What a Babysitter Costs: Switzerland's Rate Map
The median babysitting wage is CHF 30 an hour in Schwyz and CHF 20 in Ticino and much of French-speaking Switzerland: a 1.5-fold gap between cantons. That is what an analysis of 11,620 listings across 23 cantons finds. The canton you live in sets part of the price; who the family is and who they book sets a much larger part: individual listings range from CHF 5 to CHF 60 an hour. Plus the legal framework that applies to these amounts, and how it differs from canton to canton.
Summary
What does an hour of babysitting cost in Switzerland? The answer depends heavily on the canton, but less than one might expect. From 11,620 listings on the platform babysitting24.ch (babysitter category, cantonal capital used as the sampling point, scraped 24 July 2026), the Swiss median comes out at CHF 22 an hour (lower quartile CHF 20, upper quartile CHF 25, n=4,844). Between cantons there is a 1.5-fold spread: the cheapest are Bern, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Valais and Ticino, all at CHF 20 median, the most expensive is Schwyz at CHF 30. Within a single canton the range is wider still: individual listings across the whole sample run from CHF 5 to CHF 60 an hour, a 12-fold spread.
The canton line is not randomly distributed: Romandie and Ticino are around 25% cheaper than German-speaking Switzerland (pooled median CHF 20 versus CHF 25). One exception within Romandie is Geneva: the city sits at CHF 22, Swiss median level, alongside Zurich and Basel-City, not with the cheapest western cantons. Three cantons (Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen) yield no standalone figure: their provider pool overlaps the neighbouring canton, so a canton-specific number would not be meaningful, hence no data rather than an estimated or averaged one.
A dual legal framework applies to these amounts. The federal Normalarbeitsvertrag Hausdienst (NAV), Switzerland's standard employment contract for domestic work, sets a minimum wage of CHF 20.35 an hour from 1.1.2026 for the "unskilled" category, applying across the whole country with a single exception: Geneva has its own, higher cantonal minimum wage of CHF 24.59. And casual babysitting by under-25s remains an employment relationship in the legal sense, but is exempt from AHV (old-age insurance) registration up to CHF 750 in wages per calendar year and household. This study is non-partisan, evidence-based, and transparent about its methodology and sources.
The canton rate map: where babysitting costs the most
At the top sits Schwyz, a small canton with no major city, at a median of CHF 30 an hour (n=113), well ahead of Nidwalden (CHF 27) and a broad group of eight cantons at CHF 25. At the bottom, seven cantons tie at CHF 20: Bern, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Valais and Ticino. Neither the biggest city nor the highest average income decides the top spot: Schwyz beats Zurich, Geneva and Basel-City, all of which sit at the Swiss median of CHF 22.
| # | Median CHF/h | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schwyzn=113 · P25–P75: 24–30 | CHF 30/h |
| 2 | Nidwaldenn=172 · P25–P75: 25–30 | CHF 27/h |
| 3 | Schaffhausenn=250 · P25–P75: 20–27 | CHF 25/h |
| 4 | Solothurnn=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 25/h |
| 5 | Zugn=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 25/h |
| 6 | Thurgaun=217 · P25–P75: 20–26 | CHF 25/h |
| 7 | Grisonsn=199 · P25–P75: 20–30 | CHF 25/h |
| 8 | Obwaldenn=111 · P25–P75: 20–30 | CHF 25/h |
| 9 | Urin=90 · P25–P75: 20–30 | CHF 25/h |
| 10 | Glarusn=79 · P25–P75: 20–30 | CHF 25/h |
| 11 | Aargaun=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 23/h |
| 12 | Lucernen=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 23/h |
| 13 | Basel-Cityn=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 22/h |
| 14 | Genevan=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 22/h |
| 15 | Zurichn=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 22/h |
| 16 | Basel-Countryn=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 21/h |
| 17 | Bernn=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 20/h |
| 18 | Fribourgn=250 · P25–P75: 15–24 | CHF 20/h |
| 19 | Neuchâteln=250 · P25–P75: 15–23 | CHF 20/h |
| 20 | Ticinon=250 · P25–P75: 20–25 | CHF 20/h |
| 21 | Vaudn=250 · P25–P75: 20–23 | CHF 20/h |
| 22 | Valaisn=250 · P25–P75: 15–25 | CHF 20/h |
| 23 | Juran=113 · P25–P75: 15–25 | CHF 20/h |
Median hourly asking rate in babysitter listings by canton, babysitting24.ch, scraped 24 July 2026. Cantonal capital used as the sampling point (methodology below). AR, AI and SG are missing: their provider pool overlaps the neighbouring canton, no standalone figure is possible, no data rather than 0. n from 79 (Glarus) up.
Median hourly asking rate in babysitter listings by canton, babysitting24.ch, scraped 24 July 2026. Darker = more expensive. Schwyz is the most expensive canton at CHF 30 per hour; seven cantons (Bern, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Valais, Ticino) tie for the lowest median at CHF 20. Appenzell Outer Rhodes, Appenzell Inner Rhodes and St. Gallen (grey): their provider pool overlaps the neighbouring canton, no standalone figure is possible, no data rather than 0.
