Most families in Dubai weigh this up at some point. A live-in maid feels like the complete answer, and for some homes it is. But the monthly salary is the smallest part of what a live-in actually costs, and the part-time option has changed a lot. Here is the honest comparison.
What a live-in maid costs, beyond the salary
When you sponsor a domestic worker, you become her employer, and the law sets out what that means. On top of the monthly salary you take on:
- The visa and work permit, arranged through a licensed domestic-worker centre, with fees to renew every two years
- A room in your home, with food and the household's utilities
- Medical insurance, which you provide
- 30 days' paid leave a year and sick leave
- A return flight home at the end of each contract period
- End-of-service gratuity when she leaves, calculated on her years of service
- A weekly day off and daily rest hours, which means the house is uncovered one day in seven and every evening
- Your time: the paperwork, the renewals, the medical tests, the replacements when she resigns
Add it up over a year and the real monthly figure is well above the salary. The exact amount depends on the centre and the nationality, which is why we do not quote one here. Ask the centre for the full two-year cost, not the monthly wage.
What a part-time plan costs
A part-time maid through a licensed company is one hourly rate, and everything else is on the company. Our housekeeping service is 40 AED an hour when you provide the products, or 50 AED when we bring everything, with a two-hour minimum. On a regular plan the rate drops with frequency, on sessions of three hours or more.
| Plan | Rate per hour | A three-hour visit | About per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 36 AED | 108 AED | 430 to 470 AED |
| Twice a week | 32 AED | 96 AED | 770 to 830 AED |
| Three times a week | 28 AED | 84 AED | 1,000 to 1,090 AED |
The monthly figure moves a little with the number of visits in the month. Every rate includes VAT. Daily and four-plus visits a week are planned around your schedule and quoted on it.
What is included at that price, and not in a live-in arrangement:
- The same dedicated cleaner every visit, vetted, trained and employed by us
- Transport to and from your home, nothing to arrange
- A replacement where available if she is off sick, so your week is covered
- No visa, no sponsorship, no paperwork, and no gratuity when you stop
- Pause when you travel, with notice, and pick up where you left off
Our maid service subscription guide explains how a plan runs week to week.
What each one is for
| Live-in maid | Part-time plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Someone in the house all day | Yes | No |
| Cooking and childcare | Yes, as a domestic worker | No, a cleaning company cleans |
| Cleaning standard | Depends on the person | Trained, with a 24-Hour Re-Clean Promise |
| Cover when she is away | You arrange it | We arrange it where available |
| Paperwork and legal responsibility | Yours | Ours |
| Cost shape | Salary plus everything above | One hourly rate |
| Flexibility | Two-year contract | Change, pause or stop with notice |
A live-in makes sense when you genuinely need a person present through the day: young children, an elderly parent, a very large household, cooking every day. Those are domestic-worker roles, and a cleaning company cannot do them.
A part-time plan makes sense when what you need is a clean home, done properly, with nothing to manage. For most villas, a three or four hour visit once or twice a week keeps the house where a live-in would, without the room, the paperwork or the cost when nobody is home.
The option that is not an option
Hiring a cleaner privately, someone on a visit visa, on another family's sponsorship or working freelance, is not legal in the UAE, and the employer carries the penalty, reported at 50,000 AED and above. Either sponsor a domestic worker properly through a licensed centre, or book through a licensed cleaning company. Both are legal. The middle ground is not.
Many families do both
Some homes keep a live-in for the day-to-day and bring in a professional team for what a single person cannot do well: the deep clean twice a year, the windows, the sofas and carpets. Others let the live-in go when the children grow up and move to a plan. There is no wrong answer, only the one that fits the house you have now.
Not sure which? Send us your home type and how often you would like a visit on WhatsApp, or get an instant quote, and we will tell you honestly what a plan would cost for your home.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a part-time maid cost in Dubai?
From 40 AED an hour with your products or 50 AED with ours, two-hour minimum. On a regular plan it drops to 36, 32 or 28 AED an hour at one, two or three visits a week, on sessions of three hours or more. A weekly three-hour visit is about 430 to 470 AED a month. Every rate includes VAT.
How much does a live-in maid cost in Dubai?
The salary is only part of it. You also pay the visa and permit through a licensed centre, medical insurance, a room, food, 30 days' paid leave a year, a flight home and end-of-service gratuity. Ask the centre for the full two-year cost before comparing.
Is a part-time maid cheaper than a live-in?
For cleaning, almost always. A three-visits-a-week plan is about 1,000 AED a month with nothing else to pay. A live-in costs the salary plus the visa, insurance, accommodation, leave, flight and gratuity.
Can a part-time maid cook or look after children?
No. A licensed cleaning company provides cleaning and housekeeping. Cooking, childcare and elderly care are domestic-worker roles, which need a sponsored domestic worker through a licensed centre.
Do I need a visa or contract for a part-time maid?
No. The cleaner is employed and sponsored by us. You book a plan, which you can change, pause or stop with notice.
What happens if my part-time maid is sick?
We arrange a replacement where one is available, so your visit goes ahead. Your regular cleaner returns when she is back.
