Cost of an Au Pair

[Anonymous]

What is the actual cost of having an Au Pair? Wondering if this must be a lot cheaper than a nanny. I’ve had friends with Au Pairs but one mentioned hers was unhappy because they weren’t paying her more and other Au pairs she knew were eating more perks. How does the cost/perks vary? Wondering if it would make any sense for our family or if a nanny is the better way to go. We’d do a live out nanny.

[Anonymous]

There are much bigger factors to consider beyond cost when thinking about an au pair.

It's about a cultural exchange. You mention wanting a live-out nanny; do you want a roommate in the form of an au pair? What are the ages of your kids? Au pairs have a limit for how many hours per week they can work. Do you need a strong driver? Strong English skills? Do you have the space for an au pair?

[Anonymous]

We have one toddler/preschool age child and do have the room. We do not need a driver. If there was a huge cost difference, like half price or something we might consider it.

[Anonymous]

~25k on the low end, cash. Plus the cost of an extra adult in the house.

[Anonymous]

Around 38k. About the same cost as daycare or a nanny share. Less than a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PP. Same as nanny share, less than nanny. But the relationship is a very different one. An au pair is not your employee. You are taking in a young woman into your family. She is there for family traditions, you are there for her when she is sick, homesick, or heartbroken. It takes a lot of mental energy to integrate your au pair and to get to know a complete stranger, who from one day to the next will be sitting at your dinner table. You also get a lot in return. We enjoy the energy that these young women bring into our house. We love watching them mature during the year that they spend with us. But if you are not interested in this exchange, you are setting yourself (and your au pair) up for failure. We have had four au pairs and we are having a nanny now. So I know the difference. The money is one part of it, but there is much more to it than money.

[Anonymous]

No way 38k for an AP unless you are lying double the stipend and other perks.

25–28k is about right. And I pay more than the min stipend

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the PP. Same as nanny share, less than nanny. But the relationship is a very different one. An au pair is not your employee. You are taking in a young woman into your family. She is there for family traditions, you are there for her when she is sick, homesick, or heartbroken. It takes a lot of mental energy to integrate your au pair and to get to know a complete stranger, who from one day to the next will be sitting at your dinner table. You also get a lot in return. We enjoy the energy that these young women bring into our house. We love watching them mature during the year that they spend with us. But if you are not interested in this exchange, you are setting yourself (and your au pair) up for failure. We have had four au pairs and we are having a nanny now. So I know the difference. The money is one part of it, but there is much more to it than money.

Yup, and then you invest in the relationship and they decide they can no longer deal with certain aspects of the job (even though you were 100% transparent) and then they leave you high and dry.

[Anonymous]

Yup, and then you invest in the relationship and they decide they can no longer deal with certain aspects of the job (even though you were 100% transparent) and then they leave you high and dry.

This can also happen with nannies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way 38k for an AP unless you are lying double the stipend and other perks.

25–28k is about right. And I pay more than the min stipend

Closer to 40, for sure. The program and AP stipend alone is 24k. You have to be starving this women to say 25k. Sick.

[Anonymous]

You are wrong.

Stipend at $200 per week - $10,500
Agency fee (first year; second year$1300 lower) - $9300.

That leaves 5-8k for food and perks.

You must be a nanny. You had no clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yup, and then you invest in the relationship and they decide they can no longer deal with certain aspects of the job (even though you were 100% transparent) and then they leave you high and dry.

This can also happen with nannies.

Yes, but it is different. These are young women who are easily influenced by peer pressure and jealousy. Whose family has better perks, whose family let's them behave recklessly during covid

[Anonymous]

So it sounds like it is about $20k less, maybe more if you have multiple kids and a nanny would be a lot pricier. However, it sounds a lot less certain in terms of the quality of care you’d get as opposed to a nanny, who doesn’t have to live with you as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are wrong.

Stipend at $200 per week - $10,500
Agency fee (first year; second year$1300 lower) - $9300.

That leaves 5-8k for food and perks.

You must be a nanny. You had no clue.

No, your agency charges much cheaper fees, you must be with a bottom barrel agency. Ours charges 12k. Our stipend 12k. Car insurance is 2k. Educational stipend is 1k. Food, gas, perks is easily 8k. So yes, 35-40 is about right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are wrong.

Stipend at $200 per week - $10,500
Agency fee (first year; second year$1300 lower) - $9300.

That leaves 5-8k for food and perks.

You must be a nanny. You had no clue.

No, your agency charges much cheaper fees, you must be with a bottom barrel agency. Ours charges 12k. Our stipend 12k. Car insurance is 2k. Educational stipend is 1k. Food, gas, perks is easily 8k. So yes, 35-40 is about right.

Cultural Care and most of the other main agencies charge about the same, @$9-9,500. That’s not “bottom barrel”. Why the snobbishness about agencies?