At 4 hours a week, a year of declared home help takes 3.6% of an average salary before tax in Latvia and 8.2% in Bulgaria. The map shows what one hour of declared home help costs a household that hires directly, in 51 European locations and from official sources. It also shows the share of a salary this takes, what the employer must do and what is known about undeclared work.
CHF 23.99Cost to the household for one hourCHF 4’990Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksYearly figures use 52 weeks.Basis: Helpore payroll rules applied to the canton cost dataFrom CHF 23.87 in Lucerne to CHF 30.26 in Geneva, across 26 cantons. Accident insurance is not included.
Share of average salary
5.0%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage: an adult full time worker, normally in industry, construction and business services. · Average salary before tax, from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)OECD, Taxing Wages 2026
What the household must do
Buying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyA household that hires directly is the employer, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country
In 2025, Swiss cantonal bodies carried out 239 controls for undeclared work in services to private households and checked 322 people. This shows enforcement activity, not how much household work is undeclared.Controls for undeclared work in services to private households · 2025Policy responseSimplified household-employer registration and payroll route (federal guidance). It sets out the steps for registration, wage reporting and payroll for a household that employs directly. It is guidance, not a subsidy for households. SECO guidance on registration and payroll.
Household customer and service providerThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.For each order
Registration
Household customerWhen a company supplies the service, its workers are not household employees just because they work in the home. Where the offer is a referral, check the contract.Before the first order and at each change
Contract
Household customer and service providerAgree the company, the scope and the final terms, and keep the bill.At booking and when terms change
Pay and payroll
Household customerPay the agreed price. It is not the worker’s wage, and the household does not run the company’s payroll.At each invoice or payment
Tax
Household customerKeep the invoice. Any VAT is part of the company’s price, and the household does not add a tax of its own.At each invoice and for any eligible tax claim
Social contributions
Service provider or independent workerThe employing company, or a genuinely independent worker, pays the contributions. Buying the service does not make the household pay contributions.Provider responsibility
Accident cover
Household cooperates; actual employer has its own dutiesWhen giving access to the home, keep it safe and point out any hazards. The price alone does not show whether every worker has accident cover.For each visit and after an incident
Pension
Employer or independent workerThe household does not run the company’s pension payroll. The price alone does not show pension contributions for every worker.Not a household payroll task
Leave
Actual employerLeave is the employer’s duty. The price alone does not show whether an independent worker has paid leave.Not a household leave task
Reporting
Household customerKeep the order and payment records. Claim a household tax benefit where the tax rules allow it. Buying a service creates no payroll returns for the household.At each invoice and for any yearly claim
Direct household employer
Who is responsible
Household employerThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.At hiringSource for this action 1
Registration
HouseholdRegister the worker with the cantonal compensation office. Check the work permit and whether tax at source applies.At the start and when terms changeSource for this action 1
Contract
Household employer and workerA contract can be oral. For a permanent job, or one longer than one month, give written information within one month: the parties, the start date, the role, the wage and supplements, and the weekly hours. Confirm any change in writing within one month.At the start and when terms changeSource for this action 1Source for this action 2
Pay and payroll
HouseholdCalculate gross and net pay and keep pay records. From an average of 5 hours a week with this household, the federal standard contract for household work (NAV Hauswirtschaft) sets the minimum wage. A canton can set a higher minimum.PaydaySource for this action 1
Tax
Household employerCheck whether the worker pays tax at source. Under the simplified procedure, the compensation office collects it with the contributions. Otherwise ordinary payroll and a yearly wage certificate apply.When applicableSource for this action 1
Social contributions
HouseholdPay the contributions for old age and survivors’ insurance (AHV), disability insurance (IV), income compensation (EO) and unemployment insurance through the compensation office. Half is deducted from the wage and the household pays the other half. The household also pays the family allowance contribution.At the start and each paydaySource for this action 1
Accident cover
HouseholdInsure the worker against occupational accidents from the first hour of work. From 8 hours a week with this household, the cover must also include accidents outside work (UVV Art. 13).At the start and each paydaySource for this action 1
Pension
Household employerOld age and survivors’ insurance (AHV) applies, with an exception for young workers on small wages. Occupational pension (BVG) depends on age, length of the job and yearly wage.When applicableSource for this action 1
Leave
Household employer; applicable collection bodyFour weeks of paid holiday a year, five up to age 20. A standard contract (NAV) can give more.Accrual, leave and exitSource for this action 1
Reporting
HouseholdSend the yearly wage declaration to the compensation office. Ordinary payroll also needs a wage certificate for the worker.Each yearSource for this action 1
A household that hires directly is the employer, even when an agent runs payroll.
