What Does an Au-Pair Year Really Cost? The Full Reckoning
Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels
An au-pair year in Germany costs most host families around €8,000–11,000 all-in per year — depending on region, board, and one-off costs. That's well above the often-quoted „€280 pocket money“, but usually still cheaper than a full-time daycare place or a nanny.
We've already written in detail about the monthly costs. This guide completes the picture with the annual view — and above all the one-off and occasional items that never show up in a monthly figure but very much add up by the end of the year. Honestly calculated, with no sugar-coated numbers.
The honest annual bill at a glance
It helps to separate two kinds of cost: the monthly recurring items (easy to multiply up) and the one-off or occasional items (easy to overlook). The table below shows typical orders of magnitude for a full year — the actual figures vary considerably from family to family.
| Item | Per year (approx.) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Pocket money (€280 × 12) | €3,360 | Monthly |
| Language-course subsidy (from €70 × 12) | from €840 | Monthly |
| Insurance (approx. €45 × 12) | approx. €540 | Monthly |
| Board / full meals | €1,800–3,600 | Monthly |
| Public-transport pass / mobility | €0–700 | Monthly |
| Travel / flight contribution | €100–600 | One-off |
| Welcome & room set-up costs | €100–500 | One-off |
| Agency / platform fees | €0–1,000 | One-off |
| Holiday trips with the family | €0–800 | Occasional |
| Gifts, holidays, extras | €100–400 | Occasional |
Adding up the ranges lands you roughly at €8,000–11,000 per year — with board and accommodation the largest and most variable items. If you have a spare room sitting empty anyway, you'll mostly see the extra costs; if you value the room separately, you'll land higher. The key point: treat this as a guide, not a fixed price.
The items that never show up in a monthly figure
Most families are aware of the recurring costs. The following one-off and occasional items, by contrast, often come as a surprise:
- Travel: In many programs the family contributes to the journey — as a flat flight subsidy or a 50/50 split.
- Setting up the room: A private, furnished room is mandatory. If you don't already have a ready guest room, you'll make a one-off investment in a bed, wardrobe, lamp, or curtains.
- Placement: Traditional agencies charge placement fees; some platforms are free or cheaper. This range is wide.
- Shared holidays: If the au-pair comes along on holiday (and helps with the children), the family usually covers the au-pair's travel costs.
- Gifts & holidays: A birthday, Christmas, or a farewell gift are a given for most families.
Tip: Budget a buffer for the unexpected — roughly €500–1,000 across the year. A broken phone, an extra train trip, a spontaneous doctor's visit, or higher food costs than expected: things like these almost always come up; you just don't know in advance in what form. A buffer takes the stress out of it.
Still usually cheaper than the alternatives
Even with all the one-off costs, an au-pair remains the cheaper full-time childcare option for many families. A nanny on a permanent contract quickly costs several times as much, and a full-time daycare place is — depending on the federal state and income — also a substantial item, with far less flexibility on care hours.
But: an au-pair is not „almost free“. It's a real person in your home who deserves fair pay, insurance, and to be included — and who in return brings closeness, language, and cultural exchange into the family. Budget realistically from the start, and you'll head into the year far more relaxed.