Swiss Cleaning Cost Index 2026
What legal household cleaning really costs: The first complete employer cost comparison across all 26 Swiss cantons.
Executive Summary
Total employer costs for a legal household cleaning engagement range from CHF 31.32/hr in Jura to CHF 40.21/hr in Nidwalden. A gap of 28.4% (CHF 8.90/hr), driven primarily by wage differences rather than cantonal social contributions. The national average stands at CHF 36.50/hr all-in.
The «legality premium», the extra cost of properly employing someone instead of paying cash, averages 22.6% across Switzerland, or roughly CHF 1,100 per year for a household booking 3 hours per week. This is the price of AHV coverage, accident insurance, and full legal compliance.
Legal direct employment via a payroll platform (Clino, CHF 19.90/mo.) is cheaper than cleaning agencies in low-wage cantons (Romandie, Ticino), but more expensive in high-wage German-speaking cantons. Agencies only become cost-effective above a gross wage of roughly CHF 29/hr.
2026 update
- The statutory minimum wage (NAV household work) rose in 2026 to CHF 20.35/h for unskilled workers (CHF 22.30 with experience, CHF 24.55 with an EFZ).
- Municipal minimum wages: only the City of Lucerne's is in force, at CHF 22.75. The City of Zürich (CHF 23.90) and Winterthur (CHF 23.00) have been decided and confirmed valid by the Federal Supreme Court on 12.5.2026, but are not yet in force.
- The declared average wage climbed to CHF 32.57/h in 2026 (+1.84% year on year, Quitt Household Workers Report 2026). The cantonal table below is based on data year 2024 and reflects the relative ranking of the cantons.
Canton ranking: most and least expensive
The 5 most expensive cantons
| Rank | Canton | Gross wage | FAK rate | Total cost/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | NW Nidwalden | CHF 34.24 | 1.500 % | CHF 40.21 |
| 25 | SZ Schwyz | CHF 33.34 | 1.300 % | CHF 39.08 |
| 24 | ZH Zurich | CHF 33.37 | 1.025 % | CHF 39.02 |
| 23 | ZG Zug | CHF 33.22 | 1.350 % | CHF 38.96 |
| 22 | LU Lucerne | CHF 33.10 | 1.355 % | CHF 38.82 |
The 5 least expensive cantons
| Rank | Canton | Gross wage | FAK rate | Total cost/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JU Jura | CHF 26.37 | 2.850 % | CHF 31.35 |
| 2 | TI Ticino | CHF 26.70 | 1.900 % | CHF 31.46 |
| 3 | GE Geneva | CHF 27.39 | 2.372 % | CHF 32.43 |
| 4 | VD Vaud | CHF 28.04 | 2.620 % | CHF 33.26 |
| 5 | FR Fribourg | CHF 28.34 | 2.350 % | CHF 33.54 |
All 26 cantons compared
| Rank | Canton | Gross wage | FAK rate | Total cost/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 |  NW Nidwalden | CHF 34.24 | 1.500 % | CHF 40.21 |
| 25 |  SZ Schwyz | CHF 33.34 | 1.300 % | CHF 39.08 |
| 24 |  ZH Zurich | CHF 33.37 | 1.025 % | CHF 39.02 |
| 23 |  ZG Zug | CHF 33.22 | 1.350 % | CHF 38.96 |
| 22 |  LU Lucerne | CHF 33.10 | 1.355 % | CHF 38.82 |
| 21 |  GR Graubünden | CHF 32.75 | 1.500 % | CHF 38.46 |
| 20 |  AI Appenzell Innerrhoden | CHF 32.49 | 1.600 % | CHF 38.19 |
| 19 |  AR Appenzell Ausserrhoden | CHF 32.44 | 1.600 % | CHF 38.13 |