Where an action is not listed, the legal duties still apply.
Yearly cost of declared help as a share of salary before tax
Use the arrow keys to move between countries; each one is selected as you move. Press Tab to leave the map. The country panel shows the figures.
Each colour shows how much of an average salary a year of declared help takes at the hours you chose. The cost of one hour is in the country panel. A pattern means the figure is average pay in elementary jobs, not a household cost. Grey means no official figure.
Under 5%5% to under 10%10% to under 20%20% to under 40%40% or moreAverage pay, not a household costOther salary groupNo comparable figure
All 51 European locations
The map covers 51 European locations. 29 have a statutory minimum or a household scheme figure, 12 show statistics office average pay, and Switzerland comes from Helpore’s payroll rules. 9 locations have no comparable figure.
CountryCost of one declared hourShare of average salaryWhat the household must doUndeclared work in this country
Cost of one declared hourALL 287.30Cost to the household for one hourALL 59,758 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary5.9%2025 · Wage employees paying social insurance who worked at least 18 days in the reference month, in all economic activities including agriculture. · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe tax authority has a household head category for people who employ workers such as cleaners, nannies and carers in their family home.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 9.05Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,882 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary5.9%2025 · Global monthly average contribution wage of all salaried persons insured with CASS during 2025 · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyA household that employs domestic staff for a salary is the employer for the Andorran Social Security Fund (CASS).
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2025 · Establishments with at least one paid employee, from State Revenue Committee personal income and social tax records · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe Labour Code allows a private person to be an employer and generally applies employer rules to employers that are not legal entities, with the stated exceptions.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 12.23Cost to the household for one hourEUR 2,544 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.1%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer.
Undeclared work in this country25.3% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2025 · Employees engaged in the country economy · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyA real household employment relationship uses an employment contract; the e-Social service accepts private persons as well as companies.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourBYN 5.09Cost to the household for one hourBYN 1,059 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary3.3%2025 · Employees of the Republic of Belarus in the official average accrued-wage series · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household contracts the service directly with an individual worker, not with a cleaning company.Hiring directlyAn unrelated private individual may employ a domestic worker for household services under Labour Code Chapter 26. This is separate from an independently supplied cleaning service.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 13.56Cost to the household for one hourEUR 2,820 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.7%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys vouchers and books through an approved company. The approved company employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country28.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourBAM 8.94Cost to the household for one hourBAM 1,860 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (ILOSTAT)
Share of average salary6.4%2025 · Persons in employment in legal entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyIn FBiH, a private individual can be the employer under Labour Act article 5. Republika Srpska allows citizens who do not run a business to employ domestic auxiliary staff. Brčko District allows domestic employment in article 36, but its definition of employer names only a legal person or an entrepreneur.
Undeclared work in this country100% of the published 2024 employment estimate for households that directly employ domestic workers was classified as informal. Domestic workers employed through cleaning companies or agencies are not included. 2024. People employed by households as domestic staff, women and men.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 3.74Cost to the household for one hourEUR 778 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary8.2%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country26.6% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 6.06Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,260 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary5.1%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country33.2% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 6.92Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,439 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (Eurostat)
Share of average salary4.2%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe route is a referral service. Check the contract to see whether the agency or the household employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer.
Undeclared work in this country31.6% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourCZK 134.40Cost to the household for one hourCZK 27,955 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.2%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country22.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourDKK 189.55Cost to the household for one hourDKK 39,426 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (Eurostat)
Share of average salary7.4%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer.