What families nationwide typically pay
Across all 23 evaluable cantons, half of families pay at most the median of CHF 22 an hour. A quarter of listings sit at CHF 20 or below, a quarter at CHF 25 or above. The distribution clusters tightly around round CHF 5 increments, as is typical on the platform, with a long tail upward: individual listings up to CHF 60 an hour.
Distribution of hourly asking rates across all babysitter listings, 23 cantons (AR/AI/SG excluded), n=4,844. babysitting24.ch, scraped 24 July 2026. Individual listings range from CHF 5 to CHF 60 per hour.
A Röstigraben in pocket money: Romandie and Ticino cheaper
Grouping the 23 cantons by cantonal language makes the pattern clear: the pooled median is CHF 20 in Romandie (n=1,363) and CHF 20 in Ticino as well (n=250), against CHF 25 in German-speaking Switzerland (n=3,231, Bern counted with the German-speaking group). That is a 25% difference between language regions, larger than the spread between individual German-speaking cantons themselves.
| Language region | Median CHF/h | P25–P75 | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romandie (FR, GE, JU, NE, VD, VS) | CHF 20/h | 20–25 | 1,363 |
| Ticino | CHF 20/h | 20–25 | 250 |
| German-speaking Switzerland | CHF 25/h | 20–25 | 3,231 |
Pooled listings from the same 23-canton sample, grouped by cantonal language (BE counted with German-speaking Switzerland). babysitting24.ch, scraped 24 July 2026. The German-speaking median sits 25% above Romandie and Ticino.
Geneva is the exception that proves the rule: with its own median of CHF 22, the city does not sit with its cheaper western neighbours but exactly at the Swiss average, alongside Zurich and Basel-City. The Röstigraben here does not run cleanly along the language border; it runs more along an urban-rural line: the big, pricier centres sit closer to each other than to their own language region.
All 23 cantons in detail
For newsrooms that want to look up their own canton: median, quartile range, price range and sample size for each of the 23 evaluable cantons, sorted from most to least expensive.
| Canton | Median | P25–P75 | Range | n |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwyz | CHF 30/h | 24–30 | 10–50 | 113 |
| Nidwalden | CHF 27/h | 25–30 | 5–60 | 172 |
| Glarus | CHF 25/h | 20–30 | 10–60 | 79 |
| Grisons | CHF 25/h | 20–30 | 10–50 | 199 |
| Obwalden | CHF 25/h | 20–30 | 10–60 | 111 |
| Schaffhausen | CHF 25/h | 20–27 | 10–50 | 250 |
| Solothurn | CHF 25/h | 20–25 | 5–60 | 250 |
| Thurgau | CHF 25/h | 20–26 | 10–50 | 217 |
| Uri | CHF 25/h | 20–30 | 5–60 | 90 |
| Zug | CHF 25/h | 20–25 | 10–40 | 250 |
| Aargau | CHF 23/h | 20–25 | 10–35 | 250 |
| Lucerne | CHF 23/h | 20–25 | 5–25 | 250 |
| Basel-City | CHF 22/h | 20–25 | 10–25 | 250 |
| Geneva | CHF 22/h | 20–25 | 10–25 | 250 |
| Zurich | CHF 22/h | 20–25 | 10–25 | 250 |
| Basel-Country | CHF 21/h | 20–25 | 10–30 | 250 |
| Bern | CHF 20/h | 20–25 | 10–25 | 250 |
| Fribourg | CHF 20/h | 15–24 | 5–25 | 250 |
| Jura | CHF 20/h | 15–25 | 5–60 | 113 |
| Neuchâtel | CHF 20/h | 15–23 | 10–25 | 250 |
| Ticino | CHF 20/h | 20–25 | 5–30 | 250 |
| Vaud | CHF 20/h | 20–23 | 10–25 | 250 |
| Valais | CHF 20/h | 15–25 | 5–50 | 250 |
Median, quartiles, minimum-maximum and sample size per canton, babysitter category, babysitting24.ch, scraped 24 July 2026. n from 79 (Glarus); 15 cantons sit at the n=250 sampling cap. AR, AI, SG: no standalone figure possible (see methodology).
The legal framework: what applies to babysitting
For household staff, which babysitting counts as for social-insurance purposes, the federal Normalarbeitsvertrag Hausdienst (NAV) sets a minimum wage of CHF 20.35 an hour in the "unskilled" category from 1.1.2026 (AHV-IV information sheet 2.06). Per the sheet it applies expressly "throughout Switzerland except the canton of Geneva": Geneva has its own, higher cantonal minimum wage of CHF 24.59 an hour (2026), which replaces the NAV there. Comparing the listing prices above against these minimums would, however, be misleading: NAV Hausdienst explicitly excludes people whose predominant activity is childcare, i.e. babysitters and Tagesmütter, from its scope. The two figures stand here as their own legal fact, not as a yardstick for market prices.
