Au pair pocket money by country: pay, hours & costs in 2026

How much pocket money does an au pair get?

There is no worldwide au pair pocket-money rate. The answer depends on the destination, the programme or visa route, and whether the arrangement counts as employment. Compare the local rules before comparing offers.

Germany's programme pocket money, France's non-EU au pair allowance and Austria's employment remuneration are not interchangeable. In the UK, minimum wage rules apply. In Australia, the actual arrangement determines employment status and the relevant wage obligations.

AuPairWorld is our reference for programme details. We cross-check legal amounts and conditions with official authorities and use the official version where they differ. The examples above were checked on 18 October 2026; recheck before making a commitment.

Pocket money, stipend or salary: what is the difference?

Pocket money usually describes an allowance within a cultural-exchange programme. A stipend is a programme payment; wages are payment for employment. Calling a payment pocket money does not remove employment rights where those rights apply.

A family and au pair can agree an amount only within the rules that apply to them. A private agreement cannot reduce a legal minimum or override a visa or programme condition.

How many hours are included, and what time off applies?

There is no universal hours ceiling or holiday allowance. For example, the German guidance sets a maximum of 30 hours a week, while France's non-EU jeune au pair route limits duties to 25 hours. Austria's 2026 minimum remuneration relates to up to 16.5 weekly hours, including on-call time.

Count childcare, relevant household duties, evening babysitting and any required availability under the destination's rules. Being required to stay available is not automatically free time. Write a realistic weekly schedule before the stay starts.

Do not assume extra money or time off makes work beyond a programme or visa limit permissible. If duties change, check the rules first and update the agreement only within those limits.

Do room and meals count towards au pair pay?

In Germany's au pair guidance, the €280 monthly pocket money is in addition to accommodation and meals. Do not subtract their cost from that allowance.

Where employment law applies, accommodation and meal deductions have their own rules. In the UK, use the official accommodation offset guidance rather than deducting a room's market rent from wages. Do not assume free meals can replace a required wage.

What else does a host family need to budget for?

The payment to the au pair is only one part of the cost. Check which items your destination requires the family to cover, then agree responsibility for any optional extras.

• A suitable room, meals and the extra household costs of another adult
• Health, accident and liability insurance where required
• Language-course contributions and travel to classes where required
• Local transport, and driving insurance if driving is part of the arrangement
• Visa or agency costs where the route requires them, plus any agreed travel contribution
• Tax, social insurance and other employer obligations where applicable

How do I compare weekly and monthly offers?

Compare offers in the same local currency and payment period. For a planning estimate, a year has 52 weeks: multiply a weekly payment by 52 and divide by 12 to estimate an average month. A monthly programme amount remains the agreed monthly amount; the estimate does not change when or how much the family must pay.

Compare the hours and covered costs as well as the payment. An offer with more required hours is not necessarily better, and an allowance below a legal or programme minimum is not made acceptable by optional extras.

Our pocket-money calculator gives indicative stay estimates. Its country ranges are planning guidance, not a substitute for a current programme amount, an hourly wage calculation or advice about your individual arrangement.

What should the written agreement say about money?

Settle these details together before travelling, and keep a record of payments. Neither side should have to guess what the offer includes.

• The amount, currency, payment frequency and payment day
• The applicable programme or employment rules, and any lawful deductions
• The schedule, included duties, babysitting and required availability
• Rest days, holidays, illness arrangements and the notice period under local rules
• Who covers insurance, classes, transport, visa costs and agreed travel
• How to review a change in duties without exceeding legal or programme limits

Is au pair pocket money taxable?

There is no universal tax exemption for au pairs. Tax and social-insurance treatment depend on the destination and the arrangement. Check the local authority's guidance before assuming that the words pocket money mean a payment is tax-free.