Cleaning work is a large, varied sector across Europe: it includes domestic cleaning, office and commercial cleaning, hotel housekeeping, industrial and specialized sanitization. Pay, demand and working conditions differ widely between countries, cities and sectors — from part-time shifts to full-time contracts, from agency gigs to direct employment. Below you’ll find an in-depth, data-informed overview of vacancy types, typical pay ranges, and how earnings can vary from the lowest to the highest markets in Europe. This article avoids promises about hiring and focuses on factual information you can use for research and planning.
Overview: what “cleaning jobs” mean in Europe
Cleaning jobs cover a spectrum of roles: residential cleaners, building/office cleaners, hotel housekeepers, hospital/healthcare cleaners, industrial cleaners (factories, warehouses), and specialized roles such as window cleaning or bio-hazard/medical sanitization. Employers may be cleaning companies (contractors), private households, hotels and hospitality groups, hospitals, or municipal services. Contract types vary (hourly freelance, temporary agency, part-time, full-time, or permanent contracts), and so do social protections, benefits and pay structures.
Vacancy picture (short)
Urban areas and tourist centres usually show the most vacancies (hotels, offices, short-term rentals).
Public sector and large corporate contracts generate recurring demand in many countries.
Seasonal peaks occur around tourism seasons and major events.
(These patterns are general market observations rather than guaranteed openings.)
Pay across Europe — headline figures and how to read them
Pay for cleaning roles in Europe ranges substantially. In Western and central European countries average hourly rates are commonly in the low-to-mid double digits (EUR), while in parts of Eastern Europe averages are lower — sometimes closer to local minimum wages. At the top end (notably Switzerland and parts of the Alpine/Benelux area) hourly rates for cleaning or housekeeping work can be significantly higher than the EU average.
Representative country examples from salary databases and market reports show this spread:
Switzerland: common contractor/market rates often cited around CHF ~20–31 per hour in many urban areas and for private cleaning services.
Glassdoor
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Luxembourg and some high-wage Western markets: averages reported in the €13–€18 per hour range in several salary reports.
Salary Expert
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Germany and France: many sources place average cleaner hourly pay in the €9–€15 band depending on region, sector and experience.
payscale.com
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Spain and parts of Southern Europe: typical averages often cited around €8–€11 per hour, with variation by city/sector.
ERI Economic Research Institute
Eastern Europe: averages vary more; examples include reported cleaner hourly equivalents around €3–€8 in lower-cost economies, though urban and hospitality roles can pay more. (See Bulgaria and Romania figures for examples.)
Salary Expert
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What this means: a realistic minimum-to-maximum hourly range across Europe (whole-continent view, excluding non-EU high-wage microstates) is roughly €3–€31 per hour, with most Western/EU markets clustered between €9 and €18/hr and outliers (Switzerland, some private contracts) above that. Use country-level data to plan expectations — averages do not guarantee individual offers.
How wages are determined (key factors)
Country cost of living & minimum wage — national minimum wages, collective agreements and social standards set lower bounds in many places. In lower-cost countries average cleaner pay tracks broadly with national wage levels.
Wage Centre
Sector — hotel and healthcare cleaning often pay differently: hospitals may require training and higher pay; luxury hotels sometimes offer better rates than small guesthouses.
ERI Economic Research Institute
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Contract type — agency/temporary gigs can pay hourly but with fewer benefits; direct employment may include social benefits and steadier hours.
Region & city — capital cities and tourist hubs (Zurich, Geneva, London, Paris, Luxembourg, major German/Austrian cities) generally show higher posted rates.
ERI Economic Research Institute
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Experience, language & certifications — training for specialized cleaning (chemicals, infection control) can increase pay; language skills and reliability are valued for private/contract roles.
Typical salary bands by region (illustrative)
These bands are synthesized from public salary surveys and job boards — treat them as directional, not contractual figures.
High-wage (CHF/EUR 18–31/hr): Switzerland (CHF 20–31), some private Luxembourg roles (≈€16–18).
Salary Expert
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Western/Central EU (≈€10–€18/hr): Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, France (regional variation).
payscale.com
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Southern Europe (≈€7–€12/hr): Spain, Portugal, parts of Italy — urban hospitality roles may pay at the higher end.
ERI Economic Research Institute
Eastern Europe & Balkans (≈€3–€12/hr): Bulgaria, Romania, etc.; capital or tourism hubs can pay more than rural averages.
Salary Expert
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Minimum / Maximum by example: published national and market reports show minimum typical hourly values in some low-cost countries near €3–€5/hr, while market maxima (specialized contracts, private cleaning in high-cost countries, or Swiss city rates) can exceed €30/hr. Always convert local currencies and account for taxes and social contributions when comparing take-home pay.
Vacancy types & what employers commonly offer
Agency cleaning — flexible shifts, hourly pay; ideal for short-term availability but often fewer benefits.
Direct employment (company/municipal) — regular shifts, possible contracted hours, social security and benefits depending on country law.
Hospitality/Hotel housekeeping — frequently seasonal or shift-based; often includes tips or bonuses in some markets.
Specialized/industrial cleaning — higher pay where training or safety gear is required (industrial floors, chemical cleaning, post-construction).
Private household cleaning — can be informal or formalized (declared work); pay varies widely and may include in-kind perks.
Practical tips for jobseekers and researchers (no promises)
Check local minimum wages and collective agreements — these often define legal minimums in each country.
Wage Centre
Compare job ads in targeted cities (e.g., capital vs. regional town) to see market dispersion.
Factor in benefits (paid sick leave, social contributions) — a higher nominal hourly rate without benefits may not be preferable.
Watch sector demand — tourism, events and healthcare lead to spikes in hiring.
Use multiple sources (job boards, salary aggregators, government statistics) to triangulate realistic figures.
Limitations & how to interpret the numbers
Salary aggregators and job boards compile user-reported and employer data that vary in sample size and recency. Reported averages can differ between platforms; always check the underlying sample size and date. This article synthesizes multiple public sources to show patterns, but real offers will depend on employer, contract, region and timing. The figures above are informational — not guarantees of pay or employment. (Key data sources used include PayScale, ERI/SalaryExpert, Glassdoor and national wage reports.)
Salary Expert
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payscale.com
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Salary Expert
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Short summary (takeaways)
Cleaning jobs are ubiquitous across Europe but pay varies widely by country, sector and contract type.
Most Western/EU markets cluster around €9–€18/hr, while high-cost markets (Switzerland) and some private contracts can exceed €20–€30/hr.
payscale.com
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Lower-cost countries may show averages closer to €3–€8/hr; however urban/tourist roles there can be higher.
Salary Expert
Always check local legal minimums, contract type, and benefits when comparing offers.
Sources (selected)
Data and market summaries were checked against salary aggregators and market reports including PayScale, ERI/SalaryExpert, Glassdoor, national wage sites and regional market articles. Specific pages used in this article include: PayScale (Germany, Switzerland), ERI/SalaryExpert (France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), Glassdoor (UK, Sweden, Spain), and regional salary reports for Bulgaria/Romania.