Home » Money and Health » The Real Cost of an Indonesian Maid in Kuching

The Real Cost of an Indonesian Maid in Kuching

In this post, I will be sharing the cost my husband paid for our Indonesian Maid in 2009.

Towards the end, I updated the cost of an Indonesian Maid in Kuching in 2020.

The real cost of an Indonesian Maid in 2009

My late mother-in-law had a serious stroke in 2004. It is a miracle that she survived the most difficult period in her life.

Then she took about 2 years to recover except partial of her left leg and left hand still very weak. Thus, she needs another person to take care of parts of her needs.

Since hubby and I were both working, and we were not willing to send my mother-in-law to a home care centre, the only option we have is to hire a maid.

On Christmas eve 2009, we changed to a new Indonesian maid. And the cost for a 2-year contract for the new Indonesian maid is as below:

  • Agent fees (Kuching agent and Indonesia agent): RM6,800
  • Indonesia maid: RM300 per month or RM7,200 for two year

Based on the above, one needs to prepare at least RM14,000 to engage an Indonesian maid for 2 years in Kuching.

Do take note, this has not included other costs such as:

  • food for the maid because she’s a Muslim
  • maid’s personal care items but for most of them, she buys on her own
  • other miscellaneous charges for the maid

According to my husband, there are other agencies that charged much higher than RM6,800 for a 2-year contract.

From my reading, in west Malaysia, the agent fee goes as high as RM8,000.00 for a two years contract.

The sad part is a big portion of the cost goes to the agent or introducer, and not the Indonesian maid.

The cost of an Indonesian maid in Kuching in 2020

In February 2020, I had the opportunity to ask the same agent about the cost of an Indonesian maid in Kuching.

And the estimated cost is:

  • agent fees of RM18,000 for a contract of 2 years
  • salary of about RM1,000 per month for a maid taking care of an elderly

That would be an estimated cost of about RM42,000 for a 2-year contract.

Final thoughts

As of now, many of us still engage in the service of an Indonesian maid. Either to care for their ageing parents or young children at home.

Some of them engage the Indonesian maid service directly, without going through an agent. This tremendously reduces the cost of hiring an Indonesian maid.

But, again usually there’s a third party involved as an introducer.

Are you looking for maid services in Kuching? I am willing to share the contact number of the agency. Feel free to drop your comment below or email me.

81 thoughts on “The Real Cost of an Indonesian Maid in Kuching”

  1. Somebody is making big money behind the scene. If your maid lari dari rumah, your money all burn.

    My friend’s mother complain like mad. Her maid seem to run away from home often making her losing loads of money in the agent fees..

    So much for a maid..-_-

  2. Yes, really a lot of money but the money didn't go to the maid, instead go to someone else pocket. Wish there are other solutions other than getting Indonesian maid…

  3. Agent seems to be profiting alot. The high commission should flow to the the maid instead of the middle men..

    Mind linking back to my blog? I will link back to your blog as well.

    Nice financial blog. 🙂

  4. Hi Kris, thanks for dropping by and for all your comments 🙂 yes, the $$$ should go to the maid. I will link to your blog shortly 🙂

    Your blog is great too! Keep posting!

  5. I agree totally with your write-up. My mother is also suffering from stroke and is a semi-invalid. I can't afford to put her in a nursing home which would cost me at least RM1600 per month and my mother would also be extremely miserable is he is being put into a nursing home. The best option is to hire a maid (or 2 in my case) so that she can continue to live with me in her sunset days. However, with the present situation, I am at a total lost on how am I going to solve the problem because both my maids do not wish to continue after 3 years and I simply cannot leave my job as I am the main income earner for my family.

  6. Hi Angela, I can understand your situation. It's really not an easy situation. Have you contacted the maid agents in your area? Or, alternatively, you can spread the news and get someone local to replace the maids for day time. But, this is not so recommended because it's very hard for your to cope with both working during daytime and taking care of your mum at night. Really wish our society will do planning for the aging populations and citizens with special needs.

  7. Hello

    I am currently looking for a house maid. I just delivered a baby and i got 4 now.. I need a helper!! Anyone knows who to contact? Drop me a sms 0168546258 Thank you

  8. Hi! My relative is a single parent. and in need of a live-in maid once her confinement period is over. Do you have any recommendations for me?

          1. Hi Michelle,
            Would really appreciate it if you can share the recommended agent contact. Thanks.
            Penny

  9. Hi michelle , thank you for all the useful information here.
    Would you be able the contacts with me ? I m thinking of hiring a live in maid to help with housework
    Thank you so much for your kind help , you are an angel

  10. Hi….. I will resume my work less than two weeks and still can’t find a babysitter for my baby… how I wish I can afford a maid 🤧 but I would love to know more.

    1. Hi Mimah,
      Thank you for your comment. I’ve just sent you the details shared by my previous Indonesia maid employer. Hope you’ll get a trusted person to care for your baby. Take care and stay safe.

        1. Hi Sylvester,

          Thank you for your comment. I had just sent you the contacts.
          May you’ll be able to get the right person to take care of your grandma and may your grandma get well very soon.

          Hope this helps.

  11. Hi Michelle, I’m looking for a maid to help my mother, could you share some contact details. Thanks very much.

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      I had just sent you the contact details of my previous Indonesian maid agency. I am not sure whether he still supplies Indonesian maids.
      You may try to contact him.

      Hope this helps. May you’ll be able to get a helping hand for your mother.

    1. Hi Jenny,
      Thank you for your comment. I had sent you the contact details of the person to whom we got our maid. You may try to contact him to see if he still provide maid services. Hope this helps.

    1. Hi Giselle,
      Thank you for your comment.
      I’ve just sent you the contacts details. You may try to check with the agent if he provides maids in Kuching. For your information, a few readers shared with me that, at the moment he’s providing home cleaning services. Probably limited maids due to the pandemic. Hope this helps.

  12. Hi, pls share the contact for the maid agency. I guess the only option we get in Kuching is maids coming from Indonesia, has anyone had any experiences with non Indonesian? Thanks in advance

    1. Hi Clive,
      I sent you the contact details. Let me know if you didn’t receive it.
      From my own experience and observation, most maids in Kuching are from Indonesia.
      Hope this helps.

      1. Hi thanks for sharing such wonderful blog. Now is really costly to hire a maid. Can share me the agent contact?

        1. Hi Alice,
          Thank you for your comment and kind words.
          Yes, it’s really costly to get a maid now.
          I’ve sent you the agent whom we got our maid. Let me know if you didn’t receive it.
          Hope this helps.

  13. Hi Michelle, appreciate if you could share the contact of the maid agency in Kuching with me. Would you know if they are still in business after the COVID?

  14. Hi Michelle, appreciate if you could share the contact of the maid agency in Kuching with me. Considering for future needs. Thanks in advance!

  15. Hi Michelle, appreciate if you could share the contact of the maid agency in Kuching with me. Considering for my bedridden father. Thanks in advance!

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