A second, often misunderstood rule applies to younger babysitters: casual babysitting by under-25s remains an employment relationship in the legal sense. It is only exempt from AHV contribution and registration duty up to a wage of CHF 750 per calendar year and household (information sheet 2.06). If this amount is exceeded with one household, the entire year's wage becomes contribution-liable, not just the excess. And regardless of age: private households that employ someone on a regular basis must register for AHV from the first franc, with no minor-earnings threshold that applies elsewhere.
| Scope | Minimum wage CHF/h | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland (except Geneva): NAV Hausdienst, “unskilled” category | 20.35 | NAV Hausdienst |
| Canton of Geneva: own cantonal minimum wage | 24.59 | LIRT / CTT-EDom |
| AHV exemption: under-25s, household work | ≤ CHF 750/year | AHV Merkblatt 2.06 |
AHV-IV info sheet 2.06, as of 1.1.2026, para. 17 (NAV applies “throughout Switzerland except the canton of Geneva”); ge.ch, minimum wage 2026. Not comparable to the listing prices above: NAV Hauswirtschaft explicitly excludes people whose predominant job is childcare (babysitters and Tagesmütter) from its scope. These figures are their own legal fact, not a judgement on market prices.
Quotable numbers
Five citation-ready sentences with sources, for newsrooms to use directly:
- The median babysitting wage in Switzerland is CHF 22 an hour (n=4,844 listings, 23 cantons, babysitting24.ch, as of 24.7.2026).
- Between the cheapest and most expensive canton there is a 1.5-fold gap: CHF 20 median in Bern, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Valais and Ticino, versus CHF 30 in Schwyz (n=113, babysitting24.ch).
- Individual listings range from CHF 5 to CHF 60 an hour, a 12-fold spread, far wider than the canton-median gap (n=4,844, babysitting24.ch).
- Romandie and Ticino are around 25% cheaper in median terms than German-speaking Switzerland: CHF 20 versus CHF 25 an hour (babysitting24.ch, own analysis by language region).
- Switzerland's national minimum wage for household staff (NAV Hausdienst) is CHF 20.35 an hour in 2026, except in the canton of Geneva, which has its own, higher minimum wage of CHF 24.59 an hour (AHV-IV information sheet 2.06; ge.ch).
Off the books or legal: what changes for the family
Off the books
- •No AHV registration, no contract, no accident cover for the babysitter
- •If checked or after an accident: back-payment of contributions, and no statute of limitations for undeclared work
- •The babysitter builds no pension and has nothing in writing in a dispute
- •Regular employment above CHF 750/year still requires registration, regardless of the babysitter's age
Employed legally with Clino
- •AHV registration from the first franc for regular employment, accident insurance included
- •Written employment contract, monthly payslip, salary certificate at year-end
- •The babysitter builds her own AHV pension and is insured against accidents
- •Under CHF 750/year for casual babysitting by an under-25: registration optional, but already set up
Employing a babysitter regularly? Register from the first franc
Clino registers babysitters and nannies in all 26 cantons: written contract, AHV registration with the cantonal compensation office, accident insurance, monthly payslips and a salary certificate, for CHF 19.90 a month. The wage calculator shows in a few minutes what a given hourly rate actually costs the household, including the CHF 750 rule for under-25s.
Register a babysitter or nanny · Wage calculator · The CHF 750 rule explained · AHV registration, step by step
Where you live explains only part of the babysitting price: a 1.5-fold gap between canton medians, but a 12-fold gap between the cheapest and most expensive individual listing. Who books whom matters more than any canton border.
Surprising findings
Not Zurich or Geneva, but Schwyz is the most expensive canton
At a median of CHF 30 an hour, Schwyz sits ahead of every major city in the country. Zurich, Geneva and Basel-City all sit at the Swiss median of CHF 22. The size or profile of the location clearly is not what drives the babysitting price here, more likely it is local demand relative to the supply of carers.
Geneva is more expensive than the rest of Romandie
While Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud and Valais all sit at a CHF 20 median, babysitting in Geneva costs CHF 22, the same as in Zurich or Basel-City. Language region only explains price up to a point: Geneva behaves, price-wise, more like a large German-speaking centre than like its western neighbours.
The spread within a canton is wider than between cantons
Canton medians span a 1.5-fold range (CHF 20 to 30). Individual listings across the full sample, though, run from CHF 5 to CHF 60, a 12-fold range. Who a family books, and with what experience, age and availability the babysitter shows up, moves the price more than any canton border does.
More studies from the Care Report 2026
Sources
- babysitting24.ch (2026) — 11,620 babysitting listings, babysitter category, 23 evaluable cantons, scraped 24.7.2026, cantonal capital used as sampling point
- AHV-IV information sheet 2.06, contributions of household staff (as of 1.1.2026) — NAV Hausdienst minimum wage CHF 20.35/h, scope excludes Geneva, CHF 750/year exemption for under-25s, registration duty from the first franc
- Canton of Geneva (ge.ch), Geneva minimum wage 2026 (2026) — own cantonal minimum wage CHF 24.59/h, replaces NAV Hausdienst in the canton of Geneva
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About Clino
Clino is a Swiss SaaS platform enabling households to legally employ domestic workers — payroll, contracts, social security, and accident insurance included. CHF 19.90/month. All 26 cantons. Founded 2025 in Zurich. clino.ch