| 18 |  TG Thurgau | CHF 32.25 | 1.400 % | CHF 37.84 |
| 17 |  UR Uri | CHF 31.81 | 1.700 % | CHF 37.43 |
| 16 |  AG Aargau | CHF 31.86 | 1.450 % | CHF 37.40 |
| 15 |  BE Bern | CHF 31.73 | 1.500 % | CHF 37.26 |
| 14 |  SH Schaffhausen | CHF 31.64 | 1.300 % | CHF 37.09 |
| 13 |  SG St. Gallen | CHF 31.43 | 1.800 % | CHF 37.01 |
| 12 |  BS Basel-Stadt | CHF 31.44 | 1.650 % | CHF 36.97 |
| 11 |  SO Solothurn | CHF 31.40 | 1.250 % | CHF 36.79 |
| 10 |  OW Obwalden | CHF 30.91 | 1.400 % | CHF 36.27 |
| 9 |  GL Glarus | CHF 30.89 | 1.400 % | CHF 36.24 |
| 8 |  VS Valais | CHF 30.47 | 2.780 % | CHF 36.20 |
| 7 |  BL Basel-Landschaft | CHF 30.82 | 1.300 % | CHF 36.13 |
| 6 |  NE Neuchâtel | CHF 28.67 | 2.487 % | CHF 33.96 |
| 5 |  FR Fribourg | CHF 28.34 | 2.350 % | CHF 33.54 |
| 4 |  VD Vaud | CHF 28.04 | 2.620 % | CHF 33.26 |
| 3 |  GE Geneva | CHF 27.39 | 2.372 % | CHF 32.43 |
| 2 |  TI Ticino | CHF 26.70 | 1.900 % | CHF 31.46 |
| 1 |  JU Jura | CHF 26.37 | 2.850 % | CHF 31.35 |
Total employer cost per hour (gross wage + holiday + AHV/ALV/UVG/FAK), excluding the Clino fee. Market wage: Quitt Household Workers Report 2025 (data year 2024).
National average: CHF 36.50/hr total employer cost | CHF 31.04/hr gross wage. Based on 10,641 active contracts (Quitt Household Workers Report 2025, data year 2024).
The Rostigraben of Cleaning Costs
Romandie + Ticino (6 cheapest)
- •Average: CHF 32.63/hr total cost
- •All 6 cheapest cantons are French- or Italian-speaking
- •Lower wages due to cross-border workers and generally lower pay levels
- •Despite the highest FAK rates (JU 2.85%, FR 2.35%)
German-speaking Switzerland (20 most expensive)
- •Average: CHF 37.72/hr total cost
- •16.5% higher than Romandie + Ticino
- •Affluent Central Switzerland at the top (NW, SZ, ZG)
- •Low FAK rates (ZH 1.025%, SO 1.25%) barely help
The language border is a cost border: average total costs in Romandie and Ticino (CHF 32.63/hr) are 16.5% below those in German-speaking Switzerland (CHF 37.72/hr).
The Legality Premium: What Does Proper Employment Cost?
The «legality premium» measures how much more legal employment costs compared to a cash-in-hand arrangement (gross wage only, without social contributions, holiday pay, or platform fees).
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average legality premium | 22.6% of cash payment cost |
| Annual premium (average) | CHF 1,094/year |
| Monthly premium (average) | CHF 91/month |
| Premium per hour | CHF 5.46/hr |
| Lowest-premium canton (Zurich) | 21.5% | CHF 1,117/year |
| Highest-premium canton (Jura) | 24.5% | CHF 1,010/year |
For CHF 91 per month, less than a Netflix family plan plus a Spotify subscription, a household gets full AHV/IV coverage, accident insurance, and legal compliance for its domestic worker.
Key finding: The narrow range of the annual premium (CHF 1,010 to CHF 1,170) across all 26 cantons shows: The barrier to legality is not price, but awareness and convenience. Platforms like Clino exist precisely to eliminate the administrative burden.
Agency Comparison: When Is DIY + Clino Worth It?
