In America, the median chauffeur earns $37,290 a year. The median housekeeper earns $35,510.

That is the wage alone. It does not include payroll taxes, benefits or a car.

In the Philippines, a driver with the car included and a maid who also cooks cost $1,150 a month together.

Two jobs. Two very different bills.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes median pay for both. In May 2025 the median for shuttle drivers and chauffeurs was $37,290. For maids and housekeeping cleaners it was $35,510.

Add them together and you get $72,800 a year, or about $6,070 a month.

That is wages only. Employer payroll taxes, insurance and paid time off come on top. The driver arrives without a car, so that cost is yours as well.

Here is the same pair of jobs in BGC, at the rates our team works with.

Driver with the car included: $800
Maid who also cooks: $350

Total: $1,150 a month.

The $800 covers the driver and the car together. There is no separate car charge. The maid handles the cleaning, the laundry and the meals. Groceries are extra.

$1,150 a month is $13,800 a year. The American wage bill for the same two jobs is $72,800, before any of the extras above.

That is $59,000 a year less, and the Philippines figure already includes the car. Put another way, you pay about 19 cents for every American dollar.

Not a special deal. That is just what household help costs here.

The American figures are national medians, so your city could be higher or lower.

The Philippines figures are the rates we see for a BGC household, not a national average. Hours, fuel and parking are agreed with each driver, so confirm them before you commit.

This also covers only two roles. Rent, food and health insurance sit on top of it. But a driver who knows your schedule and a home that is cleaned and cooked for is a large part of why the same budget feels so different here.

The rates above are what a fair arrangement looks like. A newcomer who arrives alone often pays more, because the foreigner markup is real, and nobody mentions it until the first bill.

Our team has helped more than 180 Americans make this move. We know what a fair price looks like before you sign anything.

Click here to start your move to the Philippines the right way

Travel Well,

Evan Lorezca

The Savvy Expat