Your results will appear here.
Enter your values and press Calculate.
The calculator multiplies your weekly rate per child by the number of children to get the weekly cost, then multiplies by your weeks of care per year (52 minus any unpaid closures) for the annual estimate. Monthly cost is the annual figure divided by 12, and per-child cost is the annual figure divided by the number of children. For Full-time nanny and Nanny share it adds an employer payroll tax estimate of 7.65% of wages (Social Security plus Medicare), because nanny wages are taxed very differently from daycare tuition. All figures are planning estimates for budgeting, not quotes: confirm rates, tax rules and availability with providers and a tax professional in your own country. This estimator is subsidy-neutral by design: it works from the quotes you enter rather than hard-coding one country's tax system.
The whole calculation is three multiplications and one division. Weekly cost = weekly rate per child × number of children. Annual cost = weekly cost × weeks of care per year. Monthly cost = annual cost / 12. For nanny arrangements there is a fourth step: nanny employer payroll tax = annual cost × 7.65%.
Worked example, one child in a daycare center at $332 a week for 48 weeks: weekly cost $332, annual $332 × 48 = $15,936, monthly $15,936 / 12 = $1,328. The same child with a full-time nanny at $870 a week for 52 weeks costs $45,240 a year before tax; the 7.65% employer tax adds $3,460.86, for a true annual cost of $48,700.86.
Use the weeks-per-year input honestly: if the center closes two unpaid weeks in summer and you pay for one week of your own vacation, enter 49, not 52. A few unpaid weeks change the annual figure by thousands.
Enter your currency, pick the childcare type that matches your arrangement, then enter the number of children, the weekly rate per child, and how many weeks of care you pay for each year. Click Calculate to see weekly, monthly and annual totals plus the per-child figure and, for nanny types, the employer payroll tax estimate.
For the weekly rate, use a real quote from a provider near you, or a local average if you are still shopping. If your provider quotes a daily rate, multiply it by your days per week; if it quotes monthly, divide by 4.33 (the average number of weeks in a month) to convert. Run the numbers for each arrangement you are considering, the comparison is where this tool earns its keep.
A daycare center is a licensed facility with age-based classrooms; published 2026 US benchmarks put infant centers around $1,061 to $1,438 a month, with toddler and preschool rooms 10 to 20% cheaper. An in-home (family) daycare runs in a provider's home with smaller groups and typically costs 15 to 35% less than a center, but closes when the provider is sick.
A full-time nanny cares for your children in your home, averaging about $870 a week nationally for one child, roughly $3,770 a month before employer taxes. It is the most expensive option for one child but the price barely rises with a second child, so families with two or three children often find it competitive with multiple daycare tuitions. A nanny share splits one nanny between two families at roughly two-thirds of the solo rate each, cutting cost by about a third per family while keeping personalized care.
An au pair, a young person from abroad living with you through a regulated cultural exchange program, costs a flat rate of around $21,000 to $22,000 a year regardless of how many children you have, which makes it the cheapest per-child option for larger families. Rule of thumb: one child, daycare usually wins on price; two or more children, price a nanny, nanny share or au pair before deciding.
Four factors dominate the bill. First, the child's age: infants need legal staff-to-child ratios of about one caregiver per three or four babies, versus one per six to eight toddlers, so infant care typically costs 20 to 35% more than toddler care at the same provider, and school-age before/after care can cost less than half of infant care.
Second, location: published US data shows the priciest states charging about two and a half times the cheapest for the same infant slot, and metro rates within a state vary just as much. Third, schedule: dropping from five days to three typically cuts the bill by around 35%, and part-time or staggered schedules are one of the biggest single levers. Fourth, the number of children: daycare tuition multiplies per child while a nanny or au pair price barely moves, which is why the break-even between arrangements shifts at two children.
On top of the base rate, ask about registration fees, meal plans, diaper and supply charges, activity fees, late-pickup penalties and whether you pay for weeks the center is closed. These extras routinely add several hundred dollars a month and are the classic budgeting blind spot.
Maximize tax benefits first: a Dependent Care FSA lets you set aside up to $7,500 pre-tax (2026 US limit), saving federal income tax plus 7.65% FICA, often $1,500 to $2,200 a year. Then claim the Child & Dependent Care Credit on eligible expenses, 20 to 50% of up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more, noting that dollars run through an FSA cannot also be used for the credit.
Ask explicitly about sibling discounts: centers commonly offer 5 to 15% off the second child and in-home providers 10 to 25%, but it is rarely automatic. A nanny share with a family whose schedule and parenting style match yours can cut your cost by 40 to 50% versus a private nanny. Switching from five days to three saves roughly 35% if your work allows it.
Plan around age transitions: costs drop when your infant moves to the toddler room, drop again at preschool, and fall sharply when school starts and you only need before/after care, sometimes $300 to $700 a month. Check state subsidy programs too; income limits are often higher than parents expect. Finally, research costs six months before you need care, not after the baby arrives: real quotes beat outdated advice from friends, and comparing two or three providers is the fastest way to find a fair price.
In the US, three federal mechanisms do most of the work. The Dependent Care FSA (flexible spending account) takes up to $7,500 of your pay pre-tax for childcare (2026 limit), which saves federal income tax, state tax and the 7.65% FICA share, about $2,224 a year at a 22% bracket. The Child & Dependent Care Credit gives back 20 to 50% of up to $3,000 of expenses for one child ($6,000 for two or more), but you cannot double-count: expenses paid with FSA dollars do not qualify for the credit, so families should compare which mix wins at their income.
