Childcare Costs by City and State (2026)
Full-time childcare fees, median household income, rent and the gross salary a returning parent needs just to break even — for 50 cities across five countries. Every city page loads its numbers straight into the calculator.
United States
United Kingdom
| City | Infant care / mo | Median income | Break-even salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare costs in London | £1,680 | £47,000 | £22,500 |
| Childcare costs in Manchester | £1,250 | £38,000 | £17,500 |
| Childcare costs in Birmingham | £1,235 | £36,000 | £17,000 |
| Childcare costs in Leeds | £1,120 | £37,000 | £16,000 |
| Childcare costs in Bristol | £1,265 | £41,000 | £17,500 |
| Childcare costs in Glasgow | £1,180 | £37,000 | £16,500 |
| Childcare costs in Edinburgh | £1,180 | £44,000 | £16,500 |
| Childcare costs in Cardiff | £1,130 | £35,000 | £16,000 |
Canada
| City | Infant care / mo | Median income | Break-even salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare costs in Toronto | C$475 | C$90,000 | C$8,500 |
| Childcare costs in Ottawa | C$475 | C$96,000 | C$8,500 |
| Childcare costs in Vancouver | C$870 | C$88,000 | C$13,000 |
| Childcare costs in Montreal | C$210 | C$75,000 | C$5,000 |
| Childcare costs in Calgary | C$325 | C$98,000 | C$6,500 |
| Childcare costs in Edmonton | C$325 | C$92,000 | C$6,500 |
Australia
| City | Infant care / mo | Median income | Break-even salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare costs in Sydney | A$3,940 | A$100,000 | A$54,000 |
| Childcare costs in Melbourne | A$3,145 | A$92,000 | A$42,000 |
| Childcare costs in Brisbane | A$3,280 | A$90,000 | A$44,000 |
| Childcare costs in Perth | A$3,010 | A$95,000 | A$40,000 |
| Childcare costs in Adelaide | A$2,790 | A$82,000 | A$36,500 |
| Childcare costs in Canberra | A$3,555 | A$120,000 | A$48,000 |
South Africa
| City | Infant care / mo | Median income | Break-even salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare costs in Johannesburg | R4,500 | R350,000 | R102,500 |
| Childcare costs in Pretoria | R4,000 | R330,000 | R95,500 |
| Childcare costs in Cape Town | R5,000 | R340,000 | R110,000 |
| Childcare costs in Durban | R3,500 | R280,000 | R88,000 |
| Childcare costs in Gqeberha | R3,000 | R250,000 | R80,500 |
Common questions
Which cities have the most expensive childcare?
Across the cities tracked here, San Francisco, Boston, Sydney and London sit at the top for full-time infant care, while Montreal, Detroit and Gqeberha are among the cheapest in local-currency terms.
How are these childcare cost figures calculated?
Each city page combines published childcare fee surveys, national statistics-office income data and official rent indices for 2026, rounded for readability. The methodology and sources are documented on the data page.
Childcare costs by state (all 50 US states) · Read the methodology and download the dataset · Childcare costs by country