Cost of daycare in New Zealand — 2026
4,375 licensed early childhood services across 16 regions. Modelled weekly fees by age band + service type, with 20 Hours ECE, Childcare Subsidy + FamilyBoost rebate stacking.
The short version
- Under 2 years: $280-380/week at education & care centres. No 20 Hours ECE. Childcare Subsidy + FamilyBoost reduce out-of-pocket significantly for working families.
- 2-3 years: $150-300/week at most centres. 20 Hours doesn't apply until age 3.
- 3-5 years: $0-100/week at participating centres because 20 Hours ECE covers 20 hours per week. Free Kindergartens are typically $0; education & care centres charge optional fees.
- FamilyBoost takes another 25% off your weekly fee (capped at $75/week), phasing out from $140k-$180k household income.
National median weekly fee, 2026
Modelled from OECE 2026 funding rates + Ministry of Education published medians. 25 hours/week of care assumed.
| Service type | Under 2 | 2-3 yrs | 3-5 yrs (with 20 Hrs) | 3-5 yrs (net with FamilyBoost) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education And Care | $360 | $280 | $65 | $48.75 |
| Kindergarten | — | $180 | $0 | $0 |
| Home Based | $320 | $260 | $80 | $60 |
| Kohanga Reo | $200 | $150 | $30 | $22.5 |
| Playcentre | $20 | $20 | $20 | $15 |
How three government supports stack
NZ families can combine three forms of support. All available at every licensed centre.
20 Hours ECE
For 3-5 year olds at participating centres. Up to 20 hours/week funded directly to the centre. 0 of 4,375 (0%) of NZ centres participate.
From MoE · Universal for age 3-5
Childcare Subsidy
Means-tested hourly subsidy from MSD. Based on household income, hours of work/study, and number of children. Up to $7.65/hour per child.
From MSD · Means-tested · Applies before FamilyBoost
FamilyBoost
25% rebate on weekly fees you've paid, capped at $75/week per family. Phases out from $140k-$180k household income. Claim quarterly via IRD myIR.
From IRD · 25% cap $75/wk · Quarterly claim
Daycare cost by region
Click any region to see suburb-level cost pages with per-centre listings.
| Region | Centres | Suburbs | 20 Hours ECE % | Top suburb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 1,407 | 253 | 0% | Howick |
| Canterbury | 487 | 165 | 0% | Halswell |
| Waikato | 481 | 153 | 0% | Tuakau North |
| Wellington | 403 | 124 | 0% | Featherston |
| Bay of Plenty | 352 | 99 | 0% | Papamoa |
| Manawatū-Whanganui | 235 | 91 | 0% | Taumarunui Central |
| Hawke's Bay | 212 | 51 | 0% | Flaxmere |
| Northland | 208 | 82 | 0% | Kerikeri South |
| Otago | 178 | 91 | 0% | Alexandra South |
| Taranaki | 107 | 44 | 0% | Hāwera Central |
| Southland | 83 | 36 | 0% | Strathern |
| Gisborne | 66 | 19 | 0% | Riverdale |
| Tasman | 46 | 22 | 0% | Motueka North |
| Marlborough | 38 | 14 | 0% | Spring Creek-Grovetown |
| Nelson | 37 | 12 | 0% | Nelson Central |
| West Coast | 20 | 12 | 0% | King Park |
A note on the numbers
These cost figures are modelled national medians, not per-centre actuals. The Ministry of Education does not publish per-centre fee data, and we have not yet scraped centre websites for fees at scale — that's a Phase B ingest task. Real centre fees vary by:
- Operator (chains and Free Kindergartens are typically lower than independents)
- Hours per week (the median assumes 25hr/wk full days)
- Optional charges (even at 20-Hours-ECE centres, centres may charge for additional services)
- Region (Auckland/Wellington trend ~10-20% above national median for under-2s)
- Specific family circumstances (Childcare Subsidy is means-tested)
Always confirm fees directly with the centre before enrolment.
Frequently asked about cost of daycare in NZ
- What is the average cost of daycare in New Zealand in 2026?
- For under-2s the national median is approximately $60-80 per day ($300-400/week) at education & care centres. For 3-5 year olds the cost drops dramatically because of 20 Hours ECE — typically $0-13 per day after the subsidy at participating centres. Free Kindergartens charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds. Real costs vary by region, operator, and your family circumstances.
- What is 20 Hours ECE?
- Universal Ministry of Education funding for 3-5 year olds at participating licensed centres. The government pays the centre directly for up to 20 hours per week; the centre reduces your fees accordingly. Currently 0% of NZ centres participate (0 of 4,375).
- What is FamilyBoost?
- An IRD rebate of 25% of weekly fees, capped at $75/week per family. Phases out from household income $140k to $180k. Claimed quarterly via myIR. Available at every licensed ECE service in NZ regardless of operator. Use our /familyboost-calculator to estimate your specific net weekly cost.
- What is the Childcare Subsidy?
- A means-tested hourly subsidy from MSD (Work and Income). Eligibility depends on household income, hours of work or study, and number of children. Stacks with 20 Hours ECE and FamilyBoost — most families can use all three.
- How does cost of daycare vary by region?
- Auckland and Wellington tend to be at the top of the range; smaller regions and rural areas are typically cheaper. However the difference is much smaller than for housing or grocery costs — the 20 Hours ECE entitlement and Childcare Subsidy cap variation. The biggest cost driver is your child's age band, not your region.
- What's the cheapest daycare option in NZ?
- For 3-5 year olds: a Free Kindergarten (often $0/week with 20 Hours ECE) or Playcentre (parent-led, ~$20/week). For under-2s: home-based ECE can be slightly cheaper than centre-based, plus the Childcare Subsidy can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs depending on household income.
Your exact net weekly cost
Nearest centres + filters
All 17 NZ regions
Data sources & freshness (4 sources · last refresh 27 May 2026)
Service type, address, roll, ethnicity, Equity Index, 20 Hours, Takiwā, lat/lng
Annual financial returns (community-based + umbrella orgs)
Per-centre review reports + 6-dimension letter grades (curriculum / wellbeing / whānau / bicultural / health & safety / leadership)
Safety score, crime/1k, 2023 Census demographics
Last build refresh: . See full methodology + data sources pages for licences, refresh cadences, and known gaps.