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Hourly wage calculator for cleaners: are you earning enough?
Wage check
Your legal minimum
CHF 20.35
per hour, gross, without holiday pay
NAV Hauswirtschaft, applies from 5 hours a week
Stadt Zürich (CHF 23.90) and Winterthur (CHF 23.00): decided, but not yet in force. Until then the amount above applies.
Usual in Zurich: CHF 32 to 37 (avg. CHF 34)
Next step: create a free profile and send your employers a link. They register you, you get a contract and payslips.
Create a free profile →
The legal minimum starts at CHF 20.35 an hour and rises with experience and training to CHF 24.55. In 2 cantons a higher cantonal minimum applies. Pick your canton and level, enter your wage: you see straight away whether it is enough.
By the way: what your wage really costs your employer is shown by the employer cost calculator.
What do cleaners in Switzerland really earn?
The NAV Hauswirtschaft, the federal standard employment contract for private households, sets three minimum wages. Which one applies to you depends on experience and training:
No training
CHF 20.35/h
Less than 4 years of experience in household work. From 5 hours a week with the same family, it may not be less.
4+ years' experience or EBA
CHF 22.30/h
From 4 years of household experience or with a 2-year apprenticeship (EBA). Many families don't know this: tell them.
EFZ
CHF 24.55/h
With a 3-year apprenticeship (EFZ), for example as a household services specialist.
The highest applicable floor always applies. In 2 cantons the cantonal minimum wage sits above the NAV and applies there: Geneva (CHF 24.59), Neuchâtel (CHF 21.35). In Basel-Stadt the cantonal minimum (CHF 22.20/h) is above the NAV, but from 5 h/week the NAV takes precedence. Below that, CHF 22.20/h applies. In Jura the cantonal minimum (CHF 21.40/h) is above the NAV, but from 5 h/week the NAV takes precedence. Below that, CHF 21.40/h applies. Ticino does have a cantonal minimum of its own (CHF 20.00/h), but it is BELOW the NAV, so there the NAV rate of CHF 20.35/h governs, not the cantonal one.
On top come your holidays: paid holidays if you work regular hours, or a supplement of at least 8.33% on the hourly wage if your hours are irregular. How holiday pay works is explained in the guide.
Hourly wage by canton: what is usual?
Wages vary a lot between cantons. Here are the 12 cantons with the highest average wage for household help, all 26 with one click:
Hourly rate by canton
26 cantonsThe average wage per canton and where the legal minimum with 4 years' experience sits.
Average: gross hourly wage of all household help in active contracts from quitt, Schweizer Haushaltshilfen-Report 2026 (2025 data), rounded. Minimum: the higher of the NAV minimum wage with 4 years' experience or an EBA and the cantonal minimum wage. Without training it can be lower, with an EFZ higher: the calculator above shows your own minimum. Guideline values, not a wage guarantee.
Moved here from abroad? How the Swiss hourly wage compares with your home country is shown on the world map of cleaners' wages.
The 7 biggest mistakes when negotiating your rate
1. You don't know your level
With 4 years of household experience or an EBA apprenticeship you are owed more than at entry level, and with an EFZ more still. Many work for years at the entry rate because nobody checked.
2. You negotiate net instead of gross
The minimum wage is a gross wage: social deductions still come off it (see the comparison below). Say clearly whether you mean gross or net, otherwise each side means something different.
3. You work undeclared because the net is higher
In the short term, maybe. But without registration you are missing AHV years, and every missing year cuts your pension later. After an accident the UVG substitute fund does pay, but you first have to prove you were employed.
4. You have nothing in writing
An employment contract is valid even when agreed orally, and notice periods, holidays and pay during illness apply without a signature too. But without a contract and payslips it is hard to prove what was agreed. What else you are entitled to, from holidays to notice periods, is explained in the guide to your rights.
5. You don't count the commute
If you travel 30 minutes each way for 2 hours of work, you earn only two thirds of your hourly wage over the whole time. Longer jobs or families nearby pay off more.
6. You bring your own cleaning products without saying anything
As a rule, the family provides the materials. If you bring your own with their agreement, you are entitled to fair compensation (Art. 327 CO). Raise it before you go shopping.
7. You never talk about a raise
Bringing it up once a year is normal, especially with more experience or new tasks. Announce a change a month in advance. The calculator above writes the message for you, with your figures.
More tips, templates and help are on Clino for cleaners.
Cleaning & Household
The classic: rights, safety and pro techniques for cleaners.
