https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 02 May 2026 04:10:44 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2287832 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 15:18:35 +0000 Dr. Pepper 2287832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow! Ours costs $2.50/hr. We only pay for the number of hours our child is there. If we assume an average of 45 hrs/week that is about $112.50 per week which is about $450 per month and $5,850 per year. Which is less than 5% of our income. I'm in the midwest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2284494 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 12:11:44 +0000 travellingbee 2284494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My toddlers daycare costs us 30% of my salary(before taxes!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2284471 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 11:04:52 +0000 lilyofthewest 2284471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in close-in metro DC. We just got a spot in a home daycare that's $300/wk (or $70/day for part time). It works out to being about 1/3 of my take-home pay. </p> <p>The least expensive option we found was $280/wk. Most were 350-430/wk. The more typically priced daycares were about 1/2 of my take-home pay. </p> <p>We feel really lucky that we found a very affordable provider that we like - we've been on 5 daycare waitlists since I was in my first trimester and none of those actually have any openings yet. </p> <p>We've spent the last two weeks scouring every listserv in our area and cold-calling dozens of daycares for openings and found two places that do have full-time spots open -- the one we took, and one that costs $418/wk. </p> <p>We do use the childcare FSA, and started deductions for it right when LO was born even though we didn't need daycare until he was 4.5mo old. Sweetie's employer puts a free $1,000 the FSA and we deduct out the other $4,000 pre-tax. The FSA money we started deducting in May will completely cover LO's care until late Dec or early January, but then we're going to start feeling some budget crunch. After that point we'll be able to charge every 3rd or 4th week to the FSA. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2284445 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 09:44:34 +0000 DesertDreams88 2284445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For a daycare center, it would be $1000/month, which is half of my take-home pay. DH makes a bit less than me and his insurance premiums are double what mine are, so they're about 60% of his take-home pay. Regardless, given our income level and various bills, one of us staying home is not a workable option. We'd be on the borderline of qualifying for public assistance but not actually qualify. We are both teachers and haven't gotten raises in the past 5 years. </p> <p>Thank God for GrandmaCare. If GrandmaCare doesn't work out, we'll have to go with an in-home daycare at around $600 a month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2284441 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 09:30:20 +0000 Anagram 2284441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm outside NYC and centers here average about 2100/child full time (some are more, some are less). </p> <p>Now that we have two, I am hoping to find a nanny share for the baby (around 1600/month) and take my older one to daycare out near my work where its cheaper. Either way, childcare for two is most of my salary, but I have a great family insurance plan and This is my tenure year at work, so im pressing on despite almost working for free. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2284319 Sat, 05 Sep 2015 22:48:55 +0000 ScarletBegonia 2284319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>$115/day * 4 days a week * 50 weeks a year = $23000/yr, and the government offers a max $7500 rebate per year (we get the max at the moment), so the net cost for us is about $15500/yr, Australian dollars. We are at one of the cheapest centres in our area. Metropolitan Sydney. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2284240 Sat, 05 Sep 2015 20:48:44 +0000 Mamasig 2284240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pay $1,200/month for two kids. It's about 9% of our gross annual income. We live in Louisiana. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2281097 Thu, 03 Sep 2015 06:49:13 +0000 JoJoGirl 2281097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Actually I should add that ours is $1400/month (4 days/week) after a TON of financial assistance, like 20% off annual tuition, AND they are closed 14 weeks/year following the school calendar (Christmas, Feb break, April break, and most of summer) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280645 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 15:28:48 +0000 daniellemybelle 2280645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our daycare was about $45/day for 7am-5pm. And it was not the most expensive in the area. It was a church based preschool that started at 6 months. The catch was they followed the public school calendar so they closed all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280573 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 14:36:12 +0000 DillonLion 2280573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was a lot more of my salary at the beginning, but we've gotten raises since then so the percentage has dropped! I think a lot of people don't take that into account. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280495 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:23:26 +0000 hummusgirl 2280495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@math.nerd: I know how you feel. My unsolicited advice would be to not worry about buying a house for a loooong time! We just did a few months ago for the first time, and are now totally "house poor" despite making really good salaries. I won't say I regret it but houses are really not all they're cracked up to be, especially from a financial perspective when you also have childcare costs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280486 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:17:05 +0000 Alba4 2280486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in Westchester (just north of NYC) and we pay $860/month for 2 days a week for a toddler. Crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280463 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:53:54 +0000 mrs. eagle 2280463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in the midwest and daycare 5 days a week costs $483.00 per month with breakfast, lunch and snacks being provided. We supply diapers, wipes and anything our kiddo needs. I currently have my 2 yr old dd enrolled 3 days a week for $370.00 per month. Hours are from 7:30 - 5:30 pm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280442 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:21:06 +0000 SeptMomma12 2280442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For an infant and a preschooler, it's $2800/month for full-time. Like a second mortgage :crying: </p> <p>We're in northern NJ. