South Australia’s costliest and cheapest suburbs for childcare

Daycare costs are soaring – and some centres cost 50 per cent more than others. Check our list to compare costs in South Australia.

Exclusive: Childcare fees are rocketing above $30,000 a year in Adelaide, with families in some suburbs slugged 50 per cent more for the same high-quality care.

As childcare costs eclipse elite private school fees and mortgage payments, the nation’s costliest and cheapest suburbs for daycare can be revealed.

A new analysis by KindiCare, an app that compares the cost and quality of childcare centres, reveals that some parents are paying 50 per cent more for care of similar quality.

Seaford Meadows has the state’s most expensive daycare, with fees averaging $132 per day – or $31,680 for full-time care over 48 weeks a year.

Parents pay 50 per cent less for daycare in the cheapest areas South Australia – Two Wells, on the fringe of Adelaide, and Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley.

The most expensive fees are in Seaford Meadows ($132 per day), Norwood ($127), Sturt ($122), Mount Gambier, McLaren Vale and Marion ($121), Stirling and Blackwood ($120), Mount Barker ($118) and Golden Grove ($117).

The cheapest childcare is in Nuriootpa ($86), Two Wells ($87), Gumeracha ($89), Yankalilla ($91), Paradise ($93), Whyalla Norrie ($94), Modbury ($96), Tanunda ($98), Paralowie ($99) and Christie Downs ($101).

KindiCare founder Benjamin Balk, his wife Julini Halim-Balk and daughters Amelia, 5, and Annelise, 3.

KindiCare founder Benjamin Balk said the analysis of 16,400 centres showed that “low price doesn’t necessarily mean low quality’’.

“It’s important for families to research their options and look at the cost, quality and value for money offered by each individual centre in their suburb and compare them,’’ he said.

“Some parents are willing to pay more for convenience in a childcare centre close to their home or work, while others are looking for a lower price or better quality or value for money, and are happy to travel a suburb over to find the service that’s right for them.’’

The app – which lets parents compare costs and quality, book visits and apply for childcare places – rates most centres with a quality above seven out of 10.

Quality is measured using ratings from the Australian Children’s Education Quality and Care Authority (ACECQA), combined with reviews from parents using each service.

ACECQA shows that 85 per cent of services are meeting the minimum quality standards nationally.

The Parenthood executive director Georgie Dent said some families with several children in care are paying more for daycare than for rent or mortgage payments – even after pocketing government subsidies.

“It’s just unsustainable – 90,000 parents are out of the workforce because of the high cost of care,’’ she said.

“Childcare fees increased at twice the rate of inflation last year and there is an expectation fees will jump significantly from July.’’

Ms Dent said higher fees do not always guarantee better childcare.

“Yoga classes and chefs are not going to necessarily improve the quality of early learning yet the cost will be significantly higher,’’ she said.

Ms Dent said higher subsidies – which cost taxpayers $10 billion a year – were failing to make childcare cheaper for families.

Taxpayers refund up to 85 per cent of the cost of childcare for working families.

The Morrison Government will increase subsidies to 95 per cent for second and subsequent children from July 1 next year.

Australian Childcare Alliance president Paul Mondo said some centres charge higher fees because they pay staff above award wages, employ extra carers or offer extra services.

He said inner-city suburbs can be expensive because centres must pay higher rents.