Dakar - Post Report Question and Answers

What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?

Help is abundant and inexpensive here. Many people have house keepers, cooks, nannies, and drivers. You can also find people that do all of the above. English-speaking help is also available but more in demand so harder to find. - Apr 2022


Household help is affordable and readily available. Most singles had someone clean a couple of times a week, and many families had full-time household help and nannies. Dust is a huge problem, so it is worth the expense. - Jul 2020


Help is available and most household help are third-country nationals. Figure around $200/month for a nanny or housekeeper, $300 or more for a cook or driver. Prices may vary. - Dec 2019


Affordable. Our maid tends to be a little on the slower side, but I think it's just cultural. She is eager to learn and will take instruction gladly. All the maids/nannies I have met are very sweet; ours is part of the family! There are plenty of shared drivers, most have full-time nanny and part time house-help. - Dec 2018


Household help is easy to find, but quality in the person is another story. It's cheaper in the States. I pay a housekeeper US$270 for 3 full time days - 9-3:30. She does an okay job, but I feel like I need to pay attention to the work being done. I have heard there is some theft, so always get someone that has been referred. - Dec 2018


Readily available, however you need to speak French to communicate. - Jun 2017


US$150 - $200/month for full time help. Easy to find, but most don't speak English. - Apr 2016


It's very available and cheap. We have an excellent nanny and also have a part-time gardener. - Aug 2015


Domestic help of all kinds is readily available and very reasonably priced. A full time housekeeper/cook would be about US$250 - $300/month. Part time gardeners run about US$100-$150/month. Several families (especially tandem couples) had drivers, but I do not know the cost. CLO posts recommendations on their blog (clodakar.wordpress.com). - Aug 2014


Widely available, varying quality. We pay a cook about US$250 per month. Nannies make about the same. Drivers make more. - Apr 2014


Generally pretty good. Full-time help will around $16/day for someone recommended with experience. - Jun 2013


Easily available. Costs range from $20 to $200 month, depending. - Mar 2013


Inexpensive -- US$200 per month for a full-time housekeeper. Many also cook. Gardeners and drivers are also cheap. - Mar 2012


Our cook is fantastic and makes amazing food for $350 per month. There are always lots of people wanting to be nannies and finding a good one is the trick. - Aug 2011


widely available - full time maid $80/week. Make sure you know a little bit about Senegalese labor laws (you are required to provide paid vacation and severance pay for example) - Jan 2011


We pay on the high side but it's still affordable. We pay our househelp 150,000CFA/month (approx. $300) for 40 hours a week and our live-in gardener/day guard 125,000CFA/month ($250). - Feb 2010


Often more than $200/month - at least in diplomatic community. - Feb 2010


Available everywhere. Expats tend to pay at least 100-120,000 CFA a month ($250) for a qualified maid. - Jan 2010


We pay our housekeeper about US$250, including benefits. Help is available - May 2009


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