The cost of childcare in Sydney, 2026 guide

How much does childcare cost in Sydney in 2026, and is there any way to keep these costs manageable?

This question matters to thousands of Sydney families every year. Even with both parents working full time, the cost of quality childcare is a significant household expense.

With four childcare centres across northern Sydney, our team at Eikoh Seminar sees the financial conversations parents have firsthand. This guide covers the current cost of childcare in Sydney in 2026, how the Child Care Subsidy works (including the major 2026 changes), and what is included in a typical centre fee.

What childcare costs in Sydney in 2026

Daily fees vary a lot across Sydney: between suburbs, between providers, and between rooms in the same centre. The main drivers are rent, the age of the child (a babies' room needs more educators per child than a preschool room) and what the fee includes. The only figures we can vouch for are our own.

Official data gives the local picture. The Department of Education publishes the average hourly fee charged by centre-based day care services in each statistical area. For the March quarter of 2026 (data tables, Table 9.1), the averages were $16.76 an hour in Ku-ring-gai, $16.61 in Chatswood and Lane Cove, $16.17 in Ryde and Hunters Hill, $15.80 in Pennant Hills and Epping, $15.45 in Hornsby and $18.57 in North Sydney and Mosman, against $14.75 across NSW and $14.50 nationally (Department of Education, March quarter 2026). Between 75% and 100% of services in those northern Sydney areas charged above the hourly rate cap then in force ($14.63; it is $15.19 from 6 July 2026). Those are hourly averages: over a 10-hour session the Ku-ring-gai figure is about $168 a day, and over 11 hours about $184, as an illustration rather than an observed daily price. The Productivity Commission's Report on Government Services 2026 puts the median cost of 50 hours of centre-based care in NSW major cities at $720 a week before subsidy.

Eikoh's 4 centres charge between $135 and $185 per day before subsidy, depending on the centre and the child's age. The per-centre figures are below, and each centre's fees page shows exactly what its daily fee includes.

Managing the cost: CCS and ACCS

Childcare costs have been rising faster than prices generally: the ABS puts the childcare component of the CPI up 7.3% in the year to July 2026, against 3.5% for all goods and services (ABS Consumer Price Index, July 2026), and most parents cannot avoid the cost because of work and the commute. What a family actually pays depends less on the advertised daily fee than on their Child Care Subsidy.

The Australian government provides funding to families that need help managing this pressure. There are two main types of support: the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS).

Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

The Child Care Subsidy is a financial assistance program that covers a percentage of your childcare fees. The subsidy is calculated based on your child's age, the type of childcare they receive, your combined family income, and how many hours of activity (work, study, training, volunteering) you and your partner do.

The subsidy is paid directly to your childcare provider, who then deducts it from your fees. You only pay the gap.

The 2026-27 financial year hourly rate caps (effective 6 July 2026, per the Department of Education) are:

• Centre-based day care (children below school age): $15.19 per hour
• Family day care: $14.08 per hour
• Outside school hours care (school-age children): $13.30 per hour

If your centre charges above the hourly rate cap, you pay the full difference. This is why "premium" centres in inner Sydney can have a bigger out-of-pocket gap than the full daily fee suggests.

The 2026-27 family income thresholds (Services Australia):

• Families earning under $88,520 per year receive the maximum 90% subsidy
• The subsidy reduces by 1% for every additional $5,000 earned above $88,520
• Families earning $538,520 or more receive no CCS

Families with more than one child aged 5 or under, with combined income below $370,727 (2026-27), may receive a higher subsidy rate for their second and younger children.

For exact entitlements, check Services Australia or use the CCS gap fee calculator.

Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS)

Some families need more than the regular CCS to make childcare workable. The Additional Child Care Subsidy provides extra financial support in specific circumstances:

• Families experiencing significant financial difficulty
• Grandparents caring for grandchildren
• Families transitioning from income support to employment
• Children at risk of serious abuse or neglect

To find out if you qualify, contact Services Australia.

