Families and au pairs: the app is free for everyone until 15 JanuarySee the terms
Germany Germany · Au pair pocket money 2026

Au pair pocket money in Germany: the Merkblatt reference and real 2026 cost

In Germany the au pair’s pocket money tracks an administrative reference amount published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit: it is not a wage but contractual pocket money set freely inside the au pair framework. Two obligations fall on the host family on top of it — health insurance and accident insurance — plus a mandatory contribution to the language-course cost. The value of board and lodging (room, meals) follows flat-rate social scales, separate from the cash amount.

Understanding the economic model

The financial iceberg: why pocket money is not a salary

Pocket money is the only visible line. Benefits in kind and contributions account for 73.8%.

Real monthly cost for the family
1,070 €per month
i.e. 3.8 × the pocket money paid
Proportional iceberg of the monthly cost of hosting an au pairEMERGEDIMMERSED
ItemAmountShare
Net pocket moneyBundesagentur für Arbeit — Merkblatt Au-pair (280 €/mois, montant de référence administratif)280 €26.2%
Private room (in-kind value)16. SvEV — Sachbezugswerte 2026 : Unterkunft 9,50 €/jour (285 €/mois)285 €26.6%
Full board (in-kind value)16. SvEV — Sachbezugswerte 2026 : Verpflegung 11,50 €/jour (345 €/mois)345 €32.2%
Health + accident insuranceBundesagentur für Arbeit — assurance maladie et accidents à la charge de la famille (fourchette marché ~30–79 €/mois ; 40 € retenu)40 €3.7%
Language course (mandatory)Bundesagentur für Arbeit — participation de la famille au cours de langue 70 €/mois (min. 840 €/12 mois)70 €6.5%
Transport (optional)Facultatif — non imposé par la BA (souvent pris en charge)50 €4.7%
Total monthly cost1,070 €100 %

What you see — the pocket money — represents 26.2% of the real cost. The remaining 73.8% are benefits in kind and contributions.

Each stratum's height is proportional to its amount. Reading: out of 1,070 € per month, only 280 € flows through pocket money, i.e. 26.2% of the total. Source: AuPair Connect, 2026 surveys (19 destinations).

11 of 19 countries publish an official or reference amount. The others are set by contract or ordinary law. Download the data (CSV)

2026 benchmark (Germany)

Amount in our study: EUR 280 per month, board & lodging included. Status: Reference / accepted practice.

≈ €280/month: reference amount published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, set by contract. On top of a private room, full meals and health insurance. Source: “Au-pair in deutschen Familien” leaflet (BA, April 2023) §1.7 and the standard Au-Pair-Vertrag contract.

Primary source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (verified 29/09/2026).

The reference amount is not a salary

The Bundesagentur für Arbeit publishes a reference amount for an au pair’s pocket money. It is an administrative benchmark, not a minimum wage: the au pair contract sets the agreed sum, within the cultural-exchange framework. That distinction has practical consequences: board and lodging (private room, full meals) are not deducted from the cash amount, and the reference amount does not on its own create an employer-employee relationship. Families comparing offers in Berlin, Munich or Hamburg should therefore read the figure as a dated reference — the one our study carries — not as a statutory wage floor.

Health and accident insurance: two family obligations

The German host family must insure the au pair against illness and accidents during the stay. The actual cost depends on the chosen insurance contract: our study carries a market estimate, not a legal scale. This line item is mandatory but its amount is variable, which sets it apart from the pocket money itself, whose benchmark is published. Because the Merkblatt states the principle without a fixed euro figure, it is the classic line families under-budget when they compare hosting offers.

Language course: a contribution owed by the family

The German au pair framework provides for the family to contribute to the language course taken by the au pair, with a minimum amount across the stay. This is a duty specific to the German au pair model, added to pocket money and insurance. Flat-rate social scales (Sachbezugswerte) are used to value board and lodging in kind, but they do not change the sum paid to the au pair. For a candidate searching “au pair Germany salary”, the honest answer is therefore three stacked budgets — pocket money, insurance, language course — not one headline number.

Lines flagged as “estimate” (Germany)

  • Health and accident insurance: obligation on the family, but a variable market amount — a ~€40/month estimate is used in the study, not a legal scale.
  • Value of board and lodging (room and meals): flat-rate social scales (Sachbezugswerte), not a cash payment.

Official sources

AuPair Connect cannot be held liable for legislative changes after the verification date or for the interpretation of the cited texts.

Frequently asked questions

How much pocket money does an au pair get in Germany in 2026?

It tracks the reference amount published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit for the au pair framework. This administrative benchmark is not a salary: the contract sets the agreed sum, and board and lodging are not deducted from it. The dated figure our study carries comes from the Merkblatt.

Who pays the au pair’s insurance in Germany?

The family: health insurance and accident insurance are its responsibility. Their amount depends on the chosen contract — it is an estimate, not a legal scale. The Merkblatt states the obligation without fixing a uniform euro figure.

Must the family fund the language course?

Yes. The German framework provides for a family contribution to the language-course cost, with a minimum amount across the stay, on top of pocket money and insurance. This is a distinctive duty of the German au pair model.

Always check the up-to-date amount with your destination’s authorities before signing the agreement.

Compare with other countries

Useful links

Download the data (CSV, 19 countries)