Categories: Helper's Rights and Regulation (SG)

Understanding Food and Accommodation Obligations for Domestic Helpers in Singapore

Updated 02 February 2026

Table of Contents

Currently, the Singapore government does not set a food allowance for foreign domestic workers working in the country. However, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) specifies that employers must provide free adequate food (3 meals) for their maids and has laid out an example of what counts as adequate food in a day where the maid engaged in “moderate activity”:

Breakfast: 4 slices of bread with spread.
Lunch: 1 bowl of rice + three-quarter cup of cooked vegetables + palm-sized amount of meat (fish/poultry/beef/lamb) + fruit
Dinner: 1 bowl of rice + three-quarter cup of cooked vegetables + palm-sized amount of meat (fish/poultry/beef/lamb) + fruit

The MOM also encourages employers to:

“Be sensitive to your FDW’s needs when it comes to food. Do not force your FDW to eat food that she is not supposed to or is not comfortable with. For example, your FDW may not be able to eat certain food due to her religious beliefs, or she may not be accustomed to your family’s dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian food or porridge).”

The above suggestion is the minimal requirements of what adequate food for a day should at least have. You can, of course, provide her with more food and more variety as you wish, as your maid will have more energy and motivation to work if she has a healthy body and knows that she will have a nice meal after putting effort in her work.

And please note that the example is suggested for “moderate activity”, which means if you assign your maid with some labour-intensive work, such as, for example, having her to clean the whole house before Chinese New Year comes, or having her clean up after you threw a big party, you should definitely provide her with more food.

Accommodation

The Singapore government provides a guideline on what employers should provide their maid in terms of living space:

Adequate shelter: the accommodation should be able to protect the maid from environmental elements such as heat, rain or strong winds.
Basic amenities: you must at least provide the maid with a mattress, pillow, blanket, bathroom amenities and toiletries. Examples of toiletries include soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
Sufficient ventilation: your FDW’s living space must be sufficiently ventilated. Mechanical ventilation (e.g. electrical fan) must be provided if natural ventilation is inadequate.
Safety: your FDW must not sleep near any dangerous equipment or structure that could potentially cause harm or hurt to her.
Modesty: your FDW must not sleep in the same room as a male adult or teenager. If you install video recording devices at home, you must inform your FDW of the devices and where they are placed. You must not install them in areas that will compromise her privacy or modesty, e.g. where she sleeps, change clothes, or the bathroom area.
Space and privacy: you should provide your FDW with a separate room. If that is not possible, you must ensure that her accommodation has adequate space and privacy.