Executive Summary
A cleaner in Nidwalden earns CHF 34.24/hr, while one in Jura earns CHF 26.37/hr — a difference of 29.8% (CHF 7.87/hr) for identical work in the same country. Over a year (10 hrs/week), that amounts to CHF 4,092 in lost income.
The five cantons with statutory minimum wages (GE, NE, JU, BS, TI) all rank in the bottom 8 nationally. Their minimum wages appear to function as a wage ceiling rather than a floor, dragging cleaning wages down by anchoring employer expectations.
Adjusted for purchasing power, the gap narrows but does not close. Jura rises from rank 26 to rank 21, while Geneva becomes the worst canton (rank 26 PPP) — high living costs combined with low cleaning wages create a double disadvantage.
The Wage Gap: Quantified
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Highest-paying canton (2024) | NW: CHF 34.24/hr |
| Lowest-paying canton (2024) | JU: CHF 26.37/hr |
| Absolute gap | CHF 7.87/hr |
| Relative gap | 29.8% |
| Annual gap (10 hrs/week) | CHF 4,092 |
| Annual gap (20 hrs/week) | CHF 8,185 |
The cleaning sector has a wage spread of 29.8% — nearly identical to Switzerland's overall income inequality. The difference: cleaning is unskilled labour with identical tasks. The gap is pure geography.
German-speaking cantons (19)
- •Average wage 2024: CHF 32.19/hr
- •+0.66% above national average
- •Entire top 6 are German-speaking
- •Central Switzerland (NW, SZ, ZG, LU) dominates
French- + Italian-speaking (7)
- •Romandie: CHF 27.76/hr (−13.2%)
- •Ticino: CHF 26.70/hr (−16.5%)
- •Entire bottom 6 are French/Italian
- •Cross-border workers depress wages further
The language divide is a wage divide: German-speaking cantons pay 19.8% more than French-speaking ones for identical work.
The Minimum Wage Effect: Ceiling, Not Floor
Five Swiss cantons have introduced statutory minimum wages. The data reveal a paradox: all five rank in the bottom 8 for cleaning wages.
| Canton | Statutory minimum | Effective cleaning wage | Above minimum | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE Geneva | CHF 24.32 | CHF 27.39 | +12.6% | 24 |
| NE Neuchâtel | CHF 21.09 | CHF 28.67 | +35.9% | 21 |
| JU Jura | CHF 21.40 | CHF 26.37 | +23.2% | 26 |
| BS Basel-Stadt | CHF 21.00 | CHF 31.44 | +49.7% | 14 |
| TI Ticino | CHF 19.75 | CHF 26.70 | +35.2% | 25 |
For comparison: Cantons without a minimum wage
| Canton | NAV minimum (unskilled) | Effective wage | Above NAV | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NW Nidwalden | CHF 20.35 | CHF 34.24 | +78.3% | 1 |
| ZH Zurich | CHF 20.35 | CHF 33.37 | +73.8% | 2 |
| SZ Schwyz | CHF 20.35 | CHF 33.34 | +73.6% | 3 |
| ZG Zug | CHF 20.35 | CHF 33.22 | +73.0% | 4 |
| LU Lucerne | CHF 20.35 | CHF 33.10 | +72.4% | 5 |
Geneva's paradox: Switzerland's highest minimum wage (CHF 24.32) produces only the 24th-highest cleaning wage. A cleaner in Nidwalden (no minimum wage) earns 25% more than in Geneva.
Nuance: Causation is unclear. These cantons already had low wages before introducing minimum wages. The minimum wage may have been enacted because of low wages, not as their cause. Cross-border worker competition in GE, VD, NE, JU and TI is likely the more fundamental driver.
Wage Trends: Winners and Losers
Top 5 fastest growth
| Canton | 2023 | 2024 | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|
| NW Nidwalden | 31.60 | 34.24 | +8.35% |
| NE Neuchâtel | 27.10 | 28.67 | +5.79% |
| LU Lucerne | 31.60 | 33.10 | +4.75% |
| TG Thurgau | 30.90 | 32.25 | +4.37% |
| VS Valais | 29.30 | 30.47 | +3.99% |
Top 5 slowest / declines
| Canton | 2023 | 2024 | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|
| JU Jura | 28.40 | 26.37 | −7.15% |
| AI Appenzell IR | 33.60 | 32.49 | −3.30% |
| UR Uri | 32.20 | 31.81 | −1.21% |
| SO Solothurn | 31.60 | 31.40 | −0.63% |
| TI Ticino | 26.80 | 26.70 | −0.37% |
Divergence trend:The gap is widening. The 5 fastest cantons gained an average of +CHF 1.65/hr. The 5 slowest lost an average of −CHF 0.77/hr. The richest cantons are getting richer, the poorest poorer.
Purchasing-Power-Adjusted Rankings (PPP)
Nominal wages do not tell the full story. Adjusted for living costs (taxes, rent, health insurance premiums), the picture shifts considerably.
| Canton | Nominal wage | Cost-of-living index | PPP wage | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NW Nidwalden | 34.24 | 92 | CHF 37.22 | 0 (stays No. 1) |
| ZH Zurich | 33.37 | 108 | CHF 30.90 | −6 places |
| BS Basel-Stadt | 31.44 | 110 | CHF 28.58 | −5 places |
| JU Jura | 26.37 | 78 | CHF 33.81 | +9 places |
| OW Obwalden | 30.91 | 86 | CHF 35.94 | +11 places |
| GE Geneva | 27.39 | 118 | CHF 23.21 | −2 (last PPP) |
Geneva is the worst canton for cleaning staff on a purchasing-power basis: high living costs plus low cleaning wages produce the lowest real purchasing power of all 26 cantons. The PPP-adjusted wage of CHF 23.21 is 38% lower than Nidwalden's CHF 37.22.
Sources
- Quitt Household Workers Report 2025 (data year 2024) — 10,641 active contracts
- Quitt Household Workers Report 2024 (data year 2023) — 10,235 active contracts
- SECO NAV Domestic Work (2024/2025) — Federal minimum wages for household work
- Cantonal minimum wage laws (2025) — GE, NE, JU, BS, TI
- Clino canton-data.ts (2025) — FAK rates, tax rates, child allowances
- FSO, Homegate AG (2023–2025) — Rent indices, market estimates
- Google Trends (2021–2026) — Regional search demand “Putzfrau”
