Cost of Living

Childcare Costs by City

Average monthly childcare and daycare costs. Compare costs across 301 US cities.

National Average
$800$2,500
$/mo
Cities
301
Cheapest
Abilene
Most Expensive
San Francisco
Spread
$968$4K

Childcare Costs by city is one of the most-searched cost topics in the US, and for good reason — prices swing wildly depending on your zip code. Average monthly childcare and daycare costs. The data below compares pricing across 301 American cities using BLS and Census Bureau figures. Whether you're in Abilene (our most affordable market) or San Francisco (the priciest), you'll find detailed numbers to help you budget accurately.

Direct Answer

Childcare Costs average $1,650 nationally. In this city dataset, Abilene, TX is the cheapest at $968, while San Francisco, CA is the most expensive at $4,319.

This hub is designed to route readers from the national answer into city-specific pages, where local rent, wages, insurance, taxes, and market conditions explain the real decision difference.

National average
$1,650

Reported as $/mo.

Cheapest city
Abilene

$968 modeled cost.

Most expensive
San Francisco

$4,319 modeled cost.

City spread
$3,351

346% gap between the highest and lowest city values in this topic set.

Why Childcare Costs Vary by City

1

Housing market dynamics, the largest component of most budgets

2

Climate impact on utility costs — heating-dominant vs. cooling-dominant markets

3

State and local tax burdens including income, sales, and property taxes

4

Transportation infrastructure — car-dependent vs transit-rich cities

5

Climate-driven utility costs — heating in the north, cooling in the south

How to Use This Guide

  1. Start with the national average, then check the city page because childcare costs can move sharply by local market.
  2. Compare the lowest-cost cities against salary and housing before treating one city as the best option.
  3. Use the related city links and comparison pages to connect this topic to full cost-of-living decisions.

