How much does an au pair cost in London?
An au pair lives with your family and helps with light childcare and related housework in exchange for a private room, meals and weekly pocket money. It's the lowest-cost live-in option, but it's a cultural exchange rather than professional childcare, so the expectations are different.
Rates last refreshed 10 August 2026
London vs UK rates
| Type | London | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Au pair | £90 to £180/wk | £85 to £150/wk |
| Mother's helper | £7 to £11/hr | N/A |
| Live-in nanny | £500 to £900/wk | N/A |
Weekly pocket money
Au pairs receive weekly pocket money rather than a salary, on top of a private room and all meals. London placements sit at the higher end because of living costs and because the au pair needs travel money for the city. Across London that works out at about £90 to £180/wk.
What else you pay for
Budget for food, heating, a travel card or bus pass, and often a contribution towards a language course. Some families also cover a phone plan. Together these can add up to as much again as the pocket money itself.
Hours and what's reasonable
The usual expectation is around 25 to 30 hours a week of light childcare and child-related tidying, plus a couple of babysitting evenings, with two full days off. Anything approaching full-time sole charge of a baby is a nanny role and should be paid as one.
Au pair vs live-in nanny
A live-in nanny is a trained professional taking sole charge, paid a proper weekly wage with tax and National Insurance. An au pair is a young person on a cultural exchange helping out around your routine. Choose on the level of responsibility you need, not just the cost. Across London that works out at about £500 to £900/wk.
Common questions
How much does an au pair cost per week in London?
London families pay weekly pocket money plus full board, a private room and usually a travel card. The pocket money is the smaller part of the true cost once food, bills and travel are counted.
How many hours can an au pair work?
Around 25 to 30 hours a week of light childcare and child-related housework is the norm, plus a couple of babysitting evenings, with two clear days off each week.
Is an au pair cheaper than a nanny?
Considerably, but they aren't equivalent. An au pair helps around your routine; a nanny takes professional sole charge and is paid a full wage with employer obligations on top.
Do au pairs need a DBS check?
It isn't legally required for a private arrangement, but on KidSitter every sitter must have a DBS certificate on file before their profile can go live, no exceptions.
Find a DBS-checked sitter near you
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Au pair costs by London borough
Sources & methodology
Figures are midpoints of current advertised rates for each type of childcare, compiled from published UK childcare rate surveys and advertised London rates, then grouped by borough, zone or London-wide depending on how granular the underlying data is. Each figure is labelled with the level it comes from, so nothing here implies more precision than the data supports. Rates exclude any agency fees, KidSitter charges no booking fee or commission. Last refreshed 10 August 2026.