Average Maid Salary in Dubai per Month
There is no single figure that answers "what does a maid earn per month in Dubai," because the number is agreed, not fixed. It moves with the worker's experience, whether the role is live-in or live-out, the specific duties involved, and whether the hire goes through an agency or directly with a self-registered worker. Rather than print one range and hope it fits your situation, this guide walks through what actually moves the number, so you can work out the right figure for the hire you want — and then make it.
The Legal Minimum, and Where It's Set
Domestic work in the UAE sits under rules set by MOHRE, the country's labour authority, with Tadbeer — the state-authorised network of centres — administering parts of the process. MOHRE sets the wage floor for domestic workers and updates it periodically. That figure is not something a hiring platform, an agency, or a sponsor can change, and it is not something we set either.
Because the amount changes, printing a number here would risk being wrong by the time you read it. Check MOHRE's official guidance directly for the current minimum before you make an offer, and treat any number you see elsewhere — including on this page — as a starting point to verify, not a rate to rely on.
Maid Salary by Nationality: What's Available to Compare
Nationality on its own does not set the rate. What moves it is experience, the specific duties agreed, and whether the role is live-in or live-out. What nationality does affect is the pool you're choosing from and the experience levels typically represented within it.
Workers on our platform are mainly Ethiopian, alongside Filipino, Indonesian, Sri Lankan, Indian, Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Kenyan and Ugandan candidates. Experience is recorded consistently across all of them, in the same bands:
| Nationality | Experience bands you can compare |
|---|---|
| Ethiopian | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Filipino | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Indonesian | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Sri Lankan | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Indian | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Bangladeshi | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Nepalese | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Kenyan | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
| Ugandan | No experience, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 6–10 years, 10+ years |
Use this to compare like with like: an experienced candidate from one background against an experienced candidate from another, rather than comparing nationalities on the assumption that one is simply cheaper than the other.
Live-In vs Live-Out Maid Salary — What's the Difference?
This is one of the biggest swings in what a sponsor ends up paying, and it's a term the two parties settle between themselves, not a fixed differential.
| Live-in | Live-out | |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Usually provided by the sponsor | Worker arranges their own |
| Typical hours | Often full-time, sometimes with flexible or on-call expectations | Full-time or part-time, agreed upfront |
| What the rate reflects | Accommodation and meals factored into the agreed pay | Rate reflects that the worker covers housing and commuting |
| Who settles it | Sponsor and worker, or sponsor and agency, directly | Sponsor and worker, or sponsor and agency, directly |
Neither arrangement is cheaper by default — it depends what's included and what each side values. A live-in rate that looks higher may already cover housing a live-out worker would otherwise pay for themselves. Agree the full picture, not just the headline figure, before committing.
Full-Time Monthly vs Part-Time/Hourly Rates
Hiring doesn't have to mean a monthly, full-time commitment. Arrangements on offer include hourly, daily and monthly work, live-in or live-out, full-time or part-time, with options for weekends-only or weekdays-only schedules, and contracts from a short trial period through to long-term or renewable terms.
An hourly or daily arrangement suits occasional or short-term needs; a monthly, full-time arrangement suits an ongoing household requirement and is generally agreed as a flat monthly figure rather than built up hour by hour. The two aren't directly comparable on a straight per-hour basis, since a monthly rate typically reflects a committed schedule and continuity, while an hourly rate reflects flexibility. Decide which pattern fits your household first, then compare rates within that pattern — not across it.
What Employers Actually Pay Each Month (Beyond Salary)
Salary is one line in the total cost of employing a maid, not the whole of it. Visa renewal, medical and insurance costs, overtime, and end-of-service entitlements can all add to what a sponsor pays over the course of a year, and most of these are set by the rules of the country where the work takes place, or agreed directly between sponsor and worker — not by any platform.