Cheapest and Most Expensive Cities for Childcare Costs

Compare Childcare Costs Across 301 Cities

#CityStateLowAverageHighvs National
1AbileneTX$469$968$1,466-41%
2EriePA$478$986$1,493-40%
3Warner RobinsGA$505$1,042$1,579-37%
4LaredoTX$509$1,050$1,591-36%
5DetroitMI$509$1,051$1,592-36%
6ScrantonPA$512$1,056$1,600-36%
7PittsburghPA$519$1,071$1,623-35%
8TucsonAZ$521$1,075$1,628-35%
9Terre HauteIN$526$1,086$1,645-34%
10La CrosseWI$535$1,104$1,673-33%
11Great FallsMT$538$1,111$1,683-33%
12Kansas CityMO$547$1,129$1,711-32%
13Eau ClaireWI$550$1,134$1,717-31%
14ConwayAR$553$1,141$1,728-31%
15FlintMI$557$1,150$1,742-30%
16MidlandTX$565$1,166$1,766-29%
17CharlestonWV$569$1,174$1,779-29%
18AlbuquerqueNM$572$1,181$1,789-28%
19Baton RougeLA$573$1,182$1,791-28%
20TulsaOK$575$1,186$1,796-28%
21JolietIL$577$1,190$1,802-28%
22LexingtonKY$580$1,197$1,814-27%
23Des MoinesIA$584$1,205$1,826-27%
24Idaho FallsID$593$1,223$1,853-26%
25RochesterNY$593$1,224$1,854-26%
26HuntsvilleAL$593$1,224$1,854-26%
27DecaturIL$594$1,225$1,855-26%
28DavenportIA$595$1,227$1,858-26%
29LubbockTX$600$1,238$1,875-25%
30BrownsvilleTX$602$1,242$1,882-25%
31TylerTX$605$1,248$1,891-24%
32AlbanyNY$609$1,256$1,903-24%
33ChattanoogaTN$610$1,258$1,906-24%
34GainesvilleFL$611$1,260$1,909-24%
35McAllenTX$611$1,261$1,910-24%
36El PasoTX$612$1,262$1,912-24%
37MilwaukeeWI$620$1,279$1,938-22%
38MesaAZ$624$1,287$1,950-22%
39FayettevilleAR$626$1,292$1,958-22%
40GreensboroNC$631$1,301$1,971-21%
41EvansvilleIN$631$1,302$1,973-21%
42AllentownPA$634$1,307$1,980-21%
43Sugar LandTX$634$1,307$1,980-21%
44Little RockAR$634$1,308$1,981-21%
45RacineWI$634$1,308$1,981-21%
46AkronOH$635$1,311$1,986-21%
47ClearwaterFL$636$1,311$1,986-21%
48TopekaKS$638$1,316$1,994-20%
49SchenectadyNY$639$1,318$1,997-20%
50CincinnatiOH$641$1,322$2,002-20%
51DentonTX$642$1,325$2,008-20%
52AugustaME$645$1,330$2,015-19%
53CranstonRI$646$1,332$2,018-19%
54MontgomeryAL$654$1,349$2,044-18%
55MissoulaMT$654$1,349$2,043-18%
56Colorado SpringsCO$654$1,350$2,045-18%
57FargoND$655$1,351$2,047-18%
58BeaumontTX$655$1,351$2,047-18%
59MinneapolisMN$656$1,353$2,049-18%
60BismarckND$656$1,353$2,050-18%
61KalamazooMI$656$1,353$2,049-18%
62YakimaWA$656$1,353$2,049-18%
63ColumbusOH$656$1,354$2,051-18%
64ColumbiaSC$657$1,356$2,054-18%
65OdessaTX$664$1,369$2,074-17%
66LouisvilleKY$667$1,376$2,085-17%
67BirminghamAL$670$1,382$2,094-16%
68AmarilloTX$670$1,382$2,093-16%
69College StationTX$671$1,385$2,098-16%
70BiloxiMS$675$1,392$2,108-16%
71KennewickWA$676$1,394$2,112-16%
72Green BayWI$679$1,401$2,123-15%
73WichitaKS$681$1,405$2,129-15%
74St. LouisMO$683$1,409$2,135-15%
75LansingMI$684$1,410$2,136-15%
76Carson CityNV$684$1,410$2,136-15%
77VictorvilleCA$687$1,417$2,147-14%
78GlendaleAZ$688$1,419$2,149-14%
79PensacolaFL$691$1,426$2,160-14%
80FresnoCA$692$1,428$2,163-13%
81HelenaMT$693$1,430$2,167-13%
82Jefferson CityMO$694$1,432$2,170-13%
83ReadingPA$695$1,434$2,173-13%
84DallasTX$697$1,438$2,178-13%
85MemphisTN$699$1,441$2,183-13%
86PhoenixAZ$699$1,443$2,186-13%
87CaryNC$702$1,448$2,193-12%
88CasperWY$707$1,458$2,209-12%
89SavannahGA$710$1,464$2,218-11%
90St. JosephMO$712$1,469$2,226-11%
91HattiesburgMS$713$1,471$2,228-11%
92NorfolkVA$714$1,473$2,232-11%
93San AntonioTX$716$1,477$2,237-10%
94IndianapolisIN$717$1,480$2,242-10%
95MeridianID$718$1,481$2,243-10%
96Winston-SalemNC$719$1,483$2,247-10%
97Sandy SpringsGA$720$1,486$2,251-10%
98JanesvilleWI$721$1,488$2,254-10%
99Cape CoralFL$726$1,497$2,268-9%
100PuebloCO$726$1,498$2,269-9%
