Updated November 2026 US, UK, Canada and Australia Free calculator
Much of the house sitting you see online is not paid at all. On swap sites like TrustedHousesitters, sitters pay a yearly membership and look after the home and pets in exchange for free accommodation, and no money changes hands. Paid house sitting is a smaller, local market: people who want a reliable, insured local sitter rather than a traveller, usually because there are pets, a large garden or a home they do not want left empty. That market pays, and it pays per night.
For a one-week stay with one easy pet, a paid sitter charges $270–$520 in the US, £185–£400 in the UK, C$290–C$580 in Canada and A$380–A$730 in Australia. Short stays cost more per night, long stays less, and dogs, gardens and holidays all add to it. The calculator below handles each of them.
Set the job details to get a price to quote, then check what that price leaves you per hour once driving, supplies and tax are counted.
nights
Nights you sleep in the home. A typical vacation sit is 5 to 14 nights.Nights you sleep in the home. A typical holiday sit is 5 to 14 nights.Nights you sleep in the home. A typical vacation sit is 5 to 14 nights.Nights you sleep in the home. A typical holiday sit is 5 to 14 nights.
We only publish going rates for the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Enter the price you plan to charge and the calculator shows what it pays you per hour, and the lowest price you should accept.
Charge about
$370
per stay, for 7 nights
Budget$270Typical$370Premium$520
$
per stay, in your own currency
What you really keep
$24an hour in your pocket at the typical price
Adjust the numbers above to match your job.
The price is built as a base fee plus a rate for the size of the job, then adjusted for the options you pick. Time is an estimate for one person working alone; change it if you know your own pace.
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Price list
House Sitting prices by job size
Job
United States (USD)
United Kingdom (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
One night
$55–$90a single overnight
£35–£65a single overnight
$60–$100a single overnight
$75–$125a single overnight
Long weekend
$130–$2403 nights
£85–£1753 nights
$135–$2603 nights
$175–$3303 nights
One week
$270–$5207 nights
£185–£4007 nights
$290–$5807 nights
$380–$7307 nights
Two weeks
$520–$1,03014 nights, before any long-stay discount
£360–£78014 nights, before any long-stay discount
$550–$1,14014 nights, before any long-stay discount
$730–$1,43014 nights, before any long-stay discount
Hourly rate
$18–$32what working pros bill
£12–£20what working pros bill
$18–$30what working pros bill
$25–$45what working pros bill
Minimum charge
$55smallest job worth the trip
£35smallest job worth the trip
$60smallest job worth the trip
$75smallest job worth the trip
Prices are per stay in local currency, from a fair budget price to an established operator in a higher-cost area.
United States: Paid overnight sits run about $45 to $75 a night, from around $51 in Houston to $74 in Los Angeles, and many sitters quote $30 a night or less for a small home with no pets. Pet sitters who sleep over price higher: the 2026 Pet Sitters International survey puts their average overnight at $110.43.
United Kingdom: A single overnight runs about £30 to £70, with London around £35 to £50 a night and most other big cities £30 to £40. Post, bins, indoor plants and one low-maintenance pet are usually included. Much of the UK market is unpaid swap sitting, so paid sitters compete on being local, insured and available at short notice.
Canada: Published Canadian data on paid house sitting is thin. The 2026 Pet Sitters International survey puts a professional overnight stay at an average of C$113 and a live-in or 24-hour service at C$217.67, but sitters on booking apps charge much less. Quote prices before GST or HST.
Australia: A paid overnight runs about A$60 to A$120 a night, and one experienced sitter puts the standard at A$60 to A$100 a night for one pet, plus about A$10 for each extra pet. Paid platforms take a 15% to 20% commission and usually add a booking fee, so build that into your rate.
Method
Ways to price house sitting
01Per night, plus a booking fee
The standard. A nightly rate for living in the home, with a fixed amount on every booking for the meet and greet, key handover and the clean-up before the owners return. The fixed part makes a one-night sit cost more per night than a week, as it should. This is how the calculator on this page works.