Undeclared work in this country31.2% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 5.67Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,179 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.0%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country23.6% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 14.46Cost to the household for one hourEUR 3,008 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (Eurostat)
Share of average salary5.5%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country18% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 16.25Cost to the household for one hourEUR 3,380 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksCollective agreement wage plus employer charges
Share of average salary7.6%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country27.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2025 · Employees covered by Geostat average monthly nominal earnings survey · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyTax Code Article 12 defines the payer of employment pay as the employer and requires entry in the register of hired persons. This is broader than the withholding agents of Article 154, so a household that does not withhold still registers.
Undeclared work in this country98.58% of the published 2025 employment estimate for households that directly employ domestic workers was classified as informal. Domestic workers employed through cleaning companies or agencies are not included. 2025. People employed by households as domestic staff, women and men.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 15.93Cost to the household for one hourEUR 3,313 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksMinimum wage plus household scheme charges
Share of average salary5.7%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this countryIW estimated that 91.4% of German households using domestic help used unregistered help. The estimate combines household use in 2023, registration counts in 2025 and an assumption about self employed cleaners. It is not a direct count. Household use in 2023 from the SOEP household survey and registrations in the second quarter of 2025, published on 30 December 2025. Households using domestic help, not measured workers or hours.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 5.14Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,069 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary3.6%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyhousehold employer issues voucher; worker alone redeems it
Undeclared work in this country39.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share availableNo comparable average or median salary
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyDomestic collaborators of Vatican residents work under the residence rules of Law CXXXI.Hiring directlyLaw CXXXI allows a temporary residence authorisation for domestic collaborators of Vatican citizens or residents.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourHUF 1,856.00Cost to the household for one hourHUF 386,048 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksMinimum wage plus household scheme charges
Share of average salary4.2%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe private household notifies the domestic work. Notifying the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) does not decide whether the relationship is employment or an independent service.
Undeclared work in this country24.2% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourISK 2,953.18Cost to the household for one hourISK 614,261 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (Eurostat)
Share of average salary4.9%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage: an adult full time worker, normally in industry, construction and business services. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe person paying wages is the wage payer; an intermediary handling wages carries the relevant withholding duties.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 14.15Cost to the household for one hourEUR 2,943 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.8%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe published route uses independent contractors. The household buys the agreed service from the contractor.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer.
Undeclared work in this country29.2% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 8.28Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,722 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksCollective agreement wage plus employer charges
Share of average salary4.3%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country28.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2025 · Enterprise survey, yearly figures built from quarterly reports. The average leaves out small enterprises in the quarterly releases. · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyLabour Code Article 136 covers workers who serve a private household for purposes other than business; a private person can be the employer.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2025 · Public administration, public enterprises and private-sector employees in Kosovo wage-level statistics · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe actual working relationship decides whether a worker described as an independent provider really is one.Hiring directlyLabour Law 03/L-212 covers private persons as employers and employment in the private sector. A household can employ, even though the employer is an individual.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 4.50Cost to the household for one hourEUR 936 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary3.6%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country23.7% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2024 · People employed in Liechtenstein. The standardised gross monthly wage includes one twelfth of a thirteenth month salary and other allowances. · National median salary
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyHire directly: the direct employment route applies.Hiring directlyA private household that hires a cleaner or carer is the employer, with wage tax and social duties and a wage certificate at the end of the year.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 7.05Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,466 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.7%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country22.6% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 16.02Cost to the household for one hourEUR 3,332 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.0%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyhousehold employer; CCSS calculates contributions and tax
Undeclared work in this country43.9% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 5.74Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,194 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary3.6%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyA private person who hires domestic help is a household employer, not a self employed cleaner.
Undeclared work in this country40.2% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 12.31Cost to the household for one hourEUR 2,560 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.3%2024 · Private-sector employees in full-time equivalent, excluding household personnel · National salary from an earlier period
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyA private person employing domestic staff at their Monaco home affiliates as household employer and receives a unique employer number.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2025 · Employees covered by MONSTAT average earnings statistics · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe current Labour Act covers private persons as employers and permits household work contracts in article 45.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 14.99Cost to the household for one hourEUR 3,118 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary5.1%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyprivate household engaging a private individual under the special scheme
Undeclared work in this country24.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourMKD 141.49Cost to the household for one hourMKD 29,430 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (ILOSTAT)
Share of average salary3.6%2025 · Employees covered by the State Statistical Office monthly wage survey · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe Labour Relations Act allows private persons to employ and recognises domestic worker contracts in article 53.