101EugeneOR$727$1,499$2,271-9%
102Twin FallsID$731$1,509$2,286-9%
103LincolnNE$732$1,510$2,288-8%
104ClarksvilleTN$733$1,512$2,290-8%
105BloomingtonIN$734$1,514$2,294-8%
106JacksonMS$734$1,515$2,295-8%
107WarwickRI$736$1,518$2,300-8%
108DaytonOH$736$1,519$2,301-8%
109Grand RapidsMI$737$1,520$2,303-8%
110AustinTX$738$1,523$2,308-8%
111WorcesterMA$738$1,523$2,308-8%
112ReddingCA$739$1,524$2,309-8%
113Cedar RapidsIA$740$1,526$2,312-8%
114ProvoUT$741$1,529$2,316-7%
115ClevelandOH$742$1,531$2,320-7%
116DurhamNC$742$1,531$2,319-7%
117MaconGA$742$1,531$2,320-7%
118IndependenceMO$743$1,532$2,321-7%
119LaramieWY$743$1,533$2,322-7%
120San JuanPR$747$1,540$2,333-7%
121BloomingtonIL$746$1,540$2,333-7%
122North Las VegasNV$748$1,543$2,338-6%
123SpringfieldMA$750$1,547$2,343-6%
124ChicagoIL$753$1,553$2,353-6%
125ChicoCA$756$1,560$2,364-5%
126Rapid CitySD$757$1,561$2,365-5%
127Oklahoma CityOK$759$1,565$2,371-5%
128RockfordIL$759$1,565$2,371-5%
129FrankfortKY$759$1,566$2,372-5%
130MurfreesboroTN$759$1,566$2,372-5%
131Las VegasNV$761$1,570$2,378-5%
132TallahasseeFL$761$1,570$2,379-5%
133SpokaneWA$765$1,579$2,392-4%
134ProvidenceRI$767$1,582$2,396-4%
135ShreveportLA$767$1,582$2,396-4%
136KenoshaWI$767$1,582$2,397-4%
137DuluthMN$770$1,588$2,406-4%
138Bowling GreenKY$770$1,588$2,405-4%
139HendersonNV$771$1,591$2,410-4%
140BillingsMT$772$1,592$2,411-4%
141StocktonCA$773$1,595$2,416-3%
142ChampaignIL$774$1,596$2,418-3%
143MedfordOR$779$1,607$2,434-3%
144NewarkNJ$780$1,610$2,439-2%
145BoiseID$781$1,611$2,440-2%
146ScottsdaleAZ$782$1,614$2,445-2%
147South BendIN$785$1,620$2,454-2%
148SpringfieldMO$787$1,624$2,460-2%
149LowellMA$788$1,626$2,463-1%
150ColumbiaMO$789$1,627$2,464-1%
151Traverse CityMI$789$1,627$2,465-1%
152PierreSD$789$1,628$2,467-1%
153WacoTX$790$1,630$2,470-1%
154Palm BayFL$791$1,632$2,473-1%
155BuffaloNY$793$1,636$2,479-1%
156SpringfieldIL$794$1,638$2,481-1%
157RoswellGA$795$1,640$2,484-1%
158AuroraCO$796$1,642$2,4880%
159Salt Lake CityUT$796$1,643$2,4890%
160PeoriaAZ$797$1,644$2,4900%
161MadisonWI$800$1,651$2,5010%
162ConcordNH$800$1,651$2,5010%
163PatersonNJ$801$1,653$2,5040%
164Daytona BeachFL$802$1,654$2,5060%
165Santa FeNM$808$1,666$2,524+1%
166OntarioCA$808$1,667$2,526+1%
167WilmingtonDE$809$1,669$2,529+1%
168MontpelierVT$813$1,676$2,539+2%
169RogersAR$812$1,676$2,539+2%
170TrentonNJ$813$1,677$2,540+2%
171BridgeportCT$814$1,678$2,542+2%
172Sioux FallsSD$814$1,679$2,543+2%
173LafayetteLA$819$1,689$2,558+2%
174TempeAZ$819$1,690$2,561+2%
175McKinneyTX$820$1,691$2,561+2%
176HartfordCT$821$1,693$2,565+3%
177VallejoCA$822$1,695$2,568+3%
178Saratoga SpringsNY$824$1,699$2,574+3%
179KnoxvilleTN$826$1,704$2,581+3%
180HoustonTX$827$1,706$2,584+3%
181AtlantaGA$830$1,712$2,594+4%
182BurlingtonVT$830$1,712$2,593+4%
183OshkoshWI$830$1,712$2,593+4%
184Fort LauderdaleFL$831$1,714$2,597+4%
185AppletonWI$832$1,716$2,599+4%
186NampaID$832$1,717$2,601+4%
187MobileAL$833$1,719$2,604+4%
188Pompano BeachFL$833$1,719$2,604+4%
189New BedfordMA$835$1,722$2,608+4%
190Coeur d'AleneID$836$1,724$2,611+4%
191CheyenneWY$844$1,741$2,638+6%
192CorvallisOR$847$1,747$2,646+6%
193PocatelloID$850$1,753$2,656+6%
194SyracuseNY$850$1,754$2,657+6%
195Corpus ChristiTX$851$1,755$2,659+6%
196GreeleyCO$852$1,757$2,662+6%
197VisaliaCA$853$1,759$2,664+7%
198Newport NewsVA$857$1,768$2,679+7%
199BethlehemPA$858$1,769$2,680+7%
200OlympiaWA$865$1,784$2,702+8%
201RiversideCA$866$1,786$2,706+8%
202PhiladelphiaPA$868$1,791$2,713+9%
203HarrisburgPA$871$1,797$2,722+9%
204Elk GroveCA$872$1,799$2,726+9%
