How Much Does House Sitting Cost? A 2026 Price Breakdown

If you looked at our bank statements from the last three years, you’d probably be confused. We’ve woken up Swiss Chalet's in the French Alps, Premium apartments in Switzerland, and Central Unit in the Sydney, over new years.

Yet, our "rent" column sits stubbornly at zero. When we tell people we travel full-time, the first question is usually, "Did you win the lottery?" The second is, "Okay, but really, how much does house sitting cost?"

It’s a fair question. While we aren’t paying a landlord, the lifestyle isn't entirely without expenses. When we first looked into how to get started in house sitting, we realized there’s a difference between "free" and "good value."

Now, looking back from within our campervan in Europe, having completed over a dozen sits across multiple countries, we have the receipts. Whether you are looking for house sitting opportunities to save on rent or just want a cheaper holiday, here is the financial breakdown of our life on the road.

The "Free" Myth: Can You House Sit for $0?

Technically, yes. You can find house sitting jobs that don't cost a cent to apply for. There are Facebook groups and community boards where people post ads looking for someone to watch their pug or water their ferns. However, Caro and I generally don't pursue these "free" avenues anymore.

Why? Because in the world of house sitting safety, you often get what you pay for. Free platforms lack verification processes. There are no ID checks, no support lines, and often no reviews. We have heard horror stories of sitters arriving to find the Beautiful home, run down and dirty or homeowners getting ghosted by a random person from the internet.

This still happens on Premium house sitting websites, but usually the reviews help weed the bad actors out quite quickly

When you are house sitting without pets or managing a complex zoo of animals, trust is currency. We recommend paying for a membership platform because it creates an entry barrier. It stops random people from joining just to crash on a couch. It ensures that if you are house sitting for seniors or families, everyone has been vetted. Plus, if things go wrong, you have a support team, something that doesn't exist on Craigslist.

The Real Cost: Membership Fees for 2026

The primary cost of house sitting is the annual membership fee for the platforms that connect you with homeowners. Think of it like a dating app subscription, but the match is a luxury house sit instead of a dinner date. Here is the updated pricing for the major players as of December 2025.

TrustedHousesitters (The Big Player)

This is the platform we use most often. It has the most listings globally, which is great if you are looking for house sitting in Australia or the UK. However, they recently introduced a booking fee that you need to be aware of.

Sitter Plans:

If you are joining, don't pay full price. Use a discount code for Trusted House Sitters to shave off 25% of the cost. You can check our full Trusted House Sitters review for a deeper dive.

Nomador (The European Specialist)

If you are dreaming of house sitting sites that specialize in France or Europe, Nomador is fantastic. Their pricing model is unified, meaning one plan covers you as both a sitter and an owner.

We love that the higher tiers include coverage, which is vital if you are worried about damaging property during a house sit.

HouseCarers (The Budget Veteran)

Established way back in 2000, HouseCarers is a solid, no-frills option. It is particularly good if you are looking for long term house sitting without breaking the bank.

There are no booking fees here, making it one of the most affordable ways to find house sitting jobs.

MindMyHouse (The Cheapest Option)

If you are just dipping your toes in and wondering is house sitting worth it, check out Mind my house. It is a smaller, family-run site, but the community is lovely.

It’s incredibly cheap, but the volume of sits is lower than the giants like Trusted House Sitters.

HouseSitMatch (The Personalized Choice)

Based in the UK, House sit Match feels more like an agency. They do ID checks manually and offer great support.

This is a great platform if you want to avoid house sitting legal issues and prefer a human touch.

Hidden Costs You Need to Budget For

While the accommodation is "free" after your membership fee, you can't travel on zero dollars. Here is what else drains our wallet while we are living the dream.

1. Travel Expenses

This is the big one. You have to get to the sit. Whether it’s a flight to house sitting Vancouver or a train ride to a cottage in Wales, the transport is on you. We usually clarify who pays for travel to a house sit early on, spoiler: it is almost always the sitter. To manage our finances across borders, we use Revolut or N26 to avoid nasty exchange fees.

2. Food and Daily Living

You have to eat! While some generous hosts leave a welcome gift for house sitters or a stocked pantry, you generally buy your own groceries. We always ask about food to leave for the house sitter during our initial video chats so we know if we need to hit a supermarket immediately.

3. Background Checks

Some platforms include this, but others might require you to pay for a police check to get that "verified" badge. Having a clean record is crucial to avoid red flags in a pet sitter that owners look out for.

4. Insurance

Are you covered if the dog gets sick or you break a vase? We always look into insurance coverage with house sitters. Some premium memberships include this, but if you are on a basic plan, you might need third-party liability insurance.

Is It Worth The Cost?

Let’s do the math. A year of Trusted House Sitters costs about $129 (plus the new fees). That is roughly the price of one night in a decent hotel. For that price, we have secured months of accommodation.

When we did our first sit looking after Coco the toy poodle, we stayed in a multi-million dollar apartment. If we had to pay rent there, it would have been thousands a week. Instead, we paid our annual fee and bought our own pasta. The return on investment is insane.

Plus, it allows us to travel slowly. We can settle in, work remotely, check our guide on house sitting for remote workers, and live like locals. It’s significantly cheaper than pet boarding for the owners, and cheaper than hotels for us. It’s a win-win.

How to Get Your Money’s Worth

To really make the membership fee pay off, you need to be successful. You can't just sign up and expect invites to roll in. You need a killer house sitting profile.

If you are worried about experience, read our guide on how to get house sits without prior experience. Everyone starts somewhere, we started with one poodle and a lot of enthusiasm.

Final Thoughts from the Camper Van

House sitting has saved us tens of thousands of dollars. It allowed us to explore house sits in Autralia and spend winters in Southern Europe. The initial cost of a membership is a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the value you get.

Just remember, it is an exchange. You are trading your time and care for a home. If you treat it like a transaction where you provide value, you will never be short of places to stay. Whether you are using Rover for walking gigs or Kiwi House Sitting for adventures in New Zealand, the cost is minimal, but the rewards are massive.

If you are ready to dive in, Make sure to click on our links, With some we get discount offers.
For regular tips check out @housesittersguide on Instagram. We answer everyone!

Caro & Konrad 🐾🚐

• Is house sitting completely free?

  Generally, no. While no money changes hands between the sitter and homeowner for the stay itself, sitters usually pay an annual membership fee to join a platform (ranging from $29 to $259+ USD). There are also travel and food costs to consider.

• Do house sitters get paid?

  Most traditional house sitting arrangements on platforms like TrustedHousesitters are an exchange: free accommodation for pet care. However, professional pet sitters on sites like Rover can charge for their services.

• How much is TrustedHousesitters in 2025?

  As of late 2025, sitter plans range from $129 to $259 USD per year. They have also introduced a $12 booking fee per confirmed sit for Basic and Standard members.

• Who pays for the travel expenses?

  The house sitter is almost always responsible for their own travel costs to and from the house sit. This includes flights, trains, or gas money.

• Are there any hidden costs to house sitting?

  Beyond the membership fee, you should budget for travel, your own food, potential background check fees, and liability insurance if your platform doesn't provide it.