Undeclared work in this country93.19% of the published 2025 employment estimate for households that directly employ domestic workers was classified as informal. Domestic workers employed through cleaning companies or agencies are not included. 2025. People employed by households as domestic staff, women and men.
Cost of one declared hourNOK 231.19Cost to the household for one hourNOK 48,088 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (Eurostat)
Share of average salary6.0%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage: an adult full time worker, normally in industry, construction and business services. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyhousehold employer when the regulated employment conditions apply
Undeclared work in this countryIn a survey from April to June 2022, 15% of the 207 respondents who had bought cleaning in the previous two years said it was fully undeclared. Another 2% said it was partly undeclared. This is a share of buyers, not of cleaners, jobs, hours or all households. Purchases in the two years before the survey, which ran from April to June 2022. Residents of Norway aged 18 or over who had bought cleaning in the previous two years (207 people), within a nationally representative survey of 2,002 interviews.
Cost of one declared hourPLN 31.40Cost to the household for one hourPLN 6,531 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary5.8%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country28.9% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 6.49Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,350 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksMinimum wage plus household scheme charges
Share of average salary4.9%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a cleaning service from a company. Check the contract to see who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer.
Undeclared work in this country37.3% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourMDL 35.59Cost to the household for one hourMDL 7,403 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (ILOSTAT)
Share of average salary4.0%2025 · Economic and social units and budget institutions with one or more employees; excludes Transnistria/left bank and Bender · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe Labour Code has a chapter for employees of a private person. Article 283 requires the household employer’s written contract and compulsory payments.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourRON 25.95Cost to the household for one hourRON 5,398 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.5%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is a beneficiary under the occasional voucher law, which does not create ordinary Labour Code employment. A separate employment contract route exists.
Undeclared work in this country29.9% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourRUB 168.00Cost to the household for one hourRUB 34,944 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (ILOSTAT)
Share of average salary2.9%2025 · Employees of organisations in the Rosstat full-circle economy series · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyA private individual who does not run a business can employ someone for personal household help, including cleaning the home. Supreme Court Resolution 15 distinguishes this from employment by a business and from civil service.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourNo comparable figureNo comparable figure
Share of average salaryNo share available2024 · Average number of public- and private-sector employees; total gross remuneration divided by average employees · National salary from an earlier period
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyNo company service invoice is available. Direct employment and the country’s other small or occasional work routes remain separate.Hiring directlyLaw 164/2022 Article 22 recognises household employment under the household’s direction, distinct from its special arrangements for independent work.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourRSD 272.68Cost to the household for one hourRSD 56,717 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (ILOSTAT)
Share of average salary3.1%2025 · Employees in legal entities, entrepreneurs and their employees, plus temporary and occasional employees in the official Tax Administration-record series · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe Labour Act allows a private person to employ, including a domestic auxiliary worker (Art. 45).
Undeclared work in this country98.3% of the published 2019 employment estimate for households that directly employ domestic workers was classified as informal. Domestic workers employed through cleaning companies or agencies are not included. 2019. People employed by households as domestic staff, women and men.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 5.26Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,094 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.5%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country23.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 8.55Cost to the household for one hourEUR 1,778 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.6%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyOn the ordinary employment route, the private household is the employer. When it buys a service, it is a customer.
Undeclared work in this country26.5% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourEUR 12.42Cost to the household for one hourEUR 2,583 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksMinimum wage plus household scheme charges
Share of average salary7.4%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country37.1% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourSEK 158.19Cost to the household for one hourSEK 32,904 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (Eurostat)
Share of average salary5.9%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage in industry, construction and business services. Pay includes bonuses and extra monthly salaries, not severance pay or benefits in kind. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this country16.2% of residents surveyed said they knew someone who does paid housework without declaring all of the income. 2024. People aged 16 to 74 across the EU.
Cost of one declared hourCHF 23.99Cost to the household for one hourCHF 4’990 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksHelpore payroll rules applied to the canton cost data
Share of average salary5.0%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage: an adult full time worker, normally in industry, construction and business services. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this countryIn 2025, Swiss cantonal bodies carried out 239 controls for undeclared work in services to private households and checked 322 people. This shows enforcement activity, not how much household work is undeclared. 2025. Controls conducted by cantonal bodies under the Federal Act against Undeclared Work in the sector 'Erbringung von Dienstleistungen für private Haushalte' (services for private households).