205JacksonvilleFL$873$1,800$2,727+9%
206CharlotteNC$874$1,803$2,731+9%
207PlanoTX$875$1,805$2,734+9%
208TampaFL$883$1,821$2,758+10%
209LakelandFL$884$1,823$2,761+10%
210BaltimoreMD$892$1,840$2,788+12%
211Moreno ValleyCA$892$1,840$2,788+12%
212ArlingtonTX$893$1,842$2,791+12%
213ModestoCA$897$1,851$2,804+12%
214IthacaNY$899$1,855$2,810+12%
215Virginia BeachVA$903$1,863$2,822+13%
216BakersfieldCA$906$1,868$2,830+13%
217Round RockTX$910$1,877$2,844+14%
218ChesapeakeVA$912$1,881$2,850+14%
219ChandlerAZ$912$1,882$2,851+14%
220North CharlestonSC$916$1,890$2,864+15%
221St. PaulMN$921$1,900$2,879+15%
222PortlandME$923$1,903$2,883+15%
223OrlandoFL$924$1,906$2,888+16%
224New OrleansLA$925$1,908$2,891+16%
225LakewoodNJ$927$1,912$2,897+16%
226PortlandOR$935$1,928$2,921+17%
227Fort WorthTX$943$1,945$2,946+18%
228DenverCO$945$1,949$2,953+18%
229OmahaNE$947$1,953$2,959+18%
230NaplesFL$957$1,975$2,992+20%
231BendOR$961$1,982$3,002+20%
232RaleighNC$964$1,988$3,011+20%
233CharlestonSC$975$2,011$3,047+22%
234DoverDE$978$2,018$3,057+22%
235ManchesterNH$981$2,024$3,066+23%
236NashvilleTN$984$2,030$3,076+23%
237FlagstaffAZ$984$2,030$3,076+23%
238SacramentoCA$993$2,048$3,102+24%
239RenoNV$1,001$2,065$3,128+25%
240Simi ValleyCA$1,003$2,069$3,135+25%
241Fort CollinsCO$1,006$2,076$3,145+26%
242SarasotaFL$1,011$2,086$3,160+26%
243New HavenCT$1,012$2,087$3,162+26%
244RichmondVA$1,012$2,088$3,163+27%
245TacomaWA$1,013$2,090$3,167+27%
246RosevilleCA$1,014$2,092$3,169+27%
247BoulderCO$1,015$2,093$3,171+27%
248GilbertAZ$1,019$2,102$3,184+27%
249ColumbiaMD$1,027$2,119$3,210+28%
250FriscoTX$1,028$2,121$3,214+29%
251NapervilleIL$1,032$2,128$3,224+29%
252Ann ArborMI$1,032$2,128$3,224+29%
253AshevilleNC$1,035$2,134$3,233+29%
254MiamiFL$1,051$2,167$3,283+31%
255PortsmouthNH$1,060$2,186$3,312+32%
256BellinghamWA$1,063$2,193$3,322+33%
257FontanaCA$1,066$2,199$3,331+33%
258ElizabethNJ$1,070$2,207$3,344+34%
259Rancho CucamongaCA$1,072$2,211$3,349+34%
260BostonMA$1,111$2,292$3,472+39%
261DurangoCO$1,137$2,346$3,554+42%
262AnchorageAK$1,140$2,352$3,564+43%
263Jersey CityNJ$1,149$2,370$3,591+44%
264San Luis ObispoCA$1,164$2,401$3,637+46%
265HaywardCA$1,173$2,420$3,666+47%
266WashingtonDC$1,176$2,426$3,676+47%
267JuneauAK$1,186$2,446$3,705+48%
268OxnardCA$1,196$2,468$3,739+50%
269OceansideCA$1,198$2,471$3,743+50%
270YonkersNY$1,201$2,477$3,753+50%
271AnaheimCA$1,207$2,490$3,773+51%
272ConcordCA$1,211$2,499$3,786+51%
273Los AngelesCA$1,217$2,510$3,802+52%
274Key WestFL$1,230$2,537$3,844+54%
275StamfordCT$1,232$2,542$3,851+54%
276IrvineCA$1,253$2,584$3,914+57%
277SedonaAZ$1,270$2,619$3,967+59%
278San DiegoCA$1,275$2,631$3,986+59%
279Palm SpringsCA$1,280$2,641$4,001+60%
280Huntington BeachCA$1,294$2,669$4,044+62%
281BellevueWA$1,313$2,709$4,104+64%
282Park CityUT$1,390$2,867$4,343+74%
283Santa CruzCA$1,394$2,876$4,358+74%
284Santa AnaCA$1,402$2,892$4,381+75%
285Long BeachCA$1,426$2,941$4,455+78%
286JacksonWY$1,433$2,956$4,479+79%
287Santa RosaCA$1,434$2,958$4,482+79%
288NapaCA$1,467$3,026$4,585+83%
289CambridgeMA$1,470$3,033$4,595+84%
290OaklandCA$1,505$3,104$4,702+88%
291SeattleWA$1,517$3,129$4,740+90%
292Santa BarbaraCA$1,608$3,317$5,026+101%
293VailCO$1,632$3,366$5,099+104%
294HonoluluHI$1,692$3,491$5,289+112%
295TellurideCO$1,710$3,528$5,345+114%
296New YorkNY$1,727$3,563$5,398+116%
297Martha's VineyardMA$1,736$3,581$5,426+117%
298SunnyvaleCA$1,775$3,661$5,547+122%
299San JoseCA$1,782$3,675$5,568+123%
300AspenCO$2,011$4,148$6,284+151%
301San FranciscoCA$2,094$4,319$6,544+162%

