How to Calculate Helper Salary Singapore 2026: FDW Pay, Rest Day & Off-Day Calculator Guide

If you have ever stared at a blank salary slip on the 30th of the month wondering whether you owe your helper S$30 or S$60 for that Sunday she worked, this guide is for you. Calculating a foreign domestic worker's (FDW) salary in Singapore is not difficult — but it is surprisingly easy to under-pay by accident, and MOM treats salary disputes seriously. This walkthrough shows exactly how to compute monthly pay, rest day in-lieu, public holiday compensation, and mid-month pro-rata, using the same method our agency uses for the families we place helpers with.

1. The three things you're actually calculating

Every month, an employer of an FDW is calculating three separate components — not one lump sum:

• Monthly basic salary — the fixed figure in the employment contract (e.g. S$720).
• Rest day in-lieu pay — extra cash owed whenever she works on a rest day instead of taking it off.
• Public holiday pay — compensation for the 11 gazetted Singapore public holidays.

The FDW levy (S$300 standard or S$60 concession) is paid by the employer to MOM — it is not deducted from the helper's salary. For a refresher, see our FDW levy guide.

2. Basic salary by nationality — current 2026 rates

Basic salary is set by market rate and by the sending country's minimum wage floor. As of May 2026, typical starting salaries in Singapore are:

• Filipino: S$700–S$780/month. POEA/POLO mandates a floor of S$570/month minimum for new Filipino FDWs — but actual market rate is well above that.
• Indonesian: S$580–S$650/month. KDEI Indonesia sets a floor of S$560/month.
• Myanmar: S$500–S$580/month — no embassy-mandated floor, but agencies generally don't go below S$500.
• Sri Lankan: S$550–S$650/month.

Experienced helpers (2nd or 3rd contract, ex-Singapore) command S$50–S$150 more than first-timers. For full benchmarking, read our companion piece on domestic helper salary in Singapore 2026.

3. The one-day-salary formula: monthly ÷ 26

Here is the most important formula in this entire article:

One day's salary = Monthly basic salary ÷ 26

Why 26? Because a month has roughly 30 days, minus 4 weekly rest days, giving 26 working days. This is the industry-standard divisor used by reputable agencies and accepted by MOM. MOM's only hard rule is that the employer must pay the helper at least one day's salary for every rest day she works — so any divisor that produces a fair daily rate is acceptable, but ÷26 is the cleanest and what we recommend.

Some employers use ÷30 (calendar days) — this under-pays the helper on rest days and we don't recommend it. Some use ÷22 (working days excluding 8 rest days for a 4-rest-day month) — this over-counts and confuses payroll. Stick with ÷26.

4. Worked rest day pay table

Using the ÷26 formula, here are the per-day rates at common salary levels:

So a helper on S$780 who works three Sundays in a month is owed an extra 3 × S$30 = S$90 on top of her basic salary.

5. Off-day pay vs in-lieu time off

When a helper's rest day is taken away, the employer has two options under the MOM rest day rules:

1. Cash compensation: Pay one day's salary in addition to the monthly basic.
2. Substitute rest day: Give her another full day off within the same month — no cash needed.

What you cannot do: skip the rest day entirely with no compensation and no substitute. That is a violation — see our guide on mandatory rest day violations for what MOM does when this is reported.

The choice between cash and substitute should be the helper's, not the employer's — many helpers prefer the cash. Whatever you agree, write it down on the salary slip.

6. Public holiday pay — Singapore's 11 gazetted holidays

Singapore has 11 gazetted public holidays each year (New Year's Day, Chinese New Year ×2, Good Friday, Hari Raya Puasa, Labour Day, Vesak Day, Hari Raya Haji, National Day, Deepavali, Christmas). MOM's rule for FDWs is simple:

• Give her the day off OR
• If she works, pay her double (one day's salary on top of monthly basic) OR give a substitute day off.

Note: this "double pay" is the same one-day-salary calculation from Section 3 — so for a S$780 helper, working a public holiday earns her an extra S$30.

7. Mid-month pro-rata calculation

If a helper starts work on the 15th or the contract terminates on the 20th, you owe pro-rata pay — not a full month. Use this method:

Pro-rata pay = (Days worked ÷ Total working days in that month) × Monthly basic

Example: a S$650 helper starts on 15 May 2026. May has 31 days; assuming 4 Sundays as rest days, total working days = 27. From 15 May to 31 May = 17 days, minus 2 Sundays = 15 working days. So pro-rata = (15 ÷ 27) × S$650 = S$361.11.

Some employers use the simpler calendar-day method (days worked ÷ 30 × monthly), which is also acceptable. The working-days method is more accurate when there are unusual rest day patterns.

8. Deductions — what's allowed and what isn't

MOM is strict about deductions. As a general rule, you may only deduct what you have both parties signed off on in writing and what is genuinely a helper-incurred expense.

Allowed (with written agreement):

• Mobile phone advance (e.g. helper bought a S$300 phone, repaid S$50/month).
• Personal loans repaid in instalments — must be documented.
• Damaged items where helper has agreed in writing to compensate.

Not allowed as a deduction:

• Uniform — this is an employer cost, not the helper's.
• FDW levy — employer's obligation.
• Medical insurance premiums, security bond, work permit fees.
• Food — if the employer doesn't provide meals, the food allowance must be at least S$300/month and is added on top of salary, not deducted.

9. Salary slip — what MOM expects

A proper monthly salary slip should show, on one page:

• Helper's full name and work permit number
• Salary period (e.g. 1–31 May 2026)
• Monthly basic salary
• Rest days worked + per-day rate + total in-lieu pay
• Public holidays worked + double pay (if applicable)
• Any agreed deductions (with reason)
• Net amount paid
• Both signatures (employer and helper)

Keep a copy. In any dispute, the signed salary slip is the single most important piece of evidence MOM will ask for.

10. Worked example — a S$780 Filipino helper, May 2026

Scenario: Maria, a Filipino FDW, joins the family on 6 May 2026 at S$780/month. During May she works 3 of her 4 Sundays (took one off), and worked on Vesak Day (12 May). She agreed to repay a S$200 phone advance at S$50/month.

Step 1 — Pro-rata basic: She started 6 May. May has 31 days, 4 Sundays = 27 working days. From 6–31 May = 26 days, minus 3 Sundays she worked through and 1 she took = 22 working days. Pro-rata = (22 ÷ 27) × S$780 = S$635.56.

Step 2 — Rest day in-lieu: 3 Sundays worked × (S$780 ÷ 26) = 3 × S$30 = S$90.00.

Step 3 — Public holiday: Vesak Day worked = 1 × S$30 = S$30.00.

Step 4 — Deductions: Phone advance –S$50.00.

Net pay for May = S$635.56 + S$90.00 + S$30.00 − S$50.00 = S$705.56.

That goes onto the salary slip, both parties sign, employer keeps a copy. Done.

Final notes

Getting helper salary calculation right is not just about MOM compliance — it builds trust. A helper who sees a clear, fair payslip every month is a helper who stays longer, works better, and doesn't escalate small disputes into transfers. Before signing your first employment contract, also read our criteria to hire a maid in Singapore for the legal eligibility checklist.