Cost of one declared hourTRY 163.12Cost to the household for one hourTRY 33,929 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksAverage hourly pay in elementary jobs (ILOSTAT)
Share of average salary4.1%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage: an adult full time worker, normally in industry, construction and business services. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlySocial Security Institution (SGK) Ek9 covers domestic services for private persons. The bands of insured days are counted separately for each household, not added across unrelated households.
Undeclared work in this country54.49% of the published 2025 employment estimate for households that directly employ domestic workers was classified as informal. Domestic workers employed through cleaning companies or agencies are not included. 2025. People employed by households as domestic staff, women and men.
Cost of one declared hourUAH 52.00Cost to the household for one hourUAH 10,816 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary3.5%2025 · Full-time staff employees of enterprises, institutions and organisations in State Statistics Service enterprise labour statistics; wartime territorial/response coverage applies · National average salary, as observed
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household and the worker agree the terms directly.Hiring directlyA household member can employ the domestic worker as a private person under the domestic employment rules introduced in 2024.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
Cost of one declared hourGBP 12.71Cost to the household for one hourGBP 2,644 · Yearly cost at 4 hours a week over 52 weeksStatutory minimum wage
Share of average salary4.7%2025 · A single person without children on the national average wage: an adult full time worker, normally in industry, construction and business services. · Average worker profile, 2025
What the household must doBuying a service from a companyThe household buys a service from a company. The price is a customer charge, not the worker’s wage. The contract decides who employs the worker.Hiring directlyThe household is the employer by contract, even when an agent runs payroll.
Undeclared work in this countryNo country estimate found in the sources reviewed. This is a gap in the data, not evidence that there is no undeclared work.
The map shows what one hour of declared home help costs a household that hires directly, in 51 European locations and from official sources. It also shows the share of a salary this takes, what the employer must do and what is known about undeclared work.
At 4 hours a week for a year, declared help takes 3.6% of an average salary before tax in Latvia. In Bulgaria, it takes 8.2%.
Both shares use the same average worker profile for 2025. The comparison covers the 25 locations with a household scheme, a collective agreement or a statutory minimum wage, and Switzerland.
Switzerland, from Helpore’s payroll rules
For Switzerland, the map applies Helpore’s own payroll rules to the canton cost data. One hour worked costs a household from CHF 23.87 in Lucerne to CHF 30.26 in Geneva. The median across 26 cantons is CHF 23.99.
At the median cost and 4 hours a week, a household pays CHF 4’990 a year, or 5.0% of the average salary. Accident insurance is not included.
The wage is not the whole cost
Where an official household scheme publishes its employer charges, the map adds them to the wage. Germany’s household minijob is one example: the household pays flat rate levies on top of the wage.
Where no scheme publishes the charges, the map shows the gross wage and says so.
Where no official figure exists, the map shows none
9 locations have no comparable official figure. The map leaves them grey and does not estimate.
In 12 locations, the only official figure is a statistics office’s average hourly earnings for elementary occupations. The map shows it and marks it as average pay, not a household cost.
Legal hiring follows different routes
When a household buys a service from a company, it pays an invoice and gives access to the home. A household that hires directly is the employer, even when an agent runs payroll.
In Switzerland, the employer registers the worker with the compensation office, runs payroll and social insurance, takes out accident insurance and checks the pension rules.
In France, the household declares the pay through Cesu, the public service for declaring an employee’s pay and paying the contributions.
In Germany, a minijob is a job with low monthly earnings and simplified contributions. The Haushaltsscheck is the short form a household uses to register a household minijob. Above the minijob ceiling, ordinary payroll applies.
What country evidence shows about undeclared work
The evidence answers different questions. Germany combines a modelled estimate of household use in 2023 with registration counts from the second quarter of 2025.
Switzerland reports how many controls cantons carried out in private households in 2025, which shows enforcement, not how much work is undeclared. Norway asked people who had bought cleaning in the previous two years whether it was declared, in a survey from April to June 2022.
