"Here is An Entire Breakdown": SA Woman Shares How Much She Spent to Become an Au Pair in America

• A South African woman shared a detailed cost breakdown of what she spent to become an au pair in America
• She paid R5,500 to her agency, plus additional costs for a passport, driver's licence, visa, and medical documents
• Her total spend reached R17,222, but she explained the expenses were spread over a year and a half

A South African woman named Olly took to TikTok on 9 September 2026 to give aspiring au pairs a frank look at how much it actually costs to make the move to America.

Posted to her account @ok._olly, the video broke down every rand she spent from the moment she decided to pursue the programme to the day she boarded her flight.

"Here is an entire breakdown of how much I spent to become an au pair in America."

Break down the agency costs

Olly used the agency House-o-Orange Au Pairs and paid three separate fees: a R500 registration fee, a R2,500 acceptance fee, and a R2,500 placement fee, bringing the agency total to R5,500.

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She was clear that the agency costs were only part of the picture. Because she had finished high school with no driver's licence, no passport, and no spectacles, she had to build from scratch. A passport set her back R600, while driving lessons cost R5,000. During the actual application, she paid R170 for a police clearance, about R750 for medicals, and $160 (roughly R2,552) for her visa. A small amount went towards ID photos.

She shares the honest total

All in, Olly spent R17,222. She was quick to point out that this figure is not a benchmark for everyone. Many people already own a passport or a driver's licence, which could bring costs down considerably.

She also stressed that the expenses were not paid all at once. The whole process unfolded over a year and a half, with each step coming in stages.

Before flying out, her mother took her to exchange some rands for dollars. She carried about $100 in cash for the journey and advised others to do the same, noting that relying solely on a card abroad carries its own risks.

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View the TikTok video below:

Viewers ask questions about the au pair journey

South Africans flooded the comments section with questions and their own experiences:

@Zee_kwesaba🇿🇦 asked:

"So wait, if your visa application gets denied, does the agency pay back your money? 😭😭😭😭"

@Liyande Mpanza wrote:

"Why are you whispering"

@Tams asked:

"What is better, House-0-orange or culture care?"

@Ms L O V E shared:

"Last time it cost me R15000 only for transportation. Still didn't want to go, though."

@®Raida✨🏹 asked:

"Hi, do you need to be able to swim to be an au pair?"

@Wish Nzama asked:

"Maybe you know: does the agency take males?"

More Briefly News stories on au pairs

• An au pair won R34 million after discovering her employer had secretly filmed her with hidden cameras, prompting outrage online.
• A South African au pair working for a wealthy family showed off a luxurious lifestyle, sparking interest from people wanting to know how to get similar jobs.
• A South African au pair in the US amused viewers by teaching her young charge a funny Zulu song in a viral TikTok video.

Source: Briefly News