Au Pair Salary Guide 2026
Based on 98 survey responses collected by AuPairly between June and August 2026 — South Africa's first independently collected au pair salary dataset. Actual pay depends on experience, qualifications, duties, and location.
R30.23
National Minimum Wage/hr (2026)
45 hrs
Maximum Work Week (BCEA)
1%
UIF Contribution (each party)
Key Findings
- •35% of au pairs earn R8,001–R12,000/month — the modal salary band
- •73% of au pairs are not registered for UIF — across all salary levels
- •26% of au pairs receive no benefits whatsoever
- •82% of respondents are live-out au pairs
- •33% work more than 40 hours per week
Monthly Salary Ranges by Province
Live-out survey respondents, modal salary bands by region.
| Province | Modal Band | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Gauteng | R8,001 – R12,000 | R3k – R20k+ |
| Western Cape / Cape Town | R8,001 – R12,000 | R3k – R20k |
| Pretoria / Tshwane | R5,001 – R8,000 | Under R3k – R20k+ |
| Smaller cities / rural | R3,001 – R5,000 | R3k – R16k |
Live-In (survey data, modal band)
Live-in R5,001 – R8,000
Survey data: 98 au pair respondents, June–August 2026. KwaZulu-Natal excluded from regional breakdown (n=1 live-out). All data is au pair-reported.
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Experience & Qualification Premiums
The salary jump happens at the 3-year mark. At 5+ years, some au pairs earn above R16,000/month.
Hours Worked (Survey Data)
56% of respondents work 31 or more hours per week. 33% work more than 40 hours — above the BCEA maximum of 45 hours per week.
Compliance: UIF, Payslips, and Benefits
73% of au pairs are not registered for UIF. Non-compliance is consistent across every salary band — this is not a low-pay problem, it is market-wide.
What's Typically Included
Live-In Au Pairs
- ✓ Private bedroom (own bathroom preferred)
- ✓ All meals provided
- ✓ Wi-Fi access
- ✓ Transport allowance or use of family car
- ✓ Lower cash stipend (accommodation offset)
Live-Out Au Pairs
- ✓ Higher cash salary (no accommodation)
- ✓ Transport allowance or petrol money
- ✓ Lunch provided during work hours
- ✓ More flexibility with personal time
- ✓ Typically 8am–5pm working hours
Methodology
- Survey period: June–August 2026
- Total responses: 98
- Respondents: South African au pairs and nannies, recruited via the AuPairly platform, social media, and au pair/nanny Facebook groups
- Data collection: Google Forms. Salary collected as bands to reduce social desirability bias
- 7 respondents (7%) selected "I prefer not to say" and are excluded from salary tables. Compliance figures use all 98.
- Limitations: Au pair-reported data only. Salary bands limit precision. KZN underrepresented (n=1 live-out). Sample may overrepresent urban/digitally-active au pairs. First annual survey — trend data from 2027.
Important Legal Note
Au pairs in South Africa are classified as domestic workers under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Sectoral Determination 7. This means they are entitled to the national minimum wage (R30.23/hr from March 2026), UIF registration, annual leave (15 working days per leave cycle), sick leave (30 days over 3 years), and a written employment contract. Both parties must contribute 1% to UIF. For live-in au pairs, employers may deduct up to 10% for accommodation, with a written agreement.
All salary data is indicative. Negotiate based on duties, qualifications, and your family's needs.