- ~40 min
- in your language
- PDF certificate with QR code
Registered vs. undeclared: what you really earn
Undeclared work looks like more money at first glance. The comparison at CHF 28 an hour:
| Undeclared (CHF 28/h) | Registered (CHF 28/h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross per hour | 28.00 | 28.00 |
| AHV/IV/EO and ALV deductions (6.4%) | 0 | -1.79 |
| Net per hour | 28.00 | 26.21 |
| AHV pension | These years are missing | The years count |
| Accident | Only via the substitute fund, you must prove the job | Insured from the first hour (UVG) |
| Pay during illness | You are owed it, but it is hard to enforce | On record (Art. 324a CO or KTG) |
| Unemployment insurance | Counts only if you prove the job | Counts as contribution time |
Simplified and before tax. From 8 hours a week with the same family, non-occupational accident insurance (NBU) is added. In the simplified procedure 5% withholding tax is deducted, which settles your tax on this wage.
Registered, about CHF 1.79 an hour goes to AHV and ALV contributions. In return your contribution years count, and your wage, holidays and accident cover are on record.
Frequently asked questions
What is the legal minimum wage for cleaners in Switzerland 2026?
The federal NAV Hauswirtschaft sets three minimum wages: CHF 20.35/h with no training, CHF 22.30/h from 4 years of experience or with an EBA, CHF 24.55/h with an EFZ. It applies from 5 hours a week with the same family. The highest applicable floor always wins: in 2 cantons (GE, NE) the cantonal minimum is higher and applies there. In Basel-Stadt the cantonal minimum (CHF 22.20/h) is above the NAV, but from 5 h/week the NAV takes precedence. Below that, CHF 22.20/h applies. In Jura the cantonal minimum (CHF 21.40/h) is above the NAV, but from 5 h/week the NAV takes precedence. Below that, CHF 21.40/h applies. Ticino has a cantonal minimum of CHF 20.00/h, but it is below the NAV. There CHF 20.35/h stays your floor.
Can I charge more than the minimum?
Yes. The minimum wage is the floor, not the goal. Depending on the canton, the average is about CHF 27 to 35 an hour (canton averages from quitt, Schweizer Haushaltshilfen-Report 2026, 2025 data, rounded). Good arguments for more are experience, training and extra tasks such as ironing or childcare.
What does a certificate really do?
The Clino certificate is not a state qualification and does not change your NAV level: that depends on experience, an EBA or an EFZ. But it shows a family that you know your rights, safety and professional cleaning, and it is a good reason to talk about pay. The course is free and has 6 short modules.
Does the family have to register me?
Yes. Whoever employs you in a private household is your employer: they register you with the AHV compensation office and insure you against accidents (UVG) from the first hour. If you earn at most CHF 22'680 a year with that family, they can use the simplified procedure: 5% withholding tax is then deducted, and that settles your tax on this wage. Clino prepares the contract, the registration and the payslips for the family; they send them off themselves.
How do I raise my rate with existing clients?
Bring it up about a month in advance, short and friendly, on WhatsApp or in person. Name the new amount, when it should start and a reason: more experience, new tasks, training or higher prices. You cannot raise it on your own: the new wage applies once the family agrees. The calculator above writes the message with your figures.
What if a client wants to pay cash under the table?
Explain calmly that you only work registered because you need AHV years, accident insurance and pay during illness. Many families think registering is complicated: usually it is one form at the compensation office and an accident insurance policy. If they still refuse, you decide whether to stay.
Sources
- SECO: NAV Hauswirtschaft, minimum wages: seco.admin.ch
- quitt, Schweizer Haushaltshilfen-Report 2026: average wages by canton (2025 data): quitt.ch
- Canton of Geneva: cantonal minimum wage: ge.ch
- Canton of Neuchâtel: cantonal minimum wage: ne.ch
- Canton of Jura: cantonal minimum wage: jura.ch
- Canton of Basel-Stadt: cantonal minimum wage: bs.ch
- Canton of Ticino: cantonal minimum wage: ti.ch
- BSV: AHV contributions: bsv.admin.ch
More on Cleaner Wages in Switzerland
Note: The minimum wages come from the NAV Hauswirtschaft and cantonal laws. The usual wages are the canton averages of all household help (cleaning, childcare, care) in active contracts from quitt, Schweizer Haushaltshilfen-Report 2026 (2025 data), rounded to whole francs. What you actually earn depends on the family, your tasks and the negotiation. The calculator is a guideline, not legal advice.
Last update: 21 October 2026