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does childcare cost on average?

The national average for childcare costs ranges from $800 to $2,500. However, actual costs vary significantly by city — Abilene is the most affordable at $968, while San Francisco is the most expensive at $4,319. That's a spread of $3,351 between the cheapest and most expensive cities.

Where is childcare costs cheapest in the US?

The top 5 most affordable cities for childcare costs are: 1. Abilene, TX ($968); 2. Erie, PA ($986); 3. Warner Robins, GA ($1,042); 4. Laredo, TX ($1,050); 5. Detroit, MI ($1,051). These cities benefit from lower labor costs, less regulatory overhead, and more competitive local markets.

Why does childcare cost more in some cities?

Several factors drive cost differences: local labor rates (often tied to housing costs), state and city regulations, material transportation costs, competitive density of service providers, and regional demand patterns. High cost-of-living cities like San Francisco (index: 244) have higher baseline expenses that push up service costs across the board.

About This Data

Data SourcesBLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, Census Bureau ACS, HUD Fair Market Rent data, and regional industry surveys.
MethodologyNational averages adjusted by city-specific cost-of-living indices derived from BLS regional price parities.
Confidence LevelHIGH— Model-derived from national data

Limitations: These are estimated ranges based on federal datasets and cost indices, not direct local surveys. Actual costs may vary based on project scope, provider, timing, and local market conditions. Data last updated: May 2026.

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