What Is An Appropriate Amount To Pay A House Sitter In 2026?

If you're looking to hire a house sitter to keep your home safe while you're on vacation, you may be confused about how much you should plan to pay them. It's a complicated issue because no two house-sitting jobs are the same. Because of this, there's a wide variation in how much sitters charge and how much homeowners are willing to pay. According to Care.com, house sitters charge an average of $20 for hourly work (stopping by a few times a day to feed pets and gather mail). Overnight stays are calculated per day, and run anywhere from $30 to $100 per day. That may be a big leap from the low end to the high end, but it's not just a matter of finding a cheap sitter.

Your house is probably your most valuable asset, so you don't want to trust it to whoever happens to advertise the lowest rates. House sitters who consider themselves professionals invest in their careers, so they have more expenses, such as bonding and insurance, and often charge higher rates. They may also provide add-on services such as pet sitting, which can increase the fee. Understanding the factors that affect house sitting fees will help you make an informed decision when choosing and paying a house sitter, so you can have peace of mind the next time you plan an extended stay away from home. 

It may seem like house sitting is a job with little overhead, but people who make a living from it approach it as a serious business. As a result, they have many of the same types of expenses as any other business owner. In order to attract clients, they spend money on branding and advertising. To reassure clients, they maintain insurance and bond policies. These policies protect you in the event of theft or damage to your home by the house sitter. You may be able to get a cheaper rate from someone who is just looking to earn a little extra money, but you may end up paying a lot more in the long run. Your homeowner's insurance may not cover damage caused by a house sitter, particularly if it was a result of negligence. 

The amount of work you need the house sitter to do will also impact the price. For sitters staying overnight, a fair price would be to start at the low end ($30 a day) for a small house with few tasks and no pets, and add $5 to $10 for each additional consideration, such as house cleaning or lawn care duties, the number of pets, and the size of your home. The location of your home and the cost of living in your area will also impact rates. Additionally, you may want to pay more for someone with special skills, such as professional cleaning experience, or a knowledge of pet first aid.