Cleaner cost by canton: CHF 25-31 an hour, CHF 508-636 a month all-in at 4 hours a week
The hourly wage runs from CHF 25 to 31 depending on the canton, CHF 27 on average. On top come the 8.33% holiday supplement and 7.9 to 9.8% employer contributions (AHV, ALV, accident, family allowances). Pick your canton and wage below: the sheet shows the formula of every cell.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canton | ||||||
| 2 | Hourly wage (CHF) | ||||||
| 3 | Weeks per month | 4.33 | |||||
| 4 | Holiday supplement | 8.33% | |||||
| 5 | Hours per week | Gross wage CHF/month | AHV/IV/EO 5.3% | ALV 1.1% | UVG-BU 0.505% | FAK 1.025% | Employer cost CHF/month |
| 6 | 2 h | 272.37 | 14.44 | 3.00 | 1.38 | 2.79 | 293.98 |
| 7 | 4 h | 544.43 | 28.85 | 5.99 | 2.75 | 5.58 | 587.60 |
| 8 | 6 h | 816.81 | 43.29 | 8.98 | 4.12 | 8.37 | 881.57 |
| 9 | 8 h | 1'089.18 | 57.73 | 11.98 | 5.50 | 11.16 | 1'175.55 |
| 10 | 10 h | 1'361.24 | 72.15 | 14.97 | 6.87 | 13.95 | 1'469.18 |
| 11 | |||||||
| 12 | yellow = input |
Swipe right for the total cost (column G).
Next step: create the employment contract with this wage, free, no accountAHV/IV/EO 5.3% + ALV 1.1% + UVG-BU 0.505% + cantonal FAK ZH 1.025%. Without the Clino subscription. Estimate using official contribution rates (2026). Plus a small compensation-office admin fee. For the exact figure use the salary calculator.
Full-time (42 h/week) a cleaner in Switzerland earns about CHF 4'550 to 5'650 gross per month, depending on the canton (CHF 25 to 31/h).
Interactive Salary Map: Cleaner Costs per Canton
Select canton
Click on a canton to see cleaner costs and salary ranges.
Minimum wages are mandatory - the highest applicable one wins
Cantonal minimum wages: how much of it reaches a household
Five Swiss cantons have a statutory minimum wage. What your household owes is always the highest floor that is applicable to your employee - and that is not everywhere the cantonal one: in Ticino the cantonal figure sits below the NAV, and in Jura the NAV takes precedence from 5 h/week. The amounts below are the floor that actually binds in each canton. The exact amount for your employee also depends on her experience and weekly hours: the minimum wage check for your cleaner works it out.
Cantonal minimum wage of CHF 24.59/h, the highest in Switzerland - fully applicable in a private household.
Cantonal minimum wage of CHF 22.20/h; urban canton, strict enforcement.
Cantonal minimum wage of CHF 21.35/h, with no carve-out for private households - it applies here in full.
Cantonal CHF 21.40/h, but from 5 h/week the NAV takes precedence: you pay CHF 20.35/h. Under 5 h/week, CHF 21.40/h applies.
Cantonal CHF 20.00/h and therefore lower than the NAV. In a private household you pay CHF 20.35/h.
Tip: Clino automatically calculates the correct salary based on your canton - including minimum wage check. Learn more about properly registering your cleaner or find the guide for your canton.
When must I register? - Thresholds, exceptions and deadlines.
Top 5: The Most Expensive Cantons for Cleaners
In these five cantons, employers pay the most for their domestic help. Residents here should pay particular attention to regional conditions when setting wages.
| Rank | Canton | Average | Fair wage | All-in per month (4 h/wk) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geneva | CHF 31/h | CHF 29-34 | CHF 636 |
| 2 | Basel-Stadt | CHF 30/h | CHF 28-33 | CHF 611 |
| 3 | Zug | CHF 30/h | CHF 28-33 | CHF 610 |
| 4 | Zurich | CHF 29/h | CHF 27-32 | CHF 588 |
| 5 | Vaud | CHF 28/h | CHF 26-31 | CHF 576 |
Month = all-in cost at 4 hours a week at the canton's average wage: gross wage with the 8.33% holiday supplement plus employer contributions, 52/12 weeks a month. For your own wage and hours, use the cost calculator at the top of this page for an exact calculation incl. OASI, UI, and AIA.
Methodology & Sources
- Cantonal minimum wages: The minimum wages shown (GE, BS, JU, NE, TI) are taken from official cantonal regulations as of 2026 and are indexed to the national consumer price index. The amount shown per canton is the floor that actually binds a private household - in Ticino and in Jura (from 5 h/week) that is the federal NAV.
- Average hourly wages: the per-canton figures are Clino market estimates based on regional living costs and observed rates for domestic help. They are guidance for fair pay, not a statistical survey. We count as fair CHF 2 below to CHF 3 above the canton average, never under the minimum wage. Monthly costs come from Clino's own payroll engine: 52/12 weeks, the holiday supplement and the canton's employer contributions.
Cantonal minimum wages last verified: May 2026.
