How to Calculate Maid Salary in Singapore 2026: FDW Pay, Rest Day, Public Holiday and Pro-Rata Guide

TL;DR: To calculate a maid salary in Singapore, start with the monthly salary you declared to MOM, add one day's pay (monthly salary ÷ 26) for every rest day she agrees to work, pro-rate any partial month by working days, and pay it all within 7 days after the salary period ends. MOM does not allow deductions from a domestic worker's salary.

If you have ever stared at a blank salary record at the end 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 migrant domestic worker's (MDW) salary in Singapore is not difficult, but it is easy to under-pay by accident, and MOM treats salary disputes seriously. This walkthrough shows how to compute monthly pay, rest day in-lieu pay, public holiday arrangements and mid-month pro-rata, using MOM's own formula.

1. The things you're actually calculating

Every month, an employer of an MDW is working out separate components, not one lump sum:

• Monthly salary: the basic salary plus any fixed monthly allowances, as defined by MOM (e.g. S$720). This is the figure you declare to MOM.
• Rest day in-lieu pay: extra cash owed whenever she agrees to work on a rest day instead of taking it off. MOM says this is not counted into the declared monthly salary.
• Anything else your contract promises: for example, public holiday arrangements or paid home leave.

The MDW levy (S$300 for a first helper, S$450 for subsequent helpers, or S$60 with concession) is paid by the employer to MOM. It is never taken from the helper's salary. For a refresher, see our FDW levy guide.

2. Basic salary by nationality, current 2026 references

MOM does not set a minimum wage for domestic workers. The floor comes from the sending country:

• Filipino: at least S$650 (US$500) a month for contracts processed on or after 21 October 2025, including renewals of vacationing or returning workers, per MWO Singapore.
• Indonesian: Indonesia's SISKOP2MI Singapore profile lists S$600 to S$750 for domestic workers.
• Myanmar: no Singapore figure is published on an official Myanmar source; confirm the current expectation with your licensed agency in writing.

Experienced helpers and demanding job scopes usually command more than these references. For full benchmarking, read our companion piece on domestic helper salary in Singapore 2026.

Working out a fair package? Upwill (MOM EA Licence 24C2628) benchmarks salary, levy and the full monthly cost for you, and matches Indonesian, Filipino and Myanmar helpers to your budget. Chat with us on WhatsApp or see the full breakdown in our Singapore Maid Cost Index.

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

Here is the most important formula in this entire article:

One day's salary = Monthly salary ÷ 26

This is MOM's own method, not just an agency convention. MOM's FAQ states that one day's salary can be calculated by dividing the monthly salary by 26 working days, regardless of the number of days in the month. MOM's employer guide explains the logic: a month typically has four weeks, and therefore four rest days.

MOM's hard rule is that you must pay at least one day's salary for every rest day she forgoes, on top of and together with her monthly salary. Using ÷30 (calendar days) produces a smaller daily figure and risks under-paying, so 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 agrees to work three of her rest days in a month is owed an extra 3 × S$30 = S$90 on top of her salary. MOM's own example: a S$650 helper who forgoes two rest days receives S$650 + S$50 = S$700.

5. Rest day pay vs taking the day off

Under the MOM rest day rules (see also our rest day guide):

1. Your helper is entitled to one rest day per week, on a day you both agree.
2. Since 1 January 2023, at least one rest day per month cannot be compensated away. She must actually take it.
3. For any other rest day, she may agree to work it, and you must pay at least one day's salary for each one.

What you cannot do: make her work a rest day without her agreement, or skip the mandatory monthly rest day. See our guide on mandatory rest day violations for what MOM does when this is reported. MOM's employer guide includes a sample Weekly Rest Day Agreement, so write down whatever you agree.

6. Public holidays: what applies to a domestic helper

Singapore has 11 gazetted public holidays in 2026 (MOM announcement): New Year's Day, two days of Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Good Friday, Labour Day, Hari Raya Haji, Vesak Day, National Day, Deepavali and Christmas Day. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday after is a public holiday, which happens with Vesak Day (31 May), National Day (9 August) and Deepavali (8 November) in 2026.

