TL;DR: In 2026 a house cleaner in Montreal typically costs between $25 and $65 CAD per hour, with independents at the low end and insured agencies or franchises at the top. Flat-rate visits for a 2-bedroom apartment usually land around $150 to $300 CAD, and hiring a cleaner directly is the cheapest way to get a reliable regular clean.
If you have searched for cleaning prices in Montreal recently, you have probably seen numbers all over the place. That is because "a house cleaner" can mean three very different things: a self-employed person who cleans a handful of homes a week, a mid-size insured company with a team and a van, or a national franchise with a call centre and a brand to pay for. All three clean your kitchen. They do not charge anything close to the same amount.
Here is a plain breakdown of what Montreal households and short-let hosts are actually paying this year, and how to hire without guessing.
Key facts
- Independent cleaners in Montreal, Laval and Longueuil generally charge about $25 to $45 CAD per hour for regular residential work.
- Insured mid-size cleaning companies sit closer to $45 to $65 CAD per hour, with premium franchises quoted as high as $65 to $85 CAD per hour.
- Flat-rate one-time cleans commonly run $110 to $175 CAD for a 1-bedroom and $150 to $300 CAD for a 2-bedroom apartment.
- Quebec's general minimum wage rose to $16.60 CAD per hour on 1 May 2026, up 50 cents from $16.10, according to the CNESST. That is the legal floor, not a market rate for skilled cleaning.
- Montreal's estimated living wage for a single adult is above $20 CAD per hour, which is part of why serious cleaners price well above minimum wage.
- Posting a cleaning job on CQD New Gen is free, with no commission taken from either side.
What actually moves the price
Size and layout. A 4½ in Rosemont with one bathroom is a different job from a Westmount townhouse with three. Most cleaners price on rooms and bathrooms rather than square footage, because bathrooms and kitchens carry the real labour.
Frequency. Weekly and bi-weekly clients almost always get a better rate than one-off bookings. A cleaner with a predictable Tuesday route does not have to re-sell that slot every week, and they pass some of that certainty back to you. If you are quoted a single number for both a one-time deep clean and a recurring service, ask again.
Deep clean versus maintenance clean. First visits cost more, often 1.5 to 2 times a standard clean, because nobody can do baseboards, inside the oven, and behind appliances in the same two hours it takes to maintain an already-clean apartment. Budget for a higher first visit and a lower steady state.
Move-in and move-out. Montreal's 1 July moving season creates a genuine crunch. Move-out cleans are priced as deep cleans plus empty-unit work, and availability in late June is thin. Book early if your lease turns over.
Supplies and insurance. Ask whether products and equipment are included. Some independents expect you to supply everything, which is fine if you have preferences about what goes on your counters, and less fine if you were expecting a full service. Insured companies charge more partly because they carry liability coverage.
Hiring in Montreal without overpaying
The gap between $30 and $70 an hour is not usually a quality gap. A large share of it is overhead, marketing and lead-generation fees that get built into the price. When you hire a cleaner directly, more of what you pay goes to the person doing the work, which is also the single best predictor of whether they stay with you.
A few things worth doing before you commit:
- Write a specific job post. Number of rooms and bathrooms, frequency, whether you have pets, whether you have supplies, preferred day and time window. Vague posts get vague quotes.
- Ask about language. Montreal is bilingual and many cleaners work comfortably in French, English or both. Say what you need so nobody wastes a visit.
- Confirm the rate structure in writing. Hourly with an estimated duration, or a fixed price per visit. Both are reasonable. Ambiguity is not.
- Start with a trial clean. One paid visit tells you more than any interview. Agree in advance what a good result looks like.
- Be realistic about time. A thorough 2-bedroom maintenance clean is roughly two to three hours of real work. If someone promises it in ninety minutes at a premium rate, ask what they are skipping.
If you are the cleaner
Montreal has steady demand and a rental market that turns over constantly, which means recurring residential work, Airbnb and short-let turnovers, and small office contracts are all available if people can find you. The problem is usually visibility, not demand.
On CQD New Gen you can create a profile, see cleaning jobs posted near you, and contact clients directly. There is no commission on what you earn, and it is free to join right now. Price at what your work is worth, be clear about your travel radius across the island and the South Shore, and keep your availability current so clients booking a regular slot can actually reach you.
Whether you are hiring or looking for work, the model is the same: real people, direct contact, no cut taken out of the middle.
Post a cleaning job or find cleaning work in Montreal at www.cqdnewgen.ai
FAQ
How much does a house cleaner cost per hour in Montreal in 2026?
Most Montreal house cleaners charge between $25 and $65 CAD per hour in 2026. Independent cleaners typically sit at $25 to $45, insured companies at $45 to $65, and premium franchise services can quote $65 to $85 per hour.
How much is a one-time cleaning for a 2-bedroom apartment in Montreal?
Expect roughly $150 to $300 CAD for a one-time standard clean of a typical 2-bedroom Montreal apartment. A first-time deep clean sits at the upper end or above, because it includes work like baseboards, oven interiors and behind appliances.
Is it cheaper to hire an independent cleaner than an agency?
Usually yes. Independent cleaners avoid the overhead, marketing spend and lead fees that get built into agency rates, so you often pay less while the cleaner earns more. Agencies do offer built-in liability insurance and cover if your regular cleaner is unavailable, which is worth paying for in some situations.
What is the minimum wage for cleaners in Quebec?
Quebec's general minimum wage is $16.60 CAD per hour as of 1 May 2026, and it applies to domestic workers including those employed directly by private households. In practice, experienced cleaners in Montreal charge well above this, since the rate must also cover their supplies, travel, taxes and unpaid time between jobs.
Does it cost anything to post a cleaning job on CQD New Gen?
No. Posting a cleaning job is free, and CQD New Gen takes no commission from either the client or the cleaner. You post the job, cleaners contact you, and you arrange payment directly with the person you hire.