How much does it cost to hire a bodyguard? A 2026 guide for Canada and India

How much does it cost to hire a bodyguard? It is one of the first questions families and executives ask us, and the honest answer is that it depends less on the bodyguard than on the plan around them. This guide explains how bodyguard pricing works in Canada and India, what a day rate really covers, why 24/7 protection costs far more than a single day, and how to compare quotes so you pay for the protection you actually need.

We do not publish a rate card at Den Protection Group, because two clients rarely need the same thing. But you should still be able to understand the numbers before you pick up the phone, so here is how the market prices close protection and what drives the cost up or down.

The short answer: how bodyguards are priced

Bodyguards are almost always priced per officer, for an agreed period of time. You will usually see one of three structures:

• Hourly, with a minimum. Common for a single event, a meeting or an airport transfer. Most providers set a minimum booking, often four to six hours.
• A day rate. One officer for a defined duty window, typically around 10 to 12 hours.
• A monthly or retained programme. Ongoing or 24/7 protection for a person, a family or a residence, quoted after a risk assessment.

In almost every case, vehicles, drivers, extra officers, travel and accommodation are added on top of the officer's fee. That is why two quotes that look similar per hour can end up very different for the same assignment.

What you are actually paying for

The person standing beside you is only the visible part of the service. A professional protection fee also pays for:

• Advance work. Checking venues, entrances, parking, routes and timings before you arrive, so nothing is improvised on the day.
• Planning and communication. Agreeing who knows the itinerary, how the team reaches you and your family, and what happens if plans change.
• The vehicle and driver. A trained driver and a suitable vehicle are often the most important part of a protection day, especially for airport pickups and long drives.
• Experience and judgement. Officers who know how to stay discreet, read a room and keep a difficult situation calm.
• Back-up and relief. On longer assignments, someone has to cover breaks, illness and shift changes.

Seven factors that change the cost of a bodyguard

• The level of risk. A low-profile family visit needs a very different plan from protection for someone who is receiving threats or is widely known.
• Number of officers. One officer can cover a meeting. A family moving to several places at once, or a large event, needs a team.
• Hours and days. A four-hour evening, a 12-hour day and a three-week trip are priced very differently.
• Vehicles and drivers. Whether you need a driver, one vehicle or several, and of what type.
• Travel. Multi-city itineraries, flights, hotels and time spent travelling between locations all add to the cost.
• Armed or unarmed protection. In India, armed options exist where the situation and local rules allow, and they are priced higher than unarmed protection.
• Notice. Short-notice requests leave less time for advance work and can cost more.

Bodyguard cost per day, per hour and per month

Per hour pricing suits short, simple assignments. Watch the minimum booking: a "low" hourly rate with a six-hour minimum may cost more than a short day rate elsewhere.

Per day pricing is the most common for executive protection and family protection. Check exactly how many hours the day covers, how overtime is charged, and whether the vehicle is included.

Per month pricing applies to full-time protection. This is where many people underestimate the cost. One officer cannot safely protect someone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Round-the-clock cover needs a rotation of several officers, plus relief, vehicles and ongoing planning, so a full-time bodyguard costs many times more than a single day booking.

How much does it cost to hire a bodyguard in India?

For NRI families from Canada visiting Punjab, Haryana or Delhi NCR, the cost of a bodyguard in India depends on the same factors, with a few that matter more:

• The airport and the drive. Landing in Delhi and driving to Ludhiana, Jalandhar or Amritsar is a long day with very different needs from a short pickup at Amritsar or Mohali.
• How many places you will visit. Village visits, tehsil and lawyer meetings, weddings and shopping trips each need planning.
• Armed or unarmed officers, and whether a secure vehicle with a trained driver is needed for the whole trip or only for certain days.
• Family size. Protecting one traveller is simpler than protecting elderly parents, children and relatives moving separately.

The most cost-effective approach is to plan before you leave Canada, so you book protection only for the parts of the trip that need it. Our guide on whether it is safe to travel to Punjab explains which situations usually call for a personal bodyguard and which do not.

Bodyguard vs security guard: why the price differs

A security guard protects a place: a building, a construction site, a store or an event entrance. A bodyguard, also called a close protection or executive protection officer, protects a person and moves with them. That means planning routes, checking venues in advance, managing arrivals and departures, and making constant judgement calls in public. The difference in role, training and responsibility is why a personal bodyguard costs more than a static security guard, and why comparing the two on hourly rate alone can be misleading.

How to compare bodyguard quotes

When you ask for quotes, ask every provider the same questions so you can compare like with like:

• How many officers, for how many hours each day, and how is overtime charged?
• Are the vehicle, driver, fuel and parking included or extra?
• What advance work is included, and who does it?
• How are officers vetted and trained, and will you meet the lead officer before the assignment?
• Who covers breaks and relief on long days?
• Are travel, accommodation and taxes included?
• What are the cancellation and change terms?

Be cautious of a quote that is much cheaper than the rest without explaining why. It often means no advance work, no relief and no vehicle, which is exactly where protection fails.

How Den prices protection

Den Protection Group was founded in Vancouver by Boota Sidhu, with operations across Canada and Northern India, including Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Delhi NCR, Punjab and Haryana. Every engagement starts with a confidential conversation about who needs protecting, where, when and why. From that we put together a written proposal that sets out the officers, hours, vehicles and planning involved, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

For individuals and business travel, Executive Guardian provides a dedicated protection officer who moves with you. For families, weddings and multi-city trips, Legacy Elite covers the whole family. For homes and estates, Estate Shield provides discreet on-site protection. If you are in British Columbia, see our pages on bodyguard services in Vancouver and executive protection in Vancouver, or read more about our approach on the How We Protect page.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bodyguard cost per day?

A day rate covers one officer for an agreed duty window, usually around 10 to 12 hours, with vehicles, drivers, travel and extra officers priced separately. Den does not publish a rate card and quotes each assignment on its actual requirements.

How much does a bodyguard cost per hour?

Hourly pricing is common for short assignments such as a single event or an airport transfer, and it almost always comes with a minimum booking, often four to six hours. Published Canadian hourly rates vary widely with the officer's experience and what is included, so compare the total for the whole assignment rather than the hourly figure alone.

How much does a full-time bodyguard cost?

Full-time or 24/7 protection is priced very differently from a day booking. One officer cannot safely cover every hour, so round-the-clock protection needs a rotation of several officers, plus relief, vehicles and planning. It is usually quoted as a monthly or retained programme after a risk assessment.

How much does it cost to hire a bodyguard in India?

It depends on the city, the number of officers, armed or unarmed protection, the vehicles and drivers, and how much travel is involved. A single airport pickup in Delhi or Amritsar costs far less than protection for a family moving between Punjab, Haryana and Delhi over several weeks. Den quotes NRI families on their actual itinerary before they fly.

Is a bodyguard the same as a security guard?

No. A security guard protects a place, such as a building, site or event entrance. A bodyguard, also called a close protection or executive protection officer, protects a person and moves with them, which involves route planning, advance work and constant judgement. That difference in role is why a bodyguard costs more than a static security guard.

How far in advance should I book a bodyguard?

As early as you can. A few days' notice allows proper advance work on venues and routes, and for India trips it is best to arrange protection before you leave Canada. Short-notice requests are sometimes possible, but they leave less time for planning and can cost more.