Au Pair Cost Calculator

Get a realistic monthly and annual budget for hosting an au pair. Select your country to see a full cost breakdown — pocket money, insurance, language courses, and all the hidden extras.

The comparison below now supports regional estimates: pick your US state or German Bundesland to pre-fill typical 2026 daycare and nanny rates for your area, then fine-tune every figure for your family. Costs vary widely by region — for example, infant daycare in Massachusetts or Washington, D.C. runs far above the national average, while Kita fees in Berlin are near-free compared with other Bundesländer.

Au Pair vs. Daycare vs. Nanny: Annual Cost Calculator

Adjust the figures for your family to see which childcare option is cheapest per year — and where the break-even point lands.

Au pair (per household)
Daycare & nanny

In United States: annual cost for 1 child

Cheapest: Daycare
Daycare
$14,400
Au Pair
$24,900
Nanny
$58,500

Break-even: at 2 children, daycare ($14,400 for your current count) reaches or exceeds the flat au pair cost of $24,900 per year.

2026 estimates only. Selecting a state pre-fills typical daycare and nanny rates for that region — you can still override every field. Au pair and nanny costs are per household; daycare scales per child (with a sibling discount). Verify current figures with your agency and local providers.

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