One thing that I get a lot of questions about is the cost of employing different types of workers in the Philippines. Well, any time that you talk about labor, salaries and such, there is always a range of costs involved. Not everybody pays the same wage for the same job.
I live in Davao, and I am going to base what I say on Davao. Wages can vary quite a bit depending on where in the Philippines you are talking about. Especially in Manila, you will find that labor costs are maybe up to 50% higher than in Davao. Some places are cheaper than Davao too. But, my knowledge is about Davao, and it is kind of a middle ground anyway, so it makes a good base for comparison.
First, since we’ve been talking a lot about maids lately, let’s look at the cost of employing a maid. I would estimate that most people here in this area pay their maid around P1,300 to P1,500 per month. I have known people, though, who pay their maids as little as P800 per month, and up to P4,000 per month. So, the price varies widely, but at P1,300 to P1,500 per month you will be on target and paying a wage that is expected. Less than P1,300 and you will probably be thought of as cheap. More than P1,500 you will be thought of as generous.
I am also asked about tradesmen – carpenters, handymen and such, and how much people like this cost. Generally, jobs like this are paid on a “per job” basis instead of a set salary per day, week or month. This is because generally speaking, if you need something repaired around the house, it might take just an hour or a few hours. If a job takes up to half a day or so, the cost would generally be around P300 or so, maybe as high as P500. The cost of P500 might be if the guy sees me and knows that he is working for a foreigner! Of course, the charge to a foreigner is a bit higher in most instances! But, that is to be expected, I guess. Other jobs that are larger in nature would need to be negotiated. I have had carpenters work here for a week or so for about P2,000 or so. Painters would be about the same.
Another employee that a lot of foreigners employ is a driver. Personally, I prefer to drive for myself, so I don’t have a driver. But, I have been told by others that a driver is usually about P7,000 to P10,000 per month. This is strictly second hand information, since I have never employed a driver, so if somebody knows differently, please correct me. I won’t mind that, I’ll even appreciate it!
We also like to employ a “boy”. A boy is a young guy who works around the house doing things like yard work and such. Any kind of “man” jobs that need to be done is what he would do. He also opens the gate if I am driving in. I just pull up to the gate, give a honk, and he runs up to open the gate for me. Ha ha… it’s a hard life here, I’ll tell you! Expect to pay a boy like this about the same as what you would pay a maid.
Keep in mind that the actual Peso payment is only one part of the cost for employing people. For a maid, you will also be responsible for offering her room and board. You will cover all of her meals and such. I find these kind of expenses to be minor, though, because if you are cooking for a family, having food for one extra mouth is generally no problem. In addition, for a maid, we also pay for all of her personal needs – things like toothpaste, deodorant and other hygiene products. Many employers make the maid pay for her own items like this out of her salary, I just feel it is a little added perk, and I can also assure that she is well groomed if I provide the products. She is, after all, handling my kids! In addition, for other types of laborers that we have around the house on an irregular basis, if they are here during lunch time or snack time, we will generally offer them food when the rest of us eat. This is not really something you must do, I just think it is common courtesy.
Remember, all these prices are just based on my experience. Also, if you have a staff of employees like this, you need to adjust based on the parameters in your house. For example, if your maid goes above the call of duty, or if she has been employed a long time and is reliable to you, give her a little extra. Just use this as a guide, then make adjustments based on your situation.
Hi Bob,
You are doing a good job on your hired help. It is really fair what you have been doing. You made a valid point of what you can't and you can do. Maybe one of these days you will find someone that you can keep a while. If(or when) Bill and I retire in the Philippines, I don't plan on having a maid. As you pointed out in your respond in my comments in one of your post, it has to do with privacy. I have gotten used to the privacy thing. There's just Bill and I, anyway. I do plan to hire someone to help me out with big chores once or maybe a couple of days a week like I do up here in the states.
You're getting the handle of the workings of the Filipino labor force. Good for you and keep it up.
Liklik
Bob,
If you have a full time maid or other person around the house what is the norm for Christmas bonus, vacation, birthday, day(s) off, healthcare?
Dan
Hi Liklik – Thanks for your thoughts and comments! With just you and Bill, I understand not having a maid. I hope that we will be there someday too!
Hi Dan – Our maids don't get any certain off days or vacation time. We just play it by ear. If they want to take some time off to go visit their family, or whatever other reason, we just evaluate their request. In general, if they want off, we let them off. Birthdays are generally work days, although they get a little extra attention on that day. We do buy them a birthday gift, and a cake and such to celebrate. If our maids have healthcare needs, we generally send them to the doctor and we pay for it.
I will jump in and answer Dan's question.
Our maids also get 13'th month pay if they have been with us for a year. On their birthday's if they go home, they get nothing. If they celebrate it here we give them money. As for healthcare we pay ALL their medicines from fever to diarrhea medications and even all antibiotics when needed. If they must go to doctor or be hospitalized we pay for that too.
Our nanny who has been with us almost 20 years and has been with us to USA, Europe, Hk, etc get's SSS and Philheath. She receives around US$600 each month.
Our househelp is paid PHP 1500 as starting salary but it goes up depending on performace and how long they have been with us, so some of our help get php 2,000 a month some get 3,500 a month.
Kennel help starts at 1800 a month.
All live in and have free food for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner.
Off is played by ear like Bob said they just let us know when they want to take days off.
We don't have a boy but have a stay out gardener he egts like 4,400 a month and gets free breakfast, snack, lunch, snack. He goes home at 5pm so does not get dinner.
You will find you need help here in the Philippines.
In the USA you have a dishwasher – here you need someone to wash dishes – I don't think I ever saw a dishwasher being sold at any appliance center?
In USA you have a nice washer/dryer here the "normal" wahser dryers are different. We do have the US kind at home but mom thinks clothes look better handwashed so we have a laundry woman.
In USA- there is like no dust in your house – here you need someone to dust the place all the time.
So help is needed here, LOL LOL!
I WISH YOU ALL WOULD HIRE ME, AN AMERICAN BLACK, SO THAT I CAN BRING IN A CAN OF GASOLINE AND CLEAN YOUR HOUSE SPOTLESS WITH IT AND UPON COMPLETION I WILL BE CERTAIN TO DISINFECT IT BY TOSSING IN A MATCH.
THE STARVATION OF THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE PHILLIPINES AND YOU TRASH DISCUSSING HOW MANY MAIDS YOU HAVE, AND DOOR BOYS..
You sound like a pretty hateful person, Robert. Good luck to you, I hope you feel better soon.
Would you be able to work with me to establish a major export business from the Philippines? I am engaged in Rotary International and also do work in global markets for biomass materials.
207-338-5285 in Maine, USA
[email protected]
Thank you
Art
Hi Arthur – I would be happy to help you if I can, but would need to know more about what assistance you need. You can use our Contact Form to send me more information.
Also: http://www.rotarymatters.org
Thanks
Art
Hi there,
Hubby wants to retire there and we go back and forth several times each year. Good to know you’re doing all right and that you have good things to say about the country.
With a lot of sensible generosity, humor and willingness to learn and the ever present awareness that you are in another country makes for good adjustment and I daresay a successful retirement or transplanting. Cheers to you, you seem to have it figured out.
I pay my general househelp 2,500 per month but that is Luzon rate and will also pay for her Social Security contributions, a couple of hundred pesos additional on top of everything else. We have grown up treating househelp as part of family and they get everything, only difference is of course they do the dishes:)
Cheers to everyone and goodluck with all your plans settling there!
Can you refresh this article and put up some 2014 Wages – Salaries – Cost of Living?