“What does a security guard cost per month?” is the first question every facility head, society secretary and plant manager asks — and the most misunderstood. The headline rate is only half the story; the other half is statutory compliance, shift mathematics and supervision. This guide gives you 2026 indicative rates for Maharashtra’s major cities, the full cost anatomy, and the red flags that tell you a cheap quote will become an expensive problem.
2026 indicative monthly rates by city
Per person, single 12-hour shift, inclusive of statutory components (indicative bands — final pricing depends on site risk, headcount and shift structure):
| City | Unarmed guard | Supervisor | Housekeeping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | ₹18,000 – ₹24,000 | ₹26,000 – ₹38,000 | ₹15,000 – ₹19,000 |
| Navi Mumbai | ₹17,000 – ₹22,000 | ₹25,000 – ₹35,000 | ₹14,500 – ₹18,000 |
| Thane | ₹16,500 – ₹21,000 | ₹24,000 – ₹32,000 | ₹14,000 – ₹17,500 |
| Pune | ₹16,000 – ₹21,000 | ₹24,000 – ₹34,000 | ₹14,000 – ₹17,500 |
| Nashik | ₹14,500 – ₹19,000 | ₹21,000 – ₹28,000 | ₹13,000 – ₹16,000 |
| Nagpur | ₹14,000 – ₹18,500 | ₹20,000 – ₹27,000 | ₹12,500 – ₹15,500 |
City-specific context lives in our hub guides: Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur.
Guards Board statutory rates (Brihan Mumbai & Thane)
Inside the jurisdiction of the Security Guards Board for Brihan Mumbai & Thane District, wages are not market-determined at all — they are fixed by statutory order and revised every January and July. The current order (SGB/DA/ALD/2026-2242, effective 1 January – 30 June 2026) sets these total monthly costs per person for 8-hour duty, including the Board levy:
| Board category | Wages & allowances | Total incl. levy |
|---|---|---|
| Security Guard / Lady Searcher | ₹24,328 | ₹32,315 |
| Head Guard | ₹24,658 | ₹32,257 |
| Supervisor | ₹25,498 | ₹33,399 |
| Asst. Security Officer | ₹25,768 | ₹33,766 |
| Security Officer | ₹26,308 | ₹34,500 |
| Chief Security Officer | ₹26,848 | ₹35,234 |
Overtime is payable at double the minimum-wage rate, which is what makes 12-hour and 24×7 coverage cost meaningfully more than the base figures. Two practical implications:
- If your premises fall under the Board’s scope (Brihan Mumbai & Thane district), these figures are the legal floor — any quote below them means statutory dues are being skipped, and that liability can reach the principal employer.
- Outside the Board’s jurisdiction, the indicative market bands in the table above apply — built on Maharashtra minimum wages plus PF/ESIC rather than Board rates, which is why they sit lower.
To budget your specific site against the official numbers, use our Security Cost Calculator — it models Board rates, overtime, 24×7 shift structures and reliever cover, and shows the honest market bands for other districts.
The anatomy of a compliant quote
A professional agency’s rate is built bottom-up, and they’ll show you the layers:
- Base wage: Maharashtra minimum wages for the security/scheduled employment category, revised periodically — the floor, not a negotiation.
- Statutory add-ons: PF (employer share), ESIC, bonus and leave provisions — roughly 25–35% on top of wages.
- Reliever cost: a guard works ~26 days; a 30-day post needs reliever coverage priced in. A “30-day rate” without reliever arithmetic means unofficial doubling of shifts.
- Uniforms, training & verification: real costs of a presentable, police-verified, trained officer.
- Supervision & management fee: typically 8–15% — this is what buys you patrol audits, reports and someone accountable when things go wrong.
Where cheap quotes hide their savings
- Underpaid wages: the most common trick — the difference between the quote and the law comes out of the guard’s salary, and guard quality follows.
- Skipped PF/ESIC: as principal employer, unpaid statutory dues can land on you. Ask for last quarter’s challans.
- No relievers: the same guard doing 12-hour shifts 30 days a month is a safety incident on a countdown.
- Ghost supervision: a “field officer” who exists on the org chart but never visits your site at night.
- No training: PSARA mandates structured training — untrained deployment is illegal and ineffective. See our PSARA verification guide.
How to reduce cost without cutting corners
- Fix the shift design, not the wage: most sites are over- or under-posted. A site assessment often finds a leaner structure with better coverage.
- Integrate services: combining security with housekeeping under one vendor shares supervision overhead — usually 10–15% total savings versus two vendors. That’s Bryte’s integrated model.
- Use technology as a force multiplier: GPS patrol checkpoints and digital attendance mean fewer, better-utilised people with verifiable output.
- Contract seasonally where demand is seasonal: agro, retail and events shouldn’t pay peak-season headcount all year.
Frequently asked questions
Why do two agencies quote ₹4,000 apart for the same guard?
Almost always compliance: one is paying minimum wages plus PF/ESIC, the other isn’t. Ask both for the wage break-up and the difference explains itself.
Is a 12-hour or 8-hour shift structure cheaper?
12-hour structures use fewer people and are standard for most commercial sites; 8-hour, three-shift structures suit high-alert industrial sites. The right answer comes from the site, not the price list.
Do armed guards make sense for my business?
Only for specific risk profiles — cash movement, bullion, certain banking premises. Most sites get better outcomes from well-trained unarmed officers and process discipline.
What does a free site assessment change?
It replaces guesswork headcounts with a mapped structure — posts, shifts, relievers, technology — so you compare quotes on identical scope. Request one here; there’s no obligation.
Get an exact number for your site
Rates in a table are directional; your site has a specific answer. Get a free quote — a Bryte specialist calls back within 4 business hours (Mon–Sat) and a free site assessment turns this article into your actual budget. Or call +91 98201 85978.