02Weekly or monthly rate
For stays over a week, quote a weekly price about 10% below seven nights at your normal rate, and a monthly price lower again. Long sits are easy money per day but block your calendar, so do not discount so far that a month earns less than four separate weeks would.
03Per night with pet and task extras
One base nightly rate that includes the home, mail, bins, indoor plants and one easy pet, with set charges for extra pets, dog walks, garden watering and pool care. Owners can see exactly what they are paying for, and you never take on a big garden for nothing.
04Free stay in exchange for care
The swap model used by TrustedHousesitters and Aussie House Sitters. You pay a yearly membership, which on TrustedHousesitters runs US$129 to US$259 for sitters, get somewhere to stay and earn nothing. It suits travellers. If you need income, use it only to build reviews, then move to paid local work.
Price factors
What changes the price
01Paid or swap
The biggest factor is which market you are in. Swap sites match homeowners with travellers who work for a free stay, so in popular cities some owners expect a sitter for nothing. Paid house sitting sells to people who want someone local, insured and vetted, with references they can call. Lead with that, and do not try to win swap-site owners on price.
02Pets
Most paid sits include pets, and one easy cat is usually part of the base rate. Dogs that need two walks a day, several animals, puppies, elderly pets and medication are real work and tie you to the house. Charge about a third more for walking dogs and half again for high-needs pets. If the owner has no pets, a lower nightly rate is fair, since the job is mostly being there.
03Length of stay
The first night costs you the most: the meet and greet, learning the house, keys and alarm codes. Short sits should cost more per night, and stays over a week can earn a discount of about 10%. Do not go much further. A month-long sit blocks every other booking for that month.
04How much you can leave the house
Ask how many hours a day the owner expects you home. A house with one cat lets you work a day job. A dog that cannot be left more than four hours means you plan your days around it. The less you can leave, the more the night is worth.
05Garden, pool and extra tasks
Mail, bins, curtains and indoor plants are normally included. Watering a big garden in summer, looking after a pool, cleaning before the owners return and waiting in for tradespeople are extra jobs with their own prices. List what is included in writing, and price the rest.
06Holidays and peak dates
Christmas, New Year, Easter and school holidays are when everyone travels and the sitters with references are booked first. Add about a third for Christmas and a tenth for peak school holidays, and take a deposit to hold those dates.
Worked examples
Real quotes, step by step
United States
Two weeks with a dog that needs walks
A family away for 14 nights in July. One energetic dog needs two 30-minute walks a day, and the sitter brings in mail, waters the indoor plants and takes the trash out.
A dog that needs walks ties you to the house twice a day for two weeks. The long-stay discount and the summer peak almost cancel out, and that is fair.
Base price, 14 nights
$720
Dogs that need daily walks, or several pets
× 1.3
8 to 14 nights, about 8% off
× 0.92
School holidays or summer peak
× 1.1
Quote, rounded
$950
Going range
$690–$1,350
Time, with 15 min driving
33.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $238
You keep
$21 an hour
United Kingdom
Christmas week with two cats and a garden
An elderly couple visiting family from December 22 to 29. Two cats, a greenhouse to water, and a home they do not want to leave empty over Christmas.
Christmas sits are the ones paid sitters are booked for months ahead. Publish your holiday rate early, take a deposit, and confirm the dates in writing.
Base price, 7 nights
£264
Christmas and New Year
× 1.3
Water a garden, lawn or large plant collection, whole stay
+ £25
Quote, rounded
£370
Going range
£270–£540
Time, with 15 min driving
13.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− £0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− £93
You keep
£21 an hour
Australia
A month with no pets
Owners travelling in Europe for 30 nights want someone living in the house for insurance and security. No pets, a small garden watered by drippers, mail and bins.
A no-pet sit is light work, and a month is a lot of nights. The rate per night is low, but it is still a month's income for being there. Do not drop below your floor to win it.
Base price, 30 nights
$2,125
No pets, home only
× 0.8
15 nights or more, about 15% off
× 0.85
Quote, rounded
$1,450
Going range
$1,040–$2,050
Time, with 15 min driving
27.75 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $363
You keep
$39 an hour
Canada
Weekend with a puppy
A couple away for a three-night wedding weekend. Their five-month-old puppy needs to go out every few hours and cannot be left alone for long.
