Domestic staff in Pakistan cost between PKR 25,000 and PKR 60,000 per month in 2026, depending on the role. Cooks start at PKR 35,000, maids at PKR 40,000, drivers at PKR 35,000, nannies at PKR 40,000, home nurses at PKR 60,000, and helpers, cleaners, gardeners, office boys and security guards at PKR 25,000. Staffly charges a separate one-time placement fee equal to one month's salary, with no recurring commission.
What is the monthly salary for each domestic staff role in Pakistan?
These are the 2026 starting monthly salaries Staffly places against nationwide:
- Home cook: PKR 35,000 per month
- Chef (formally trained): PKR 50,000 per month
- Maid: PKR 40,000 per month
- Helper: PKR 25,000 per month
- Cleaner: PKR 25,000 per month
- Driver: PKR 35,000 per month
- Nanny or babysitter: PKR 40,000 per month
- Home nurse: PKR 60,000 per month
- Caretaker or companion attendant: PKR 30,000 per month
- Security guard: PKR 25,000 per month
- Office boy: PKR 25,000 per month
- Gardener (mali): PKR 25,000 per month
- Personal attendant (batman): PKR 35,000 per month
- Domestic couple (combined): PKR 60,000 per month
These are starting points. Experience, household size, live-in status and city all move the final figure upward.
Do domestic staff salaries vary by city in Pakistan?
Yes, but less than most people expect. Karachi and Lahore run slightly above the national baseline, Islamabad sits at the baseline, and Rawalpindi runs marginally below it. Smaller cities such as Vehari, Jhang or Sukkur track close to the baseline rather than dramatically below, because the candidate pool is smaller and good staff have options.
Why do live-in staff earn a lower cash salary?
Live-in domestic staff typically receive a slightly lower cash wage because accommodation, meals and utilities form part of the total package. This trade-off should be written into the employment agreement explicitly rather than left as an assumption, since it is one of the most common sources of dispute several months into a placement.
What does a domestic staff agency charge in Pakistan?
Staffly charges a one-time placement fee equal to one month of the agreed salary, payable only once the household actually hires. There is no monthly commission and no recurring charge. That single payment also includes a 6-month replacement guarantee, so spread across the guarantee period it works out to less than a sixth of a month's salary for each month of cover.
Households should be cautious of any agency taking an ongoing cut of the staff member's monthly wage, because it obscures what the staff member actually earns.
Who pays the domestic staff member, the household or the agency?
The household pays the staff member directly. Staffly verifies and places the candidate, but the employment relationship, and therefore the salary, sits between the household and the staff member. This keeps the real wage transparent to both sides.
What should a fair employment agreement include?
A one-page written agreement, signed before the first day of work, should state the agreed monthly salary, the pay date, daily working hours, the weekly day off, annual and sick leave, how extra hours are compensated, and the notice period each side must give. For live-in roles it should also record the accommodation and meals provided.
For current salary estimates by role, city and experience level, Staffly publishes an interactive calculator at https://staffly.pk/salary-guide.