Hi Paul: What you pay will completely depend on many factors: location, size, length of contract, whether or not you get it through an agency, etc., etc. I pay (well my roomie and I split) 1350 Euros/month for a large, nice by Parisian standards, 2 br apartment with a VERY small kitchen. If size is not an issue, I’m sure you can find something much cheaper. But price range is really large. Regarding safety, I'm not sure I would personally raise kids in central Paris, but lots of people do. Again this will depend on which area you look at – something around Pigalle might not be as safe/child-friendly, where something in the 16th, will be quiet and moreso. But, in general families and people of all ages live in Paris and I feel safe here. The other Parisian EGers can correct me if I’m wrong – but if you use common sense Paris seems just as safe to me as any other major American or European city. (I can’t really speak for the other parts of the world.) I have no idea on the Estonian/work permit question. I’m American and know it was really difficult for myself to work over here. And, yes, the au pair work is probably going to be reserved to singles – especially if you are looking for something that will provide accommodations as well. But, some place you might want to check for the au pair work (in addition to what I am sure are many other resources) is the fusac online. http://fusac.fr/ But just because it’s generally reserved for singles, doesn’t mean you can’t find the exact thing you are looking for…I’m a big believer in persistence paying off, so if you keep at it, I imagine you’ll find what you need. I know there’s several other EG-ers on here who live in Paris (and have for much longer than I have) so I imagine they’ll give you some useful information too. But please feel free to PM if you want more detailed information – I’m always happy to help a fellow EGer coming over! Good luck!