Hiring a housemaid in the UAE runs from AED 8,500 via an agency to AED 14,500+ for private sponsorship in year one, before salary of AED 1,200–2,500 a month.
Hiring a housemaid in the UAE costs AED 8,500–12,000 through a licensed agency package, about AED 8,800–14,500 in year one under private sponsorship, or from roughly AED 8,500 for a two-year company-sponsorship arrangement. All of those figures exclude salary, which runs AED 1,200–2,500 a month in 2026 depending on the worker's nationality and experience.
The route you choose changes the cost, the paperwork and who carries the legal responsibilities, so it's worth deciding before you start phoning agencies. Domestic work here is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, and recruitment runs through Domestic Worker Service Centres licensed by MOHRE, the bodies formerly known as Tadbeer.
The cost to hire a maid in the UAE, route by route
| Route | What you pay (2026) | Who is the legal employer |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed recruitment centre | agency packages commonly AED 8,500–12,000 all-in | you, with the centre handling recruitment and processing |
| Company sponsorship | two-year arrangements advertised from about AED 8,500 | the licensed provider |
| Private sponsorship | about AED 8,800–14,500 in year one, plus a refundable deposit | your household |
The trade-offs sit behind the prices. Agency packages cost more up front but remove most of the paperwork. Company sponsorship keeps a provider as the legal employer, which means less control over terms but also less administration; monthly fees continue for as long as the arrangement runs. Private sponsorship is usually the cheapest over time and gives the most control, and it puts every obligation, from visa to insurance to end-of-service benefits, on your household.
New households weighing this against the rest of their Dubai budget usually read it alongside the moving to Dubai checklist, because the first year is heavy in both cases.
Private sponsorship: the year-one breakdown
- Visa, entry permit and status change: AED 5,000–6,000.
- Medical fitness test: AED 500–700.
- Emirates ID and visa stamping: AED 500–1,000.
- Health insurance: AED 700–1,500 a year.
- Refundable deposit: about AED 2,000, up to AED 5,000 on some channels.
- Typing-centre fees: AED 100–300.
Add the non-deposit lines and year one lands at about AED 8,800–14,500, with the deposit on top and refundable when the arrangement ends. Renewal years are lighter: budget about AED 4,000–6,000 a year including insurance. The official steps sit on MOHRE's website, and the general visa process is outlined on u.ae.
A two-year cost example
Take a household privately sponsoring a domestic worker on AED 1,600 a month, a mid-band salary. Salary is AED 19,200 a year. Year one: AED 8,800–14,500 in sponsorship costs plus AED 19,200 in salary, so AED 28,000–33,700. Year two: AED 4,000–6,000 in renewals plus AED 19,200, so AED 23,200–25,200.
Across two years that's roughly AED 51,200–58,900, salary included, with the refundable deposit on top. Where the contract requires it, the annual ticket home and end-of-service benefits add to the second-year figure, so treat the range as a floor rather than a ceiling. The same two years through an agency at AED 10,000 up front plus a full-time-equivalent salary would land in a similar place, which is why the deciding factor is usually control and paperwork, not the headline price.
What housemaid salaries look like in 2026
| Worker's nationality | Typical monthly salary band (AED) |
|---|---|
| Philippines | 1,800–2,500 |
| Indonesia | 1,400–1,800 |
| India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh | 1,300–1,800 |
| Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda | 1,200–1,600 |
These are market bands, not legal minimums, and experience, language and duties move individuals above or below them. Salary is paid monthly and on time, with proof of payment; more on what that means legally below.
Your obligations as an employer
The 2022 law gives domestic workers a clear set of entitlements, and they apply whoever the sponsor is:
- A weekly rest day, and daily rest hours.
- Paid annual leave, and sick leave.
- A written contract, signed before the worker arrives or starts.
- Salary paid on time, with proof of payment rather than unrecorded cash.
- End-of-service benefits paid by the employer.
- An annual ticket home where the contract requires it.
- Decent accommodation and meals, where the worker lives in.
Families going through this for the first time often meet the paperwork around the same time as another life event; the cost of having a baby in Dubai and a new helper frequently arrive in the same year, and the budget benefits from being written down together.
Red flags, and how to check a licence
Most recruitment in the UAE runs through legitimate channels. The exceptions are worth knowing before they cost you money, or worse, put a worker in a bad position:
- Unlicensed agents operating outside the MOHRE system. Recruitment must go through licensed Domestic Worker Service Centres.
- Anyone holding a worker's passport. That's illegal; the passport belongs to the worker, always.
- Recruitment fees charged to the worker rather than the employer. If the person you're hiring paid to be placed, walk away.
- No written contract, or a contract that differs from what was promised.
- Salaries paid in unrecorded cash with no receipt or transfer record.
Checking a centre's licence takes minutes: ask for the centre's licence details and verify them against MOHRE's list of licensed Domestic Worker Service Centres before paying anything. A licensed centre will expect the question.
Do you qualify to sponsor privately?
The commonly applied requirements for private sponsorship are a monthly household income around AED 25,000 and a suitable home evidenced by a tenancy contract such as the Ejari. Those figures shift as rules are updated, so confirm the current requirements with MOHRE or the immigration authority before you begin, rather than relying on a forum post from three years ago. If your household doesn't meet the threshold, company sponsorship remains available and, on the two-year advertised figures, starts from about AED 8,500.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire a maid in Dubai?
AED 8,500–12,000 through an agency package, from about AED 8,500 for two years of company sponsorship, or AED 8,800–14,500 in year one privately, before a monthly salary of AED 1,200–2,500.
Can I hire a maid without an agency?
Yes, through private sponsorship, where your household is the sponsor and handles the visa, medical, ID and insurance. It's the most involved route and usually the cheapest over time.
What salary should I expect to pay?
Market bands in 2026 run from AED 1,200–1,600 for workers from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda up to AED 1,800–2,500 for workers from the Philippines, with experience and duties shifting individual salaries.
Do I need a minimum income to sponsor a maid?
A monthly income around AED 25,000 plus a suitable tenancy is commonly required for private sponsorship. Confirm the current rule with MOHRE or immigration before applying.
Who pays for the annual ticket home?
The employer, where the contract requires it. This is one reason the written contract matters; it should state clearly who covers travel.
Can the worker keep her own passport?
Yes, and she must. Holding a worker's passport is illegal in the UAE, whatever a previous employer's habit was.
Decide the route before the paperwork starts, verify the centre's licence, and put everything the contract promises in writing. If the helper's role is school runs and homework, the real cost of school fees in Dubai and the best Dubai communities for families are the two guides most households read next.
