Going rate for a house cleaner

[AngelinBA]

Hi there, could anybody give me an idea of the going hourly rate for a house cleaner in BA? My boss has been told (by her cleaner) that the rate is a lot higher than what she's currently paying, and if this is really the case then she wants to pay the correct amount (we just want to know that it really is the case! ).
Many thanks

 

[citygirl]

Is that for someone who comes only 1x a week? 2x a week? Every day?

For hourly (no more than 8 hours a week), I would say going rate is between 20-25 pesos an hour now.

 

[jimdepalermo]

Good idea, Angelin, let's share data. Here's my impression from my maid and from comparing notes with a few friends. I should also mention that a porteña friend says she never employs mucamas who have worked for foreigners because we spoil them and they expect to be overpaid!

The hourly rate depends on the number of hours worked and whether it's en blanco or en negro.

For full-time work en blanco (with obra social, social security, paid holidays, vacations, and sick leave), an hourly rate of 18 - 25 seems to be fairly standard.

At the other extreme, a few hours' work each week en negro should cost 25 - 30 pesos an hour, and most mucamas will ask for a few pesos viatico to cover travel costs.

Now, foristas, what are you paying your mucamas?

 

[Davidglen77]

In January I raised ours to $25 per hour (was $22 per hour prior to that) plus travel expenses $8 pesos, and lunch (I leave food in the fridge, bread, jamón, queso, salad, coffee and cookies). She works 6-7 hours once per week. I figure around July we will have to raise the hourly rate to $27-$28 per hour and probably $30 per hour by the end of the year.

 

[mariposa]

my mucama comes once a week. i pay her 25 pesos/hour plus lunch and viatico.

 

[citygirl]

Full time work (ie 40+) hours a week certainly isn't paid at 18-20 pesos an hour. The official rate are here but monthly salaries for full time en blanco maids are between 2000 and 2800 per month for full time workers. http://www.finanzasblog.com.ar/servicio-domestico-escala-salarial/

The legal rate is 15.79 pesos per hour if you are paying by hour en blanco.

There is always a premium paid for maids that only work a few hours a week as opposed to full time as they have to make up for not having consistent work and it is harder for them schedule wise.

 

[jimdepalermo]

Full time work (ie 40+) hours a week certainly isn't paid at 18-20 pesos an hour. The official rate are here but monthly salaries for full time en blanco maids are between 2000 and 2800 per month for full time workers. http://www.finanzasblog.com.ar/servicio-domestico-escala-salarial/

The legal rate is 15.79 pesos per hour if you are paying by hour en blanco.

There is always a premium paid for maids that only work a few hours a week as opposed to full time as they have to make up for not having consistent work and it is harder for them schedule wise.

Thanks, citygirl, I found the same data just as I hit Submit Reply. $15,79 is the legal minimum en blanco since November 2011. Are you saying that my estimate of 18 - 20 is high or low?

I should have been more specific in my original post. My mucama works a minimum 20 hours a week and typically 25 - 30, for which I currently pay her (since July 2011) 18 per hour en blanco. To keep up more or less with inflation, I expect to raise this by 20-25% in the next month or two. My porteña friend is probably right that we foreigners overpay, but comparing numbers with other friends who pay en blanco, I think I'm on the lower end of the current scale.

For the record, anyone paying taxes on ganancias can deduct up to A$ 9.000 annually in payments en blanco to a mucama.

 

[Ashley]

The last time we had a mucama, we paid her 20 pesos the hour plus viaticos (this was a year ago) for just a few hours work each week (she had a few other clients that paid the same). I guess between 20-25 would be the norm now
A couple of portenos I spoke to are paying less (around 17) for the same type of thing.
If anyone knows a cleaning lady that is looking for a few extra hours per week, we're still looking so feel free to PM me!

 

[PhilipDT]

22 pesos no viatico 8hrs/day 2x/week negro

 

[AngelinBA]

Thanks for your answers, this is for a cleaner who comes once a week for 8 hours, currently paid $20 but is saying the going rate is $25. Sounds like that's about right, I will run this by my boss.