What Switzerland can learn
For Switzerland, the practical question is how to make declared hiring easier and more affordable, while keeping fair pay, insurance and pension contributions.
Affordability, simplicity and declared work belong together
Switzerland should look closely at how other countries make declared household work more affordable and easier to arrange. I want us to learn from those approaches, alongside effective enforcement. Our ambition at Helpore is to make legal hiring the straightforward choice, without asking Helpers to give up fair pay, insurance or pension contributions.
How we built the comparison
The map puts four layers side by side: the cost of one declared hour, a salary measure, the employer’s legal steps and the evidence on undeclared work. Each layer keeps its own unit, place and period.
The cost of one declared hour
For each location we show the cost to a household of one hour of declared home help hired directly, taken from an official source: the statutory or collective minimum wage with the employer charges where a household scheme publishes them, or else a statistics office's average hourly earnings for elementary occupations; where no official figure exists we show no comparable figure, and Switzerland comes from Helpore's own payroll rules. Each figure names its basis and links to the page we read, with the date we read it.
Order of sources
We use the first source that exists, in this order. First, an official household scheme or collective agreement, with the employer charges it publishes. Second, the statutory minimum wage. Third, a statistics office’s average hourly earnings for elementary occupations, from Eurostat or ILOSTAT. Otherwise, no comparable figure. A statistics office figure is marked as average pay, not a household cost. Where a country publishes its minimum per month, day or week, we divide it by the statutory full time hours named in the source list; those hourly figures are our calculation.
Switzerland
Switzerland comes from Helpore’s own payroll rules, applied to each canton’s cost data. The figure is what a household pays per hour worked, without accident insurance. The canton cost study shows each canton.
Hours, weeks and currencies
Readers choose from 1 to 40 hours a week. A yearly cost is the hourly cost times the weekly hours times 52 weeks. Where the cost and the salary measure use different currencies, the cost is converted into the local salary currency at the European Central Bank (ECB) reference rate of 12 October 2026. Bulgaria is shown in euros.
Salary comparison
The yearly cost is divided by the yearly salary measure in the same currency. Average and median salaries stay apart. Salary before tax and modelled take home pay are separate views. Each country shows the period and the population of its salary measure.
Administration
Each country lists ten topics for two routes: buying a service from a company and hiring directly. For each topic, the map names who is responsible, what the household does, when, and the source. It adds no time estimate and no difficulty score.
Undeclared work
Each country keeps the source’s definition, population and period. Awareness, household use, buyer reports and enforcement activity are labelled apart. They are not combined into one league table.
Dates
The date beside each figure is the date of its source. We read the sources up to 13 October 2026.
Limits of the comparison
A statutory minimum is a legal floor. A collective agreement minimum binds the employers the agreement covers; a household that hires directly is often outside it. Neither is an average of what households pay.
Average hourly earnings in elementary occupations are a different measure from a minimum wage, so the map marks them.
A location without a figure is a gap in official sources, not a cost of zero.
The map compares evidence. It does not rank countries by fairness, ease or policy effectiveness.
Helpore analysis, tables and map graphics: CC BY 4.0, credit Helpore. Map geometry: Natural Earth, public domain. Source material remains subject to its source rights.
It is what a household pays for one hour of declared home help when it hires directly. The figure comes from an official source: a household scheme or collective agreement, a statutory minimum wage, or, marked as average pay rather than a household cost, a statistics office’s average hourly earnings.
Why do some locations show no figure?
Where no official source publishes a comparable figure, the map shows none. It does not estimate.
Where does the Swiss figure come from?
From Helpore’s own payroll rules, applied to the canton cost data. It is the cost to the household per hour worked, without accident insurance, and it varies by canton.
Which salary does the map use?
Each country shows the period, the population and the basis of its salary. Average and median salaries stay apart. Salary before tax and modelled take home pay are separate views. Different populations are not mixed into one ranking.
What does the map show about undeclared work?
It shows the public evidence for each country and labels what was measured, where and when. Awareness, estimated household use, buyer reports and enforcement activity answer different questions, so the map keeps them apart.
When is the household the employer?
A household that hires directly is the employer, even when an agent runs payroll. A household that buys a service from a company is a customer. The real working relationship decides which applies.