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280436 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:16:00 +0000 Modern Daisy 2280436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine is about 25% of my after tax/retirement pay. Can't go much cheaper in my area, in-home daycare doesn't really exist but there are more expensive options! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280401 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 11:38:24 +0000 JoJoGirl 2280401@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Um % before or after taxes? I only work 4 days a week but daycare right now for one toddler is about $1400/month, comes out to about 31% of my salary BEFORE taxes/health insurance. Also live in the Boston area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280342 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 10:55:22 +0000 ShootingStar 2280342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live north of Boston and we go to a smaller, non-chain center. For my toddler the cost is 14% of my salary, 22% of my take home. Overall it's about 11% of our total take home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280201 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:32:40 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2280201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the Midwest. Ours is $95/week for 2 days. She's at probably the most expensive place in town, but we only need care Wednesdays and Thursdays and they were the only ones who could be that flexible. Full time, it would be pretty costly.</p> <p>They also provide breakfast, lunch, and two snacks, which helps the cost seem less crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280164 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:15:25 +0000 littlejoy 2280164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@math.nerd: We are in your situation too!!! Renting, used savings for medical bills ... Our city is high for daycare costs, and it's really sad that we might have to move outside of our ideal area, because we'll never be able to save for a down payment. :( Sometimes I think I should just start a daycare! ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280130 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:59:44 +0000 MoreCoffee 2280130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We pay about $1300/month for the 2s class at a center. It's dropped from $1400/month for infant care. We're in the DC exurbs and commute into the city/wah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280096 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:38:34 +0000 Chillybear 2280096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We went with an independent "Learning Center" that takes infants-Kindergarten. As in infant we were paying $182/week for 4 days (i think it was $198 for 5 days) full time 6:30am-6pm. Now its $173/week for 5 days because she's in the toddler room and that included breakfast/lunch/snacks. We're about 40 min north of Philadelphia in a lower income town but its only 10 minutes from my office. I am so happy with her daycare and I feel for the care we receive its very reasonable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280086 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:31:36 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2280086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're looking at $1,100/month for full time infant care. DS will be starting at $910/month for full time Pre-School/child care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280082 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:29:49 +0000 NeekieRose 2280082@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we had our second we switched from a center to a home daycare. Saving are substantial. Went from over $1400/month($17k/year) to just over $1000/month ($12k/year) for each girl. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280053 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:20:13 +0000 MrsKoala 2280053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>$340/week, $17680/year. Almost 40% of my salary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280047 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:17:44 +0000 Alivoo01 2280047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We decided to go with an in-home Montessori bc it was significantly cheaper. However, when we were looking at "public" places, it ranged from $800 - $1,500. Some included food while others didn't. Seemed like the more expensive ones didn't include food or anything else, but the "cheaper" ones did.</p> <p>I live in North Texas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280027 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:00:41 +0000 yellowbird 2280027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pay 1000 a month for a sahm to watch my 3 year old and 5 month old 5 days a week. Very affordable. I'm scared to move next year because I know it will be substantially more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280019 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 07:56:51 +0000 Miss Ariel 2280019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in Louisiana and according to an article I recently read costs here are some of the lowest in the country percentage wise. It's around 15% of my salary, a full 5 days for an 8-month-old, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2280007 Wed, 02 Sep 2015 07:47:22 +0000 sera_87 2280007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@simplyfelicity: I pay that too, and have 2 kids. I do get 75% of that covered by a tax credit (my province has a 7$/day daycare policy). So it's 25% total of my monthly take home pay, 12.5% per kid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2279855 Tue, 01 Sep 2015 22:10:27 +0000 plantains 2279855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pay 2500 for infant care and 1950 for preschool. Pretty much more than the entire take home of one of us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/average-cost-of-daycare/page/2#post-2279828 Tue, 01 Sep 2015 21:32:17 +0000 MrsSRS 2279828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@math.nerd: Same here. Unexpectedly losing those months of work for bedrest and NICU stay and then me not returning to work as much as we intended absolutely drained our savings. Two years later and I feel like we still just can't make enough progress. </p>