Cost of a Maid in Buenos Aires

Actually you could ask yourself how much it would cost not to have a maid since it is within reach of many budgets in this country. It is one of those great things, among many others, that I love about this place.

In the States it is price prohibitive and pretty rare to have one among the middle class. My wife (then girlfriend) and I did have a maid service come once or twice a week while we were in Chicago. My closest friends who saw this got turned on by the idea and they did it as well.

Since it is not very common in the States one of the things that just jumps out at us when we come to live here is getting into the culture of having a maid. I had to get used to the idea of having a live in maid and it did feel strange at first. Now, I just don´t know how we lived without one.

Saludos,
Frank E. Almeida
http://www.sugarandspice.com.ar
http://azucaryespecies.blogspot.com/

Hi Will,

I can’t imagine why you would feel uncomfortable having a maid do some of the chores. Isn’t the ease of living one of the reasons you and many others go to Latin America for?

I’m a New Yorker who wishes I could afford to have a cleaning person come in just once per week. The last regular one I had, ten or more years ago, charged me about $15 an hour. I don’t know how much it would cost today. If the cost of home health care aides is an indication, it must be at least $20 or more an hour today.

And remember you’re giving someone the opportunity to earn a living as well.

I continue to love your blog.

Ellen Schultz

Hi Will, Frank and Ellen

I’m from Argentina but currently in the US attending graduate school. I recommend you to read “Doméstica: Immigrant workers cleaning and caring in the shadows of affluence” by Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo. The author is the daughter of a woman who migrate to the city to work as a nanny and house-keeper.
I really enjoy reading your blog.

Fer

Hi Fer,

I’ve been thinking about your posted suggestion that Will and I read “Domestica” (sorry, I can never figure out how to use the accents, but I will some day.)

From what I’ve learned about this book, the immigrant workers discussed in the book are primarily Central American women working in the homes of affluent to extremely affluent households in Los Angeles.

I’m not sure why you suggested this book to us. I’m really curious about what your thinking is.

Ellen Schultz

Hi Ellen,
I just thought you might be interested in the topic and would like to read more about it and what happens in the US (no other “hidden” reasons).

I am reading the book right now and I am enjoying it very much.
I will let you know if I find something in the book of particular relevance.

Beso,
Fer

Hi Ellen,

Actually, locals seldom, if ever, use the word “Doméstica”. For some reason, its sense is rather pejorative. What you’ll hear instead will rather be “empleada doméstica”, “mucama” or else and most commonly, “muchacha” (young girl) and even “chica” (girl), due to the fact that most of the women who apply for these chores are, at the most, 30 year-olds. However, both terms have been extended to all ages.

Just as well, such labor force is mostly Paraguayan, Bolivian or Peruvian, if not of northern Argentina’s origin.

I hope you’ll find these local terms useful, if you happen to read Argentinian newspapers’ ads!

Laura.

Hi Laura,

I have no idea about what you call domestic help in Argentina as I’m not living there. I was responding to Fer’s recommendation that I read a book called Domestica:…. My comment was that the book and its premise was perhaps not related to the Argentine scene as it profiles the relationships of domestic workers and their affluent employers in Los Angeles, in the USA.

Thanks for the comments though.

Ellen Schultz

Hi!
I’m from Buenos Aires and I have a young peruvian girl (26) working at home.
My home is just a two bedroom aparment in Olivos, but I hired her to take care of my 10 months daughter mainly, as well as the usual chores (cleaning and cooking lunch).

She works 8 hours a day from Monday to Friday and I pay her $700.-.
Since she is “blank” (that means she is legally employed, not “under the table” I pay some more for social security, but not too much (I don’t know exactly because my wife takes care of this, but I think it’s around $50 or so).

So it makes around $4.38 an hour.

You should consider, though, that her work is quite relaxed, since she doesn’t have anyone behind telling what to do all the time. Most of the time she is just playing with my daughter or watching tv when she’s sleeping.

It’s worth noting that, at least in my experience, peruvians are the best choice, because they seem to have a higher level of education compared to paraguayans or (sadly) many argentines, and they are more responsible.

As far as I know, many people pay much less (up to $600 and under the table).

Hope this give you a rough idea…
God luck!
Luis

Hi, I live in Australia. My fiancee lives in Azul, Buenos Aires. I send her AUD$100 every week. The current conversion rate would make that 276.374 ARS. She lives with her mother and two sons aged 10 and 11. She receives about 248ARS every month from the father of the boys. She does not have a steady job. Do you think I am sending enough or too much? Is she doing it tough or is she living like a queen? Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Eric

Regarding maids and legal employment. I think it’ll be a good idea that whatever you do, your domestic help is “blanqueada,” that is, that you’re doing the appropriate contributions for her retirement and “prepaga.” (Your expatriate friends there can give you the details.)