Hiring an Apartment Cleaner in Taipei: Prices, Where to Look and Move-Out Cleans

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Apartment cleaning service Taipei guide: NT$400 to 600 an hour, where foreigners find cleaners, what to specify, and how a move-out clean protects your deposit.

Apartment cleaning service in Taipei: the short answer

An apartment cleaning service in Taipei usually charges by the hour, around NT$400 to 600 per hour for one cleaner, with a minimum booking of three to four hours. How many hours you need depends on the size of the place and whether it's routine upkeep or a deep clean. Deep cleans and the weeks before Lunar New Year cost more.

Our recommendation for most foreigners: book a regular cleaner every two weeks through a platform where you can read reviews and pay per visit, and book a separate deep clean in the last week of your lease. That second one matters more than people think, because it is the easiest way to protect your deposit.

This guide covers regular help, deep cleans and move-out cleaning. If you have just moved in and are wondering why the place isn't spotless, read our companion piece on what "clean" means in a Taiwanese rental first; it explains the condition you inherit and the move-in deep clean.

A cleaner using a floor machine to deep clean bathroom tiles

Photo: Moritz Borkowski / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Three different jobs with the same name

"Cleaning" covers three jobs, and booking the wrong one is the most common source of disappointment.

Move-in cleaning is the fourth version, done before your furniture arrives. We cover that in the move-in cleaning guide, so this article focuses on the other three.

How much an apartment cleaning service in Taipei costs

Here are the market ranges from Taiwanese platforms and recent reporting:

What you actually pay depends on four things: the size of the apartment, how many hours it takes, how deep a clean you want, and the market rate that season. A regular maintenance clean of a tidy studio and a deep clean of a neglected kitchen or a moldy bathroom are very different jobs, even in the same flat, so compare quotes on the same scope, not just the hourly rate.

Air conditioner cleaning is usually a separate specialist job in Taiwan, with its own price per unit. Ask whether your cleaner does it or whether you need a technician. Our mold and humidity guide explains why you want it done once a year anyway.

How often to book, by household

There's no point paying for a weekly clean you don't need, or skimping and then paying for a deep clean every few months. What we'd book:

Per hour or per job: reading a quote

Most cleaners and platforms quote by the hour. That's fine for regular cleaning, because the scope is predictable. For deep cleans and move-outs, ask for a fixed price for a defined list of tasks instead, or at least an estimated number of hours with a cap. Otherwise a slow cleaner costs you more than a fast one. Send photos of the kitchen, bathroom and any mold before you agree, and confirm whether the price includes supplies, travel and parking. If someone quotes far below the ranges above, ask what they're leaving out.

Where foreigners find cleaners in Taipei

You have five realistic channels. Here's how we'd rank them for someone who doesn't read much Chinese.

1. Booking platforms. Sites and apps such as PRO360 and 潔客幫 let you post a job, compare cleaners, read reviews and pay per visit. Most of the interface and the chat is in Chinese, so a translation app helps. This is our pick for regular cleaning: reviews protect you, and you can switch cleaners without an awkward conversation.

2. Cleaning companies. They send a team with equipment and quote by size or hours. Best for deep cleans and move-outs, where two people finishing in three hours beats one person taking six.

3. An independent cleaner by referral. Often the best value long term, and many have cleaned for foreigners before. Ask in expat groups or ask your neighbors. The catch: no platform to step in if something goes wrong.

4. Your landlord or building management. Some have a cleaner they use between tenants. Useful for move-out cleaning, since the landlord already trusts that person's standard.

5. A service that handles it in English for you. That is what we do at TRA Live (see below).

What to tell the cleaner before they come

A bad clean often starts with a vague booking, not a bad cleaner. Send this in writing, even as a LINE message:

1. Size and layout: ping, number of rooms and bathrooms, balcony.

2. The job type: regular, deep or move-out. List extras by name: inside the fridge, oven, cabinets, windows, range hood.

3. The condition: mention mold, grease or months of buildup. It changes the hours.

4. Supplies: who brings them, and any products you don't want used (bleach on wood, strong scents).

5. Timing and access: start time, expected hours, whether you'll be home, how they get in.

6. What's off limits: a desk you don't want touched, fragile items, a room to skip.

7. Language: confirm they're comfortable with English or a translation app.

Move-out cleaning and your deposit

This is where a cleaner pays for themselves.

Under Article 7 of Taiwan's Rental Housing Market Development and Management Act, a deposit can't exceed two months' rent, and the landlord must return it when you hand back the apartment and settle what you owe under the lease, minus any debts it is used to cover. In practice, the arguments happen over that last part: a landlord who finds a greasy range hood, a moldy shower or stains on the walls may deduct cleaning or repair costs.

Normal wear from living there is not your cost. Dirt and damage beyond that can be. A professional move-out clean removes the easiest grounds for a deduction. How we'd handle it:

Our TRA guide to what happens when your lease ends covers notice periods, the inspection and how the deposit return usually works.

Trust, keys and payment

Getting the most from each visit

Let TRA Live handle the cleaning

If you'd rather not book through a Chinese app or brief a cleaner through a translation tool, our cleaning service is built for foreign residents:

We quote individually based on your apartment size, the hours needed, whether you want regular upkeep or a deep clean, and the market rate at the time. Message us on LINE with your area and number of rooms. If you're moving out and also need help with the move itself, see our guide to moving apartments in Taipei.

FAQ

How much does a cleaner cost per hour in Taipei?

Usually NT$400 to 600 per hour for one cleaner, with a three to four hour minimum. Platforms show weekday rates up to about NT$800, and the weeks before Lunar New Year can reach NT$1,000 per hour or more.

How many hours does it take to clean a studio in Taipei?

About three hours for a regular clean of an 8 to 12 ping studio or one-bedroom. A move-out deep clean of the same unit takes four to six hours with one cleaner.

Do I have to clean before moving out of a Taiwan rental?

You need to return the apartment without dirt or damage beyond normal wear, or the landlord may deduct costs from your deposit. A professional clean before the inspection is the simplest way to avoid that.

Can I find an English-speaking cleaner in Taipei?

Some independent cleaners and companies work with foreigners, but most platforms operate in Chinese. A translation app works for regular jobs; for move-outs, use a service that can communicate in English.

Does a regular cleaner do air conditioner cleaning?

Usually not. AC cleaning in Taiwan is a separate job done by technicians who take the unit apart. Ask when you book.

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