Khartoum - 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, primarily Ethiopians, is abundant and reasonable. Most employees hired someone to clean at least once a week, as haboob dust makes keeping things neat a challenge. The cost is negotiable, but $25-$30 per full day seemed to be the going rate. Some officers also hired a gardener, but I do not know the cost of that. It is also common to pay someone to take care of your pets while you are away. This is sometimes coordinated with the housekeeper, who may agree to both clean the house and watch the pets. Additional cooking, such as for a party, can also be arranged. Finding a reliable housekeeper/cook/pet sitter is done almost entirely through word-of-mouth. - Feb 2018
Maids are widely employed and are very affordable. - May 2017
Household help is certainly available and an option you should take. Most maids are affordable and will help you keep your house free of sand and soot. - Nov 2016
It is very easy to find housekeepers, gardeners, cooks, dog walkers, etc. and prices are very reasonable. - Oct 2016
They run from US$150-$250 a month for two days a week. Some are better than others, and some will cook while others will only clean. It's good to do your homework and talk to a lot of people to find one. They're all non-Sudanese and can actually be quite good. - Mar 2016
One can get part-time domestic help for around US$100-$150 a month. - Jun 2015
Depending on what you need, the help is mostly Ethiopian and costs about US$175/month. That's for cleaning, cooking, and two days a week. It can range from US$100-225 depending on what you ask for and the quality of the help. You can get recommendations when you're here. - Mar 2015
Affordable but always increasing. You have to pay in US dollars. It's about US$250 a month to have someone clean twice a week and depending on the size of your house, you will need it. The dust gathers quickly. Domestic help are very diligent and efficient and do a great job. - Apr 2014
Domestic help is available and varies anywhere from $200 to $400 per month. - Jun 2011
Very available. Not too expensive. - Apr 2010
Mostly Eritrean, Ehtiopian or Filipina. 250-300 USD per month. - May 2009
Plentiful. Eritreans and Ethiopians appear to be the nannies/baby-sitters of choice. US$250-350 per month. - Sep 2008