Major cleaning agencies charge CHF 31.95–37.90/hr (Helpling), CHF 35–37/hr (Batmaid), or CHF 26.50–35/hr (Suuber). The break-even gross wage, above which DIY + Clino costs the same as an agency, varies by canton.
| Canton | Break-even vs. Batmaid | Actual wage | DIY cheaper? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZH Zurich | CHF 28.64 | CHF 33.37 | No |
| BE Bern | CHF 28.50 | CHF 31.73 | No |
| VD Vaud | CHF 28.29 | CHF 28.04 | Yes (CHF 0.25) |
| GE Geneva | CHF 28.30 | CHF 27.39 | Yes (CHF 0.91) |
| TI Ticino | CHF 28.43 | CHF 26.70 | Yes (CHF 1.73) |
Surprising finding: In German-speaking Switzerland, where average wages exceed CHF 31/hr, cleaning agencies like Batmaid (CHF 35/hr) are paradoxically cheaper than legal direct employment. In Romandie and Ticino, the relationship reverses.
Annual cost comparison (3 hrs/week)
| Option | Zurich | Bern | Vaud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batmaid (CHF 35/hr) | CHF 5,460 | CHF 5,460 | CHF 5,460 |
| Helpling biweekly (CHF 31.95/hr) | CHF 4,984 | CHF 4,984 | CHF 4,984 |
| DIY + Clino | CHF 6,323 | CHF 6,052 | CHF 5,413 |
| Undeclared work (cash) | CHF 5,206 | CHF 4,950 | CHF 4,374 |
Surprising Findings
Zurich: Lowest FAK rate, third-most expensive canton
Zurich's FAK rate (1.025%) is the lowest in Switzerland. Yet Zurich ranks 23rd of 26 on total cost because high wages (CHF 33.37/hr) more than offset low social contributions. The FAK saving versus Valais amounts to just CHF 0.49/hr, while the wage differential is CHF 2.90/hr.
Nidwalden: Smallest canton, highest costs
Nidwalden (population ~44,000) has the highest average hourly wage for household cleaning in Switzerland: CHF 34.24. CHF 0.87 more than Zurich. Its affluent demographics (low taxes, high incomes) create strong demand with limited supply.
Jura: Highest FAK rate and still the cheapest canton
Jura has the highest FAK rate in Switzerland at 2.85%, yet at CHF 31.32/h it is still the cheapest canton for legal household employment. The reason: its market wage (CHF 26.37) is the lowest nationwide. Even the highest social-contribution rate cannot offset a wage gap of nearly CHF 8/h versus Nidwalden.
Wages drive 85%+ of total costs
Despite FAK rates that vary by a factor of 2.8 (Zurich 1.025% to Jura 2.85%), the total cost ranking barely deviates from the wage ranking. No canton shifts by more than 2 positions. Canton-shopping for low social contributions is pointless.
Sources
- Quitt Household Workers Report 2025 (Data year 2024), 10,641 contracts, average wages by canton
- Quitt Household Workers Report 2026 (Data year 2025), Update: average wage CHF 32.57/h (+1.84% year on year)
- Clino canton-data.ts (2026), FAK rates (BSV/OFAS, as of 12 Dec 2025), AHV/IV/EO, ALV, UVG rates
- Batmaid, Helpling, Suuber (March 2026), Agency prices (list prices)
- FSIO/SECO (2026), AHV/IV/EO contribution rates; NAV household 2026 (CHF 20.35/22.30/24.55)
- SECO, Unia, FSO (2023–2025), Market size, undeclared work estimates
- Cantonal compensation offices (2025), FAK contribution rates as of 1 Jan 2025
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About Clino
Clino is a Swiss SaaS platform enabling households to legally employ domestic workers: payroll, contract and AHV registration; Clino guides the household, insurance stays with the household. CHF 19.90/month. All 26 cantons. Founded 2026 in Zurich. clino.ch
