By The AuPair.com Expert Team on 17 Dec 2025 ⏱ Reading time: 2 min.

How much pocket money does an Au Pair get?

An Au Pair’s salary, often referred to as pocket money, depends mainly on the Host Country’s program regulations (for example: 320 € in france or 350 € in Germany), the weekly working hours, and any additional tasks agreed with the host family.

What sets the amount:

Host Country's Au Pair program rules define the maximum working hours and the minimum pocket money.
The actual salary may increase if the Au Pair works close to the maximum hours or takes on extra responsibilities.
You can compare average Au Pair salaries by country in the table below.

What’s included in addition to money:

Beyond pocket money, Au Pairs receive free accommodation and meals (full board). Live-in Au Pairs are also entitled to holidays, which are clearly regulated in each country’s Au Pair program.

An Au Pair is a young boy or girl who decides to live abroad for a period of time with a Host Family. The Au Pair’s goal is to learn or improve his/her language skills, get in touch with the local culture and broaden his/her personal perspectives. This will give both sides the opportunity to experience a cultural exchange. In fact, during his or her time abroad Au Pairs are not employed by the family and do not receive a salary! Au Pairs become part of the family as a temporary member, as a big brother or sister to their Host Kids and help out around the house with light housework. Therefore, in addition to full board and accommodation, he or she receives pocket money.

This money helps the Au Pair to bear some personal extra costs. As pocket money is one of the Host Family’s expenses, we would like to share approximative rates in different countries.

Video: How Much Do Au Pairs Get Paid?

In the following video Charlotte from AuPair.com tells you how much Au pairs get paid, varying from country to country.

The amount may vary depending on the Host Family, the working hours and the host country. If an Au Pair wants to babysit some extra days, the Host Family can give her some extra holidays in the future. Families may also help their Au Pairs with other expenses like mobile phone, transportation or allow using their car in their free time

Below you can find a list of the most popular host countries and the Au Pair wages along with the maximum working hours. These rates are official and must be respected. We try to give you the most up-to-date information as possible, but as regulations in your country may change, please do not forget to gather all information from your local authorities as well.

Pocket money - overview by country

Country	Hours / week	Pocket money / month
Australia	25-30	800 - 1000 AU$
Austria	18	500,91 € (15x/year)
Belgium	20	450 €
Canada	25	Minimum wage (Click here for up-to-date informations)
Denmark	30	4050 - 4150 DKK
Finland	30	280 €
France	25	EU : 271,50 - 325,80 € Non-EU: minimum 320 €
Germany	30	350 € (280 + 70)
Iceland	30	40.000 ISK
Ireland	30	Minimum wage (Click here for up-to-date informations)
Italy	30	260 - 300 €
Japan	30	40.000 Yen
Luxembourg	25	480 - 500 €
Netherlands	30	340 €
New Zealand	40	1000 NZ $
Norway	30	5900 NOK
Spain	30	280 - 320 €
Sweden	25	5880 SEK
Switzerland	30	Please contact the responsible cantonal tripartite commission
United Kingdom	30	Minimum wage (Click here for up-to-date information)
USA	45	783 USD

Check the country list and the requirements to become an Au Pair or a Host Family. If this is exactly what you are looking for, start searching for your best match on AuPair.com!
Free Registration as Candidate

Can an Au Pair have a second job?: It depends. If the Au Pair is an EU citizen and is staying within the EU, then he/she can have another job. For the rest of the cases, it depends on the visa the Au Pair holds, the amount of hours she already works and the specific labour laws of the Host Country.

Can Au Pairs work more than 45 hours?: No. Every country has its own regulations for how many hours/week the Au Pair is allowed to work, and they correspond to a specific monthly pocket money. In some countries, like the USA, this includes extra babysitting hours. In other Host Countries it depends on the agreement between Au Pair and Host Family.

What are the requirements to host an Au Pair?: There are three most important requirements: the Au Pair accommodation, full board and monthly/weekly sum of pocket money. We recommend to go through the full list of requirements for Host Families. If you meet them, you can register as a Host Family today and find an Au Pair that matches your criteria.

How to find a family?: Once you are signed in as a candidate, you can start searching for Host Families in different countries. The platform gives you the opportunity to browse families that match your preferences and destinations. In addition to AuPair.com's suggestions, you can add other families to your Favorites. This way you will have a selected list of users you are interested in. Each added family will receive a notification.

You can also send free requests to Host Families of your choice. They will receive your application and can accept or deny your profile. Try to get in touch with 20-30 families per day to speed up the matching process and shortlist the most suitable options. If you reach 100% in your activity level, you can see which Host Families are Premium.

Do Au Pairs get a salary?: Yes! An Au Pair receives several benefits in exchange for help with childcare. One of these benefits is regular pocket money. This money helps the Au Pair to bear some personal extra costs. The amount may vary depending on the Host Family, the working hours and the host country. If an Au Pair wants to babysit some extra days, the Host Family can give her some extra holidays in the future.