cost you about US$125/month per person. Be ready to pay extra for local holidays, anniversary pay, etc. - Dec 2013
Household help is extremely affordable; most U.S. Embassy personnel have someone to assist, either with cleaning, cooking, or driving, or all of the above. - Jun 2013
Inexpensive and wonderful if you manage them well. Be fair. Don't forget the annual 10% inflation rate impacts them more than you, and adjust their salaries accordingly. Our kids will miss their nanny dearly when we go, and it isn't because she spoiled them. - May 2013
Very inexpensive - about $150-200 per month. - Jun 2011
$120 USD/mo (9000 nrs) will get you a housekeeper or most other staff. A driver is becoming an expensive cost; some are asking twice that now. - Sep 2010
Excellent. We loved our didi and dai. It is cheap. We had our didis live with us, which worked out great. Our one didi came with us to our next posting. Nepalis are lovely people. - Jan 2010
Day guard/gardener, Didi (she might nanny/cook/clean) and Driver will run approximately US$350. a month. Hours and benefits and pay actually vary quite a bit. They are very, very helpful to have available when you hit the ground. Hire provisionally from a person who is leaving and reassess after a month. It will make your entry much nicer. - May 2008
