Updated October 2026.
A full day of house cleaning in Medellín (eight hours) currently costs between COP 130,000 and COP 180,000, and a half day (four hours) between COP 80,000 and COP 120,000. The most common rates are COP 160,000 and COP 80,000, with transport already included. You can hire through a cleaning company or directly. If you hire directly and the person comes on set days, Colombian law treats you as their employer, which brings social security and benefits on top of the day rate.
This guide covers what to expect, how prices work, the neighborhoods, and the legal part most expat guides skip.
How maid service works in Medellín
Most households in Medellín don't book a cleaning "service" by the hour. They hire a person por días, by the day: the same person comes one or two fixed days a week, for a half day or a full day. That is the arrangement this guide is about.
There are three ways to find someone:
- A cleaning company. The company sends a worker and invoices you. The worker is the company's employee, so their contract, social security and workplace insurance are the company's job. If your usual person is sick, the company sends someone else.
- A recommendation. Your building's doorman, a neighbor or a Facebook group. Free, common, and you get no information up front.
- A directory like CleanMedellin. You compare profiles with published rates, experience, services and areas, then contact the person directly. Payment goes straight from you to them.
A company charges around COP 130,000 for a full day, which is at the bottom of the independent range. Hiring directly isn't cheaper. What changes is who handles the paperwork and who covers absences. The full comparison is in our Spanish guide, empresas de aseo en Medellín o contratar directo.
2026 prices
Each person on CleanMedellin sets their own rate. These are the published ranges:
| Day | Published range | Most common |
|---|---|---|
| Full day (8 hours) | COP 130,000 – 180,000 | COP 160,000 |
| Half day (4 hours) | COP 80,000 – 120,000 | COP 80,000 |
Three local customs to know:
- Transport is included in the rate. You don't add bus fare on top.
- On a full day, lunch is customary. If you won't provide it, say so up front.
- Hourly rates are rare. Crossing the Aburrá Valley by public transport can take an hour and a half each way, so two-hour jobs don't make sense for the worker. If you want an hourly figure, the common rates work out to about COP 20,000 an hour.
Rates don't change by neighborhood. A day in El Poblado costs the same as a day in Laureles. The Spanish pay guide, cuánto pagar a una empleada por días, has the details.
What a cleaning day includes
Usually included: floors, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, dusting, beds and trash. On CleanMedellin each person also marks extra services they offer, such as deep cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, organizing, cooking, shoe washing, errands, and childcare or elder care. If a service isn't on the profile, that person doesn't offer it.
Usually not included unless agreed beforehand: outside windows (a real risk in high-rises, don't ask), ironing, the inside of the fridge and oven, post-construction cleanup, moving house, and moving heavy furniture alone.
For a practical list of what to prioritize, see A Medellín apartment cleaning checklist. The full Spanish breakdown is qué incluye un día de aseo.
Half day or full day?
- Studio or one-bedroom, cleaned weekly: a half day is usually enough.
- Two or three bedrooms, weekly, general cleaning only: a half day can work.
- Laundry, cooking, deep cleaning or every-other-week visits: book a full day.
- The first visit: book a full day, even for a small apartment.
Neighborhoods
CleanMedellin profiles cover the whole Aburrá Valley and part of the Oriente: El Poblado, Laureles, Centro, Envigado, Sabaneta, Itagüí, La Estrella, Bello and Copacabana, plus Rionegro, Llanogrande and Guarne.
- El Poblado. High-rise buildings with doormen and strict entry rules. Register your housekeeper's full name and cédula with reception before the first day. Many streets are steep and far from the metro, so ask how the person will get there. Browse El Poblado
- Laureles. Flat, well connected, low-rise buildings and converted houses. Many furnished mid-term rentals. If you rent short-term, agree whether bedding and towel changes are included. Browse Laureles
- Envigado and Sabaneta. Gated apartment complexes and older family houses, close to metro line A. Well covered. Browse Envigado
- Rionegro and Llanogrande. Fewer people offer cleaning there, and houses tend to be larger. Agree on transport and entry in advance.
Language
Most housekeepers in Medellín speak Spanish only. On CleanMedellin, profiles show the languages each person speaks; today 2 of 13 profiles list English. If you don't speak Spanish, a short written list of tasks and a translation app go a long way. Agree on the important things (hours, tasks, pay, cancellations) in writing by message.
Your obligations as an employer
This is what most expat guides leave out. If someone works in your home on agreed days, follows your instructions and you pay them, that is an employment relationship under Colombian law. It applies even if it's one day a week and they work in other homes. It applies to foreigners hiring too.
- A written contract. Law 2466 of 2025 requires one for domestic work, including day work.
- Social security. Health, pension, the family compensation fund (caja) and occupational risk insurance (ARL). ARL applies from day one and is paid entirely by the employer. Domestic work is risk class I, the lowest rate. Guide (in Spanish): seguridad social de la empleada doméstica por días.
- Benefits. Severance (cesantías), interest on severance, the service bonus (prima) and vacation, prorated to the days worked. Estimate them with the liquidation calculator (in Spanish).
If this sounds like a lot, it's the main reason some people prefer a company: the company carries these obligations. This is general information, not legal advice. For anything complex, talk to a Colombian accountant (contador).
How to hire on CleanMedellin
- Browse profiles and filter by your area.
- Compare rates, experience, services and languages.
- Message the person directly. Agree on the day, hours, tasks, pay and what happens if either of you cancels.
- Register them with your building, and plan the first visit. Here's what to expect on the first visit.
FAQ
How much is a maid in Medellín per day? Published rates on CleanMedellin are COP 130,000–180,000 for a full day and COP 80,000–120,000 for a half day, with transport included. Social security and benefits are extra if you hire directly.
Do I need a contract to hire a housekeeper in Colombia? Yes. Law 2466 of 2025 requires a written contract for domestic work, including day work.
Can I hire a housekeeper as a foreigner? Yes. The same employer obligations apply: contract, social security and prorated benefits.
Do housekeepers in Medellín speak English? Most don't. Profiles on CleanMedellin show the languages each person speaks.
Is a cleaning company cheaper? Not really. A company charges around COP 130,000 a day, the low end of independent rates, but it handles the paperwork and replacements.