The statutory public holiday rule (an extra day's pay for working on a public holiday) comes from the Employment Act, and MOM lists domestic workers as not covered by the Employment Act. So for a helper, public holidays are a contract matter: check what your employment contract says. If it gives her public holidays off and she agrees to work one, the ÷26 daily rate is the cleanest way to compensate her, so a S$780 helper would earn an extra S$30.

7. Mid-month pro-rata calculation

If a helper starts or leaves part-way through a month, you pay for the part of the month she worked. MOM does not publish a separate MDW formula for this, so the clearest method mirrors MOM's incomplete-month approach:

Pro-rata pay = (Days worked ÷ Working days in that month) × Monthly salary

Here "working days" means the days in the month that are not her weekly rest days. Example: a S$650 helper starts on Monday 15 June 2026. June has 30 days and four Sundays (7, 14, 21 and 28), so there are 26 working days. From 15 to 30 June there are 16 days, minus 2 Sundays = 14 working days. So pro-rata = (14 ÷ 26) × S$650 = S$350.00.

Whatever method you use, write it down, apply it the same way each time, and make sure the result is not lower than she is entitled to.

8. Deductions: MOM's rule is simple

MOM's guidance on MDW salaries is that no deductions are allowed. Its employer guide says you must bear the cost of your helper's upkeep and maintenance, such as food, lodging, and medical and dental expenses, and pay her salary in full.

MOM specifically says do not deduct (MOM employer advisory):

• Medical expenses
• Flight tickets
• Penalties for performance issues
• Damage to household equipment

Other points MOM makes:

• The levy and the cost of compulsory insurance are the employer's, and MOM does not allow you to pass the insurance cost to your helper.
• From 1 January 2019, you must not keep your helper's salary or any money belonging to her, even if she asks you to.
• If you lend her money or give an advance, MOM's employer guide says loans and advances should be recorded to prevent misunderstanding. Keep that record separate from her salary payment.
• To reduce her salary, you need her written consent and must update MOM through the FDW eService first (MOM notify changes).

9. Salary records: what MOM expects

MOM requires you to pay salary no later than 7 days after the last day of the salary period, and to keep a record. If you pay in cash, both you and your helper must sign each salary payment record. MOM encourages bank transfer, and you must pay by direct transfer if she asks. A standing instruction into her own account gives you both a record automatically; see our guide to your helper's first month.

A clear monthly record should show:

• Helper's full name and Work Permit number
• Salary period (e.g. 1 to 30 June 2026)
• Monthly salary
• Rest days worked, per-day rate and total in-lieu pay
• Any other contractual payments, such as public holidays worked
• Net amount paid and date paid
• Both signatures (employer and helper) if paid in cash

Keep a copy. In any dispute, the salary record is the most important evidence you have.

10. Worked example: a S$780 Filipino helper, June 2026

Scenario: Maria, a Filipino helper, joins the family on Monday 8 June 2026 at S$780 a month. Her rest day is Sunday. In June she agrees to work two Sundays (14 and 21 June) and takes 28 June off, which covers her mandatory uncompensated rest day for the month.

Step 1, pro-rata salary: June 2026 has 26 working days (30 days minus 4 Sundays). From 8 to 30 June there are 23 days, minus 3 Sundays = 20 working days. Pro-rata = (20 ÷ 26) × S$780 = S$600.00.

Step 2, rest day in-lieu: 2 Sundays worked × (S$780 ÷ 26) = 2 × S$30 = S$60.00.

Step 3, deductions: none. MOM does not allow them.

Total pay for June = S$600.00 + S$60.00 = S$660.00, paid no later than 7 July 2026.

From July, when she works a full month, her pay is S$780 plus S$30 for each rest day she agrees to work, with at least one rest day a month actually taken.

Final notes

Getting helper salary right is not just about MOM compliance; it builds trust. A helper who sees a clear, fair salary record every month is a helper who stays longer and raises small concerns early instead of letting them grow. Before signing your first employment contract, also read our criteria to hire a maid in Singapore for the eligibility checklist.