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Childcare cost calculator

Turn an hourly or daily childcare fee into weekly, monthly and annual household cost—with your own sibling discount or support amount kept explicit.

Childcare schedule and cost
The same attendance schedule is used for every child in this model.
Out-of-pocket cost
$270

Per scheduled week

Gross weekly cost
$270
Sibling discount per week
−$0
Entered support per week
−$0
Out-of-pocket cost
$270
Monthly planning equivalent
$1,080
Per child attendance day
$90
Annual schedule
Gross annual cost
$12,960
Annual sibling discount
−$0
Annual entered support
−$0
Annual out-of-pocket cost
$12,960

Schedule arithmetic only. This does not determine subsidy, benefit, tax-credit or reimbursement eligibility and does not know official rates, caps, provider rules or child-specific schedules.

Included

  • Hourly or daily fee per child
  • Hours per day, days per week and weeks per year
  • One to twenty children on the same entered schedule
  • A sibling discount applied to children after the first
  • A user-entered weekly support amount or percentage
  • Gross, out-of-pocket and per-child attendance-day costs

Not included

  • Checking eligibility for a subsidy, benefit, tax credit or reimbursement
  • Looking up official rates, income tests, caps or provider rules
  • Different schedules or fees for individual children
  • Registration charges, meals, late fees, taxes and irregular closures

What this means

The fee first becomes a cost per child per attendance day. An hourly fee is multiplied by entered hours; a daily fee is used directly. That day cost is multiplied by days, weeks and children to build the gross schedule.

The sibling discount applies only to children after the first. User-entered support is then deducted either as a percentage of the post-discount cost or as an amount for each scheduled week. Neither deduction can reduce out-of-pocket cost below zero.

Weekly output means one scheduled attendance week. The annual result uses the weeks you enter, and the monthly result is the annual amount divided by 12. No external eligibility or billing rule is inferred.

Formula & worked example

cost per child-day = hourly fee × hours, or daily fee
gross weekly = child-day cost × days × children
sibling discount = child-day cost × days × (children − 1) × discount %
support = entered weekly amount, or post-discount cost × support %
out-of-pocket = gross − sibling discount − support
monthly = annual ÷ 12

Three children, 5 days for 50 weeks, 100 per day, 20% sibling discount and 25% entered support

Gross weekly cost
1,500
Sibling discount
200 per week
Entered support: 25% of 1,300
325 per week
Out-of-pocket weekly cost
975

The annual out-of-pocket cost is 48,750, equal to 65 per child attendance day.

Common questions

Does this calculate a government childcare subsidy?
No. It never decides eligibility or looks up a rate. Enter a support amount or percentage only when you already know the adjustment you want to model.
How does the sibling discount work?
The percentage applies to every child after the first, using the same fee and schedule. If providers use different child-specific fees or discount rules, calculate those schedules separately.
What does support amount mean?
Amount mode is a reduction for each scheduled week. Percentage mode is a percentage of cost after the sibling discount. In both modes the reduction is capped at that remaining cost.
Why is monthly cost annual cost divided by 12?
Attendance weeks rarely align with calendar months. Annualizing the entered schedule and dividing by 12 gives a consistent monthly planning equivalent rather than assuming four weeks in every month.

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