San Salvador - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Very available and reasonably priced. Going rate for nannies in the expat community is $25-$35/day, depending on live-in/out, family size, etc. We also have a driver to take my daughter to school ($30/week and he works for several families) and a gardener ($25/day). I believe housekeepers are similarly priced. - Oct 2023
Help is available and affordable. We have a live-in nanny/empleada for $25/day and a gardener who comes once a week for $25/day. Most people have a housekeeper and gardener, a nanny (if a family with kids), and some people have a driver to help with school drop-off and pickup. - Feb 2022
Very reasonable. $20/day for full-time help. Gardeners come every 2 weeks for $15/day. - Aug 2021
Daily housekeepers cost about US$20 per day for maids who have been vetted. Gardeners are a staple at most houses and some have live-ins and nannies, too. - Jun 2018
We have a live-in empleada, a day maid, a gardener, and a driver. Depending on experience, wages are usually $15-$20/day. - Mar 2018
Whether you choose a live-in employee or a live-out employee, household help is plentiful. The majority do not speak English. Going rate for an "empleada" is between $15-$20 a day. Most people also hire a gardener to come once a week, or once every other week. - Jan 2018
$200 per month for a live-in maid. - Nov 2017
This price varies a lot. Depending on the overtime, we tend to pay our live-in around $125/week for work from Monday morning through Saturday morning. Salvadorans pay a lot less and demand much more in terms of working hours. - Jul 2016
Great availability and very affordable (US$300-400 per month). Nannys and maids within the embassy community are paid better, but also tend to be some of the best. Our nanny is fantastic, so great with the kids, and keeps the house spotless. Live-in is common. - Dec 2015
Pretty cheap. I think US$15-$20 per day for full time help? - Jun 2015
Very good. Prices are US$80-100/week for live in or live out. - Mar 2015
Great domestic help for US$15 a day. - Oct 2014
Very cheap. US$15 a day. - Jul 2014
Cheap, $10 for a maid to clean house and garden. - Apr 2012
locals pay $10/day and embassy people pay $15/day (labor is cheap here but be careful, you get what you pay for if you want to use a local nanny) - Jul 2011
Maids make upwards of $15 a day, and gardeners are about the same. Live-in maids make less for some reason. Don't be afraid to put people on a probationary period to make sure that you find someone you like. - May 2010
A live-in maid will cost somewhere between US$200 - $275 depending on their experience and schedule. Day maids will generally cost about the same, possibly more. On the local market I believe the average maid earns about US$160 - $180 per month, but ex-pats generally pay a bit more. It is DEFINITELY WORTH IT to find and pay for a maid/nanny that has worked with expats in the past!! Gardeners generally charge anywhere from US$12 - $18 per day depending on what you have them do. - Feb 2009