Short stays with a puppy are the hardest work per night in house sitting. The booking fee and the high-needs rate are what make them worth taking.
Base price, 3 nights
$185
High-needs pets: puppy, elderly or medication
× 1.55
Quote, rounded
$290
Going range
$210–$400
Time, with 15 min driving
10.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $73
You keep
$21 an hour
Your costs
What it costs you to do the work
Paid house sitting costs little to start. What you pay for is trust: insurance, checks and key security. If you sell through a paid platform, expect it to take 15% to 20% of each booking, so build that into your nightly rate.
Item
USA (USD)
UK (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Liability insurance covering the client's home, keys and pets, per yearPaid platforms may provide cover while you are on their bookings. Independent sitters need their own.
$250–$600
£60–£170
$300–$700
$250–$600
Background check
$20–$60
£20–£60
$25–$80
$0–$130
Coded key tags and a lockable key boxNever label keys with a client's name or address.
$40–$120
£30–£90
$50–$150
$50–$150
Pet first aid courseMost paid sits include pets, and owners ask about it.
$50–$150
£40–£120
$70–$200
$80–$220
Avoid these
Pricing mistakes that cost beginners money
Treating paid sits like swaps
If you came from swap sites, you may feel odd charging to stay in a nice house. The owner is buying security, pet care and peace of mind, not renting you a room. Charge a real nightly rate and put the duties in writing.
No fixed charge per booking
A one-night sit takes almost as much setup as a week: the meet and greet, the walk-through and the handover. Without a booking fee or a minimum such as $55 in the US or £35 in the UK, short sits pay badly.
Not agreeing how long you can be out
Owners often assume you will be home most of the time. Agree the maximum hours away each day before the sit, especially with dogs. It decides whether you can keep your day job during the sit, and what the night is worth.
Free extras that grow
Watering a few pots becomes the whole garden. Taking in one parcel becomes waiting for a kitchen delivery. List what the nightly rate includes and price everything else, or the job grows every visit.
No emergency plan
Get the vet's details, a plumber or neighbor to call, where the water and power shut-offs are, and permission to spend up to a set amount on urgent repairs or vet care. A burst pipe at 2 am is when an owner learns whether you were worth paying.
Questions
Common questions about house sitting prices
How much should I charge for house sitting?
For a one-week stay with one easy pet, charge $270–$520 in the US, £185–£400 in the UK, C$290–C$580 in Canada and A$380–A$730 in Australia. That works out to a nightly rate plus a fixed amount for the setup. Charge more for dogs, gardens, short stays and holidays.
How much should I charge per night for house sitting?
Paid sitters typically charge about $45 to $75 a night in the US, £30 to £70 in the UK and A$60 to A$120 in Australia. No-pet sits in small homes sit at the bottom of that range, and dogs or several pets push it up.
Do house sitters get paid?
Many do not. On TrustedHousesitters, no money changes hands between sitters and owners: sitters pay a yearly membership and get free accommodation. Paid house sitting is a smaller local market, usually found through paid pet-care platforms, referrals and local advertising.
Should I charge less for house sitting with no pets?
A little. With no pets the work is mostly being there, collecting mail and keeping the house lived in, so about 20% below your pet rate is fair. Do not go so low that a week of nights pays less than a few drop-in visits would.
Should I give a discount for a long house sit?
A small one. About 10% off for stays over a week, and up to about 15% for a month, is common. Long sits are steady income, but they block your calendar for every other booking.
How much extra should I charge for more pets?
Each extra pet commonly adds $5 to $10 a night in the US, £5 to £15 in the UK and A$10 to A$30 in Australia. Dogs that need daily walks and pets on medication justify more.
Is house sitting the same as pet sitting?
They overlap. Pet sitting is usually drop-in visits to feed and care for animals while you live elsewhere. House sitting means sleeping in the home for the whole stay, usually with pet care included. Our pet sitting guide covers drop-in visit prices.
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Where these numbers come from
The rates on this page were set in November 2026 from the published price guides below, then checked so that the calculator, the price list and the examples all agree. How we work out prices.