Australia’s most expensive childcare suburbs revealed

Aussie parents are forking out more than $1000 a week to put their children in childcare. See where the country’s most expensive childcare suburbs are.

Exclusive: Daily childcare fees have hit $200 for the first time, with parents being warned to expect big increases next year too.

KindiCare CEO Benjamin Balk said the lack of staff means that providers are having to pay more to attract and retain, while rents for childcare centres are pegged to household inflation, meaning parents would see no end to increases in fees in 2023.

“There won’t be any relief coming next year,” Mr Balk said.

He said childcare fees have risen between 3.9 per cent and 14 per cent this year.

The latest figures from KindiCare – a childcare app – shows that Habitat Early Learning in Nundah, Brisbane, is the most expensive in the country, charging $200 a day for children under 2 on its Montessori program.

While families living in Sydney are paying more than any other city, with fees in the suburb of Woollahra now averaging $182 a day, the most expensive in the country.

The national average is $123.

Overall, across all the states and territories the average fees are most expensive in the ACT ($132.81); Victoria is next ($129) and NSW third ($