Guangzhou - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Roughly $1000 per month for a full-time, live-out maid/caregiver (called ayis here). - Apr 2023
A full-time ayi can cost about $1000/month. Some of the housing options offer housekeeping for a cost, some apartments are more expensive than others. People with small children have nannies, and many people employ a part time housekeeper/cook, etc. I know of a family that hired a driver to take their kids to/from school. - Aug 2021
Help is a couple hundred dollars per month and up. It's a great way to pick up Mandarin, Cantonese, and other local languages. - May 2019
Some people have it. Not necessary if you have serviced apartment, in my opinion. - Nov 2018
Good and relatively cheap. We have a half-time Ayi that costs US$400 a month. Depending on your needs, you can get a full-time, live-in, whatever you want. They will work very hard and often have been working for consulate families for years. - Nov 2015
Very available and very inexpensive. I paid my ayi (housekeeper) about 115 RMB per day, which is around US$20. She also received a month's salary bonus at Chinese New Year and severance pay when I left post. Most people find their ayis through the Consulate grapevine, and I don't think there were more than one or two people at post who didn't have one. They'll do everything from watch your kids to cook for you to clean your apartment, depending on what you need. They'll also do your shopping, if you so desire. - Aug 2014
Cheap! But REALLY good aiyis (aunties) are hard to find. - May 2013
Domestic help is easy to find and quite affordable. It usually costs around $25USD for one day per week of cooking/cleaning. - Apr 2013
Domestic help is readily available and inexpensive, around $20 per8 hour day. They cook, clean, grocery shop, and do laundry, as well as provide childcare if you need it. My housekeeper is amazing, one of the best cooks I've ever met! - Jan 2013
i am told cheap, however I dont have anyone. - Oct 2011
Very affordable, we have a full-time live-out nanny/housekeeper/cook ("ayi")and pay about $500/month for her. We pay her a bit more than others though, but in return we have an on-call babysitter who never charges overtime. She works almost 50 hours/week so it works out to be pretty affordable. I think the going rate is about $15/day for 8 hours if you don't have kids. - May 2011
Domestic help is plentiful, reliable, and affordable. - Jul 2009
Definitely available. About US$10-15 a day for domestic help. - Jan 2009
