The cost of child care can be a major factor when deciding whether or not to stay home with your kids or go back to work. So, how much does daycare cost? Depending on where you live, the answer might shock you.
Combining data from Care.com and the U.S. Census Bureau, website HotPads found that the average monthly cost of child care in the country, including at-home and in-center care, is $1,385 a month. Compared to the national median rent of $1,500, that’s just a $115 difference.
Photo: Seila800 via Pixabay
In some cities where the rent is less than the national average—such as Kansas City, Missouri and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—child care will actually cost more than a family typically pays in rent. Renters in those cities can expect to pay around $180 more on child care than their homes.
Graphic: HotPads
Larger cities where the overall cost of living is much higher, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, rent still remains higher than child care. However, families in those cities spend more on rent and child care combined more than any other areas in the country.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
RELATED STORIES:
The Most & Least Expensive States for Childcare in America
Microsoft’s New Paid Family Leave Policy Is Actually a Pretty Big Deal—Here’s Why
