Does this include payroll taxes for a nanny?

No. This is gross pay. Add employer taxes/withholding separately if employing a nanny.

Full-time daycare tuition instead of hourly?

Set hours/rate to match your monthly tuition equivalent, or treat rate as flat per-hour to hit tuition.

Paid holidays/vacation?

Adjust weeks per year and rate to reflect paid time off if applicable.

Multiple children pricing?

Enter an effective hourly rate that reflects your provider’s multi-child pricing.

Can I use this for dependent care FSA planning?

Yes—use annual totals to see if you’ll hit FSA limits, but confirm eligible expenses with your plan.

everyday calculator

Childcare Cost Calculator

Estimate childcare costs by hours, hourly rate, weeks per year, enrollment fees, and monthly supplies to get weekly, monthly, and annual totals.

Results

Weekly cost: $720
Monthly cost (care hours): $3,000
Annual cost (care hours): $36,000
Total monthly (with supplies): $3,050
Total annual (with fees/supplies): $36,800

How to use this calculator

Enter weekly hours and hourly rate.
Enter weeks per year you expect to use care.
Add enrollment/registration fees and monthly supplies.
Review weekly, monthly, annual, and totals with fees/supplies.

Inputs explained

Hours per week: Average weekly care hours.
Hourly rate: Rate per hour for care (nanny/daycare equivalent).
Weeks per year: Weeks you expect to use care (e.g., 50 for some vacations).
Enrollment fees: One-time or annual enrollment/registration costs.
Monthly supplies: Recurring supplies or activity fees per month.

How it works

Weekly cost = hours × hourly rate. Monthly/annual scale by weeks per year. Add enrollment fees and monthly supplies for total annual/monthly.

Formula

Weekly = Hours × Rate
Monthly (care) ≈ Weekly × (Weeks per year ÷ 12)
Annual (care) = Weekly × Weeks per year
Total monthly = Monthly (care) + Supplies
Total annual = Annual (care) + Enrollment + (Supplies × 12)

When to use it

Budgeting daycare/nanny costs before returning to work.
Comparing nanny vs daycare by adjusting hourly rate and weeks.
Estimating annual childcare cost for tax/FSAs planning.

Tips & cautions

Include only paid weeks; reduce weeks if you won’t use care during vacations/holidays.
If care is flat monthly tuition, set weekly hours to match and adjust hourly rate to reach tuition for your scenario.
Supplies and fees vary—adjust for your provider’s policies.
Does not account for overtime rules or variable hourly rates.
Taxes/withholding for nannies not included—this is gross pay for care hours.
No part-time rate adjustments; treat hourly rate as your effective average.

Worked examples

40 hrs/week @ $18/hr, 50 weeks, $200 enrollment, $50/mo supplies

Weekly = $720
Monthly (care) ≈ $3,000
Annual (care) = $36,000
Total monthly ≈ $3,050
Total annual ≈ $36,800

30 hrs/week @ $22/hr, 48 weeks, $150 enrollment, $75/mo supplies

Weekly = $660
Monthly (care) ≈ $2,640
Annual (care) = $31,680
Total monthly ≈ $2,715
Total annual ≈ $32,730

Deep dive

This childcare cost calculator multiplies your weekly hours by rate, scales to monthly/annual, and adds enrollment fees and monthly supplies to show weekly, monthly, and annual totals.

Use it to plan daycare or nanny budgets and compare options before committing.

FAQs

Does this include payroll taxes for a nanny?: No. This is gross pay. Add employer taxes/withholding separately if employing a nanny.
Full-time daycare tuition instead of hourly?: Set hours/rate to match your monthly tuition equivalent, or treat rate as flat per-hour to hit tuition.
Paid holidays/vacation?: Adjust weeks per year and rate to reflect paid time off if applicable.
Multiple children pricing?: Enter an effective hourly rate that reflects your provider’s multi-child pricing.
Can I use this for dependent care FSA planning?: Yes—use annual totals to see if you’ll hit FSA limits, but confirm eligible expenses with your plan.

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Budget estimate only. Actual costs vary by provider, taxes, and agreements. Confirm details with your childcare provider and tax advisor.