Compiled by the Clino editorial team. Clino helps private households legally employ domestic staff in Switzerland.
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Good to know: the background
You have your number above. This is why wages differ so much and what else moves the hourly rate.
Why Do Cleaner Wages Differ by Canton?
Switzerland is small, but regional differences in living costs are enormous. In Geneva and Zurich, rents and living costs are significantly higher than in Jura or Uri - and this is directly reflected in wages.
Cost of Living
Cantons with high rents and living costs (GE, ZG, ZH, BS) consistently pay higher wages. A cleaner in Geneva earns up to 24% more than in Uri.
Supply and Demand
Major cities have more demand for domestic helpers, but also more providers. In rural regions, the market is smaller but prices are lower.
Cantonal Minimum Wages
Five cantons have their own minimum wages, which push the market upward. Geneva has the highest minimum wage in Switzerland at CHF 24.59/hr.
City vs. Countryside
Even within a canton there are differences: in Bern city, wages are higher than in the Bernese Oberland. The map shows cantonal averages.
What comes on top of the hourly wage, from holidays to accident insurance, is set out in the guide to a household helper's total cost.
What Influences a Cleaner's Salary?
Beyond the canton, these factors also affect the hourly rate.
Experience and References
A cleaner with years of experience and good references can charge CHF 3-5/hr more than a beginner.
Language Skills
Multilingual candidates often earn CHF 1-2/hr more.
Additional Tasks
Ironing, cooking, childcare, or gardening - additional tasks justify a higher hourly wage.
Regularity
Fixed weekly slots mean lower rates - one-off jobs often cost more.
Registration and Insurance
Those who properly register their cleaner pay social contributions but avoid heavy fines for undeclared work. Total costs are often lower than expected.
Interested in working as a cleaner yourself? Read our guide Working as a Cleaner in Switzerland.
Without Registration (Undeclared Work)
- •Penalty up to 180 daily units if caught
- •No insurance coverage for accidents
- •No OASI contributions for your helper
- •Criminal proceedings and back payments possible
With Proper Registration
- •Full insurance coverage (AIA, OASI)
- •Only 7.9-9.8% employer contributions on the gross wage
- •Your helper receives OASI pension
- •Clino prepares your payroll and paperwork - CHF 19.90/mo
Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaner Costs by Canton
Why is Geneva so much more expensive than other cantons?
Geneva has the highest minimum wage in Switzerland (CHF 24.59/h) and the highest living costs. The usual wage there is CHF 31 an hour and a fair one CHF 29-34, well above the Swiss average of CHF 27.
Do social contributions come on top of the hourly wages?
Yes. On top of the gross wage come the 8.33% holiday supplement (part of the wage) and 7.9 to 9.8% employer contributions (AHV/IV/EO, ALV, accident insurance, family allowances). At CHF 30 an hour, each hour costs you CHF 5.08 to 5.67 more, depending on the canton. Use the calculator with every contribution for your exact figures.
Is there a nationwide minimum wage for cleaners?
No. Switzerland has no national minimum wage. Only five cantons (GE, BS, JU, NE, TI) have introduced cantonal minimum wages. In the remaining 21 cantons, there is freedom of contract.
How much does a cleaner cost per month?
At 4 hours a week and the Swiss average of CHF 27 an hour, the gross wage is CHF 507 a month, holiday supplement included. With employer contributions you pay CHF 547 to 556, depending on the canton. At your own canton's average wage: CHF 508 to 636.
Do living costs influence the wage?
Absolutely. The cost of living in Switzerland varies by up to 30% depending on the canton. In expensive cantons like Zug, Geneva, and Zurich, employers must pay correspondingly higher wages to find domestic helpers.
More on Cleaner Wages in Switzerland
Wherever you live: registering correctly works everywhere.
Tap your region to see what is national and what your canton sets. Clino fills it in automatically.
Canton of Zurich
German-speaking CH
AHV from
the 1st franc national
Minimum wage
from 20.35/h NAV, guideline
FAK contribution
cantonal 0.80 to 2.95%
Register within
30 days after start
No minimum wage of its own, the NAV applies. Clino sets FAK and NAV from your address.
From a city rooftop to a mountain village: one fair solution for the whole of Switzerland. CHF 19.90 a month, 30 days free.
Register, nothing charged before day 30Exact minimum wage for your canton: register correctly now.
As of 2026, guideline. Minimum wages vary by canton. NAV 2026: unskilled from CHF 20.35/h, after 4 years 22.30/h, with EFZ 24.55/h. Cantons with their own statutory minimum: Geneva 24.59/h, Basel-Stadt 22.20/h (since 2026), Ticino 20.00/h (NOGA division 97, private households) and therefore below the NAV, here the higher NAV 20.35/h applies, plus Neuchâtel and Jura (in Jura the NAV applies from 5 h/week). AHV/IV/EO 5.3% per side, ALV 1.1% per side, FAK cantonal 0.80 to 2.95%. AHV from the 1st franc, register within 30 days of the first working day. Illustrative, not legal advice.