Port Of Spain - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Good and inexpensive compared to the cost of everything else. Full time nanny is anywhere from US $600-1000 a month depending on if they live with you or not. That might be expensive compared to other WHA posts, but certainly not compared to the US. Gardener is about US $35 a visit and they do a good job, pool guy is about US $100 a month and they come twice a week. Housekeepers can be good and they charge about US $50-60 for each cleaning. You may have to go through a few of the nannies or housekeepers before you find one that you like, but after that, they're great. - Aug 2021
It is very hard to find a nanny and/or housekeeper here. Quality of the work (housekeeping) seems to be hit or miss. One must follow both local and State Department regulations when hiring (both may seem strict). - Mar 2019
Not sure, but since Trinis are known for "liming" more than anything else I would be surprised if many expats had reliable nannies or housekeepers. - Apr 2017
Household help is available and easy to obtain. The work ethic isn't quite the same as in the Latin American countries and often times it takes a whole day for 1/2 days worth of work. On average a housekeeper is about U.S. $35 per visit. - Aug 2016
no work ethic here so good luck. Also expensive. On both accounts, good luck. - May 2016
Domestic help is very affordable, rates for the expat/dip community is around US$4 per hour. Minimum wage in TT is 15 TTD (US$2.36). Reliability and professionalism vary widely. It is not uncommon to go through multiple workers until you find the right one. Trinis aren't known for their work ethic. - Jun 2015
housekeeper is US$30/day and a nanny is about US$35-40. - May 2015
About US$30 per day. - Aug 2014
Domestic help is available but make sure they are vetted (for security concerns). Cost is very cheap, our maid came twice a week for the entire day at US$30 per day (no cooking just cleaning). - Dec 2013
Cheap. About $40 per visit. - Oct 2012
We pay a part-time housekeeper about $5 per hour. Many people have struggled to find someone they like/trust. - Feb 2011
Yes, a bit on the pricey side. - Jan 2011
Lots of domestic help is here. It costs about 50 US for a great worker for a day. - May 2010
Domestic help is about the same cost as in the states. You can get someone to clean your house for about $50 U.S. for 8 hours of work, sometimes cheaper if you negotiate. - Nov 2009
Hard to find, but not expensive if you can. People tend to cling to anyone good that they find! - Mar 2008