Visas, work permits, medical certificates and travel are arranged by the agency or the sponsor under those rules; we don't process any part of that paperwork. For a fuller breakdown of visa-related costs specifically, see our guide to housemaid visa costs in the UAE, and for the wider picture of what hiring a maid costs beyond salary, see how much it costs to hire a maid.
How Experience and Role Affect Salary
Roles available span housemaids, nannies, cooks, cleaners, caregivers for elderly and disabled family members, drivers, gardeners, general helpers and babysitters. A specialised role — a trained cook, or a caregiver with experience supporting an elderly or disabled person — is generally valued differently from general housekeeping, and experience within a role matters too: candidates are grouped from no experience through 1–2, 3–5, 6–10 and 10+ years.
How much more an experienced hire costs, and whether pay increases over time with a given employer, is agreed directly between sponsor and worker (or sponsor and agency). There's no standard increment schedule here or anywhere else — it's a term worth settling at the start, in writing, before the role begins.
How to Hire a Maid in Dubai at the Right Salary
There are a few common routes: a Tadbeer centre, a licensed private agency, or an online introduction platform. Each gets you to the same place — a working arrangement with a maid — by a different path and a different cost structure.
Through our platform, sponsors search profiles of self-registered workers and candidates listed by licensed agencies, then contact a match directly — there's no middle step and no waiting on a third party to open the conversation. Every worker profile and its supporting documents — passport, national ID, medical certificate, police clearance, experience letters — are checked before the profile goes live; anything beyond that, such as a full background check or skills assessment, sits with the agency.
Sponsors can join free, with a limited plan covering one job posting, ten candidate searches a month and three saved candidates. Paid access runs AED 99 for a week or AED 199 a month on the Professional plan, discounted if paid annually — see pricing for the full breakdown. From there, you can browse available candidates, post a role via maid jobs in Dubai, or go straight to hiring a housemaid in the UAE. If you'd rather work through a licensed agency, you can also compare options via maid agencies in Dubai. For a step-by-step look at the process end to end, see hiring a maid in Dubai, and for the broader landscape of domestic help in the UAE, see domestic help in the UAE.
Whatever route you choose, the salary itself — and everything that comes with it, from hours to accommodation — is agreed directly between you and the worker or agency. We introduce the two of you; we don't set, pay, or take a share of what you agree.
What to Do If a Maid's Salary Is Underpaid or Delayed
Employment terms are governed by the labour law of the country where the work takes place, and any dispute over unpaid or delayed salary is handled under that law, not by any introduction platform. If you're the sponsor, or the worker, and salary hasn't been paid as agreed, the recognised route in the UAE is a complaint to MOHRE.
Keep the agreed terms in writing from the start — amount, frequency, and what's included — since that's what any complaint process will ask you to produce. We're not a party to the employment contract and don't adjudicate disputes between sponsor and worker; our role ends at the introduction.
FAQs
What is the minimum maid salary in Dubai per month? It's set by MOHRE and updated periodically, so check MOHRE's official guidance for the current figure rather than relying on a number printed elsewhere.
What's the average maid salary in Dubai? There isn't a single average that applies across nationalities, experience levels, and live-in versus live-out arrangements. Compare candidates with similar experience and the same arrangement type to get a realistic range for your specific hire.
Is live-in or live-out cheaper? Neither by default. Live-in pay typically factors in accommodation and meals; live-out pay reflects that the worker covers their own housing. Compare the full package, not just the monthly figure.
Does the salary include food and accommodation? That's agreed directly between sponsor and worker, and it's usually tied to whether the role is live-in or live-out. Settle it explicitly before the role starts.
What's the safest way to hire? Look for verified profiles and, if going through an agency, a licensed one. On our platform, worker documents are checked before a profile is listed; we also partner only with licensed agencies in Ethiopia and the GCC.
What if a maid's salary is underpaid or delayed? Raise it under UAE labour law via a MOHRE complaint. Keep the written terms you agreed at the outset — they're the basis of any complaint.