The 3 Day Guarantee from January 2026

This is a significant reform. Previously, families who didn't meet the activity test (because of unemployment, irregular work, or other circumstances) often received only 24 or 36 hours per fortnight, or none at all. The 3 Day Guarantee removes that barrier for the first 3 days of care.

Practical implications:

• Families who were getting 36 hours per fortnight may now receive 72 hours, potentially saving thousands per year
• The activity test still applies if you want more than 72 hours per fortnight (i.e. more than 3 days per week): 100 hours needs more than 48 hours of recognised activity a fortnight (each parent, if you have a partner), or an approved exemption (Services Australia)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can get 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight

This change makes it more practical for families with one parent working part-time, in irregular work, or stepping back into work to access subsidised care for three days a week.

How much does daycare cost in Sydney per day?

The daily fee depends on the provider, the location and the age of your child. What you pay out of pocket depends on your Child Care Subsidy percentage: our CCS gap-fee calculator shows the effect on a real Eikoh fee, and Services Australia explains the Child Care Subsidy rules.

Some childcare centres also offer different timeslots (full day, three-quarter day, etc.) to cater for different schedules. It's worth checking whether the centre's session structure matches your work or study timetable, especially because many centres, ours included, charge a flat daily rate even if your child is there for only part of the day; the ACCC found a significant number of families are charged for 10 to 12 hour sessions while their child attends for 8 or 9 (ACCC childcare inquiry interim report, June 2023).

Across our 4 centres, fee ranges are:

• Normanhurst Child Care Centre: $170 to $185 per day depending on the room (fee details)
• St Ives Chase Kindergarten: $135 per preschool day, $155 per long day care day (fee details)
• Roseville Kindergarten: $135 per preschool day, $166 per long day care day (fee details)
• West Ryde Long Day Care: $165 to $180 per day depending on the room (fee details)

What's included in the cost?

A major reason for the cost of childcare service is what's actually included. What a centre-based long day care fee includes varies between services, and Starting Blocks advises families to ask (Starting Blocks). At Normanhurst and West Ryde, the daily fee includes 5 meals cooked on site: breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and late afternoon tea. At Roseville and St Ives Chase, families provide morning tea and lunch for both preschool and long day care. Afternoon tea is provided for long day care children. In full, the Normanhurst and West Ryde fee covers:

• Meals: breakfast, morning tea, hot lunch, afternoon tea, and a late afternoon tea
• Educational programmes: planned activities aligned with the EYLF, intentional teaching, play-based learning
• Care: nappies for under-3s, nappy changes, supervision, sleep time, sun protection
• Resources: art materials, books, toys, sand, water, outdoor equipment
• Reporting: developmental progress reports, regular communication via OWNA app or similar

What is and isn't included varies between centres, so it's worth asking specifically. Some centres charge separately for things like visiting shows and activities (called incursions) or excursions. Some include them. Some don't run them at all.

At our long day care centres in Normanhurst and West Ryde, the daily fee covers all five meals, cooked on site. It also covers the education programme, sunscreen and a bucket hat, plus nappies and baby formula for the under-3 rooms.

At Roseville and St Ives Chase, children bring their own morning tea and lunch from home. The daily fee covers the education programme, sunscreen and a bucket hat. The centre provides afternoon tea for long day care children.

Across all four centres, some incursions and special events are included in the daily fee. Specialist or multi-week programs cost extra and are opt-in, with written notice in advance.

Final thoughts

For most parents, the value childcare provides, both to their children and to the family's daily logistics, is worth the cost. It's also one of the largest outgoings a family with young children faces.

The 3 Day Guarantee from January 2026 is a meaningful change. If you've previously been told you only qualify for 24 or 36 hours of subsidy per fortnight, your situation may have changed. It's worth checking with Services Australia or using the CCS gap fee calculator.

At Eikoh Seminar, we are an approved CCS provider across all 4 centres. Enrolling makes you eligible for CCS, so you do not pay the full cost alone. Contact us to talk through fees, vacancies, and what your gap fee might look like.