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 | £1,750 | £47,000 | £23,500 |
| Childcare costs in Manchester | £1,050 | £38,000 | £15,000 |
| Childcare costs in Birmingham | £950 | £36,000 | £14,000 |
| Childcare costs in Leeds | £1,000 | £37,000 | £14,500 |
| Childcare costs in Bristol | £1,200 | £41,000 | £17,000 |
| Childcare costs in Glasgow | £950 | £37,000 | £14,000 |
| Childcare costs in Edinburgh | £1,200 | £44,000 | £17,000 |
| Childcare costs in Cardiff | £950 | £35,000 | £14,000 |
Canada
| City | Infant care / mo | Median income | Break-even salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare costs in Toronto | C$1,800 | C$90,000 | C$26,000 |
| Childcare costs in Ottawa | C$1,100 | C$96,000 | C$16,000 |
| Childcare costs in Vancouver | C$1,500 | C$88,000 | C$21,500 |
| Childcare costs in Montreal | C$700 | C$75,000 | C$11,000 |
| Childcare costs in Calgary | C$1,000 | C$98,000 | C$14,500 |
| Childcare costs in Edmonton | C$950 | C$92,000 | C$14,000 |
Australia
| City | Infant care / mo | Median income | Break-even salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare costs in Sydney | A$2,600 | A$100,000 | A$34,500 |
| Childcare costs in Melbourne | A$2,300 | A$92,000 | A$31,000 |
| Childcare costs in Brisbane | A$2,100 | A$90,000 | A$28,500 |
| Childcare costs in Perth | A$1,900 | A$95,000 | A$26,000 |
| Childcare costs in Adelaide | A$1,850 | A$82,000 | A$25,500 |
| Childcare costs in Canberra | A$2,300 | A$120,000 | A$31,000 |
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