State programs add more: many states offer their own childcare credits or deductions, and the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidizes care for working families earning up to 85% of their state's median income, with copays often between $5 and $200 a month. Employers increasingly offer stipends of $50 to $500 a month or backup-care programs, so check with HR before assuming nothing exists.
Other countries run different systems: the UK offers Tax-Free Childcare (a 20% government top-up on eligible costs, up to 2,000 pounds a year per child) plus funded childcare hours, and Australia's Child Care Subsidy pays up to 90% of capped hourly rates based on family income, leaving a smaller out-of-pocket gap fee. Because tax and subsidy rules differ by country and change often, treat this section as a map of what to look up, and verify current limits with your tax authority or a tax professional.
Published 2026 US benchmarks put the national average around $1,099 a month ($13,184 a year), but the range is wide: infant center care averages roughly $1,061 to $1,438 a month, toddlers $1,000 to $1,335, preschoolers $850 to $1,174, and school-age before/after care $500 to $800. Full-time nannies average about $3,770 a month for one child. Enter your own weekly rate above for your exact number, since state and metro rates vary enormously.
Multiply the daily rate by your days per week, then by 4.33, the average number of weeks in a month (52 divided by 12), then add any extra monthly fees. For example, $75 a day at 5 days a week is $75 × 5 × 4.33 = $1,623.75 a month. Using 4 instead of 4.33 understates your bill by about 8%, which is over $1,500 a year on a $1,600 monthly fee.
It comes down to legally required staff-to-child ratios. Most states require about one caregiver per three or four infants, versus one per six to eight toddlers, so a center needs far more staff hours per baby. Infants also need more frequent feeding, diaper changes and supervision. Expect infant care to cost 20 to 35% more than toddler care at the same provider; the premium fades as your child moves into older rooms.
For one child, daycare is usually 45 to 70% cheaper than a full-time nanny: a national benchmark is about $332 a week for a daycare center versus $870 a week for a nanny. With two children the gap narrows, because the nanny rate barely rises for a second child while daycare tuition nearly doubles. With three kids a nanny is often the cheaper option. Run both arrangements in the calculator above with your local rates, including the nanny payroll tax, before deciding.
A nanny share is when two families hire one nanny to care for their children together, usually in one family's home. Each family typically pays about two-thirds of a solo nanny's rate, saving roughly a third per family, or 40 to 50% compared with hiring a nanny alone. It works best when both families have similar schedules and parenting styles. A $870-a-week solo nanny becomes about $580 a week per family in a share.
About $21,000 to $22,000 a year through a regulated cultural exchange program, covering agency fees, the au pair's weekly stipend of around $195.75 and room and board. The key advantage is that this is a flat rate regardless of how many children you have, making it the cheapest per-child option for families with two or more children. Au pairs provide up to 45 hours of childcare a week and up to 10 hours a day.
The US Department of Health and Human Services defines affordable childcare as costing no more than 7% of household income, a useful yardstick for how much of your pay should go to childcare. In reality most families pay far more: 10 to 25% is typical in high-cost areas, and two children can push costs past 30% of gross income. If childcare exceeds 20% of your income, explore subsidies, a Dependent Care FSA, employer benefits or a nanny share. Use the per-child and annual figures above to check your own ratio.
Maximize tax benefits first: a Dependent Care FSA saves $1,500 to $2,200 a year, and the Child & Dependent Care Credit adds more. Ask about sibling discounts (5 to 15% at centers, 10 to 25% at in-home daycares). Consider a nanny share (40 to 50% cheaper than a solo nanny), switch to a 3-day schedule (about 35% cheaper than full-time), or use an in-home daycare (15 to 35% cheaper than a center). Check state subsidies and employer childcare stipends, and plan around age transitions when costs drop.
In the US, the Dependent Care FSA lets you set aside up to $7,500 pre-tax (2026), saving federal income tax plus 7.65% FICA, roughly $2,224 a year at a 22% bracket. The Child & Dependent Care Credit refunds 20 to 50% of up to $3,000 of expenses for one child ($6,000 for two or more). Many states add their own credits, and the Child Care and Development Fund subsidizes care for working families up to 85% of state median income. Note that FSA dollars cannot also be used for the credit, so compare the mix at your income.
Most centers offer a 5 to 15% discount for a second child enrolled at the same facility, usually applied to the lower-cost child's tuition, but you often have to ask for it and get it in the contract. In-home daycare providers may offer 10 to 25%. With two children, also price alternatives: an au pair at a flat ~$22,000 a year often costs less than two daycare spots, and a nanny share is roughly comparable.
Costs fall at three clear transitions. When your infant moves to the toddler room (around 12 to 15 months), expect a 15 to 25% reduction as staff ratios widen. At ages 3 to 4, preschool costs less than full-day toddler care, and many areas offer free or subsidized pre-K at age 4. The biggest drop comes at kindergarten: full-day care converts to before/after-school care, typically $300 to $700 a month versus $1,200 to $2,000 for full-day infant care.
Higher than the wage alone. On top of the hourly rate, US households owe the employer's share of Social Security and Medicare (7.65% of wages), federal unemployment tax (a net 0.6% on the first $7,000 of wages), plus state unemployment tax and sometimes workers' compensation. On a $45,240 annual nanny wage, the 7.65% alone adds $3,460.86. The calculator above adds this payroll tax estimate automatically for nanny and nanny share arrangements; enter your payroll service or state tax quotes for the remaining pieces.
Find percentages, percentage change and reverse percentages instantly.
Convert annual salary to hourly, weekly, monthly and biweekly pay, with overtime.
Find the exact monthly deposit needed to reach any savings goal on time.
How many months of expenses should you have saved? Find your target and your timeline.