Bujumbura - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
For under $300 per month you can have a full time staff member who can cook, clean, iron, and manage your household. Why wouldn't you? You are providing a vital job which helps feed, house, and clothe entire families. It is a good deal for both sides! I have my staff help provide meals for the gardener (240,000 BIF/month), and the guard placed by Embassy contract daily. Everyone gets one meal per shift. This costs me 40,000 BIF per week and I feel it is insurance for their health and for my family too. Guards are paid very little and don't always get treated well. I feel it is an easy way to let them know how much I appreciate their effort to keep my family safe and provide some nutrition too! - Mar 2021
Household help quality and rates very greatly. Most expats in the U.S. embassy community employ household help for washing clothes, dusting and washing kitchen dishes. Pricing seems to range from 120.000 BF to 250.000 BF for help 3 times per week. Additionally, a number of people employ gardeners to cut the grass, trim plants and occasionally manage a small vegetable garden. Rates seem to be 100.000 BF to 175.000 BF per month for help 3-5 times per week. - Nov 2017
Available at about $95-125 per month for a cook/housekeeper. More for nannies, less for gardeners. - Aug 2015
Definitely available - we pay about $150/mo for a cook/housekeeper who works Mon - Fri and prepares lunch for us. He works 7 - 8 hours a day. We'll be increasing his pay this month to $200 because inflation is really hurting Burundians these days. - Aug 2009
Widely available for US$80 to $120 a month, depending on the services you want. - Oct 2008
