To hire a trustworthy maid in India in 2026, verify identity and references before agreeing on salary, not after. Part-time help costs ₹2,000-6,000 a month per task, while a live-out full-time maid earns ₹12,000-25,000. This guide covers salary by city and task, the verification steps that matter, and the red flags to walk away from.
How much does a maid cost per month in India in 2026?
Part-time maid salaries in 2026 are charged per task: sweeping and mopping costs ₹1,000-2,500 a month, utensils ₹1,000-2,200, and cooking ₹2,500-6,000 depending on meals. A full-time live-out maid earns ₹12,000-25,000, and a live-in maid ₹18,000-35,000 with food and stay. Rates rise with home size and number of people.
| Task | Part-time (₹/month) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sweeping + mopping | 1,000 – 2,500 | Per BHK; more for duplex |
| Utensils / dishwashing | 1,000 – 2,200 | Higher for joint families |
| Clothes washing (machine) | 800 – 1,800 | Hand-wash costs more |
| Dusting + house tidying | 800 – 1,500 | Often bundled with mopping |
| Cooking (1 meal, 2-3 people) | 2,500 – 4,500 | Per cuisine complexity |
| Cooking (2 meals) | 4,000 – 6,000 | Breakfast + dinner |
| Baby / elder care (part-time) | 6,000 – 12,000 | Trained help costs more |
How does maid salary vary by city?
Metro maids earn 30-50% more than tier-2 cities for the same work. Full-time live-out help is ₹18,000-25,000 in Mumbai and Bangalore but ₹10,000-15,000 in Jaipur or Lucknow. Cost of living, demand from working households, and apartment-society norms drive these gaps across cities.
| City | Part-time (1 task) ₹ | Full-time live-out ₹ | Live-in ₹ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | 1,800 – 2,500 | 18,000 – 25,000 | 25,000 – 35,000 |
| Delhi | 1,500 – 2,200 | 15,000 – 22,000 | 22,000 – 32,000 |
| Bangalore | 1,500 – 2,300 | 16,000 – 24,000 | 22,000 – 33,000 |
| Hyderabad | 1,200 – 2,000 | 13,000 – 20,000 | 20,000 – 28,000 |
| Pune | 1,400 – 2,100 | 14,000 – 21,000 | 20,000 – 30,000 |
| Kolkata | 1,000 – 1,800 | 12,000 – 18,000 | 18,000 – 26,000 |
| Jaipur / Lucknow | 900 – 1,600 | 10,000 – 15,000 | 15,000 – 22,000 |
How do you verify a maid before hiring?
Verification is the single most important step and should happen before money is discussed. At minimum, confirm a government photo ID, take two contactable references from previous employers, and lodge a police verification at your local station or online portal, which is free or under ₹100 in most states.
- Collect a government photo ID (Aadhaar, voter ID) and keep a copy with a recent photo.
- Call at least two previous employers — ask about honesty, punctuality and reason for leaving.
- File police verification at the local station or your state e-services portal; keep the acknowledgement.
- Note permanent address and an emergency family contact number.
- Agree a one-week trial before confirming monthly salary and leave terms.
- Prefer profiles that are already phone and ID verified on a directory like Solve24 to cut your own legwork.
What are the red flags when hiring house help?
Walk away if a worker refuses to share ID or references, demands a large advance, or keeps changing their story about past jobs. These patterns correlate strongly with disputes and theft complaints, and verification friction usually means something is being hidden.
- Refuses to share any photo ID or give references
- Demands one or two months salary as advance before starting
- Vague or contradictory answers about previous employers
- No fixed address or unwilling to give an emergency contact
- Pressure to skip the trial period and pay full salary immediately
- Brought by an unverified agent who takes a cut and offers no accountability
Should you hire directly or through an agency?
Placement agencies handle sourcing but charge a finder fee of 15-50% of one month salary, and many take a recurring cut. Hiring a verified independent worker directly avoids that fee entirely — you pay only the agreed salary. The trade-off is that you handle verification yourself, which a verified directory makes far easier.
| Route | Upfront fee | Ongoing cut | You verify? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placement agency | 15-50% of 1 month salary | Sometimes monthly | Agency claims to |
| Unverified local agent | ₹500 – 2,000 finder fee | Often | No real checks |
| Direct via Solve24 | None | Zero commission | Profiles pre-verified |
A simple hiring checklist for 2026
- Define the exact tasks and timing you need before you start looking.
- Shortlist verified, reviewed profiles in your locality.
- Interview for attitude and clarity on tasks, not just price.
- Verify ID, references and file police verification.
- Run a one-week paid trial.
- Put salary, weekly off, festival bonus and leave policy in clear words you both agree to.
My last maid was sent by an agent who took ₹1,800 and vanished when she stopped showing up. This time I hired a phone and ID verified helper directly on Solve24, did the police verification myself, and pay her salary directly with no agent in the middle.
Why hire household help directly on Solve24?
Commission-based and agency models add finder fees and recurring cuts that inflate what you pay while the worker keeps less. Solve24 lists verified, independent house help with phone and ID verification, ratings and locality details — you contact and pay them directly with zero platform commission, and you stay in control of the verification process.
Browse verified maids and house help in your city on Solve24, compare reviews and rates, and hire the person whose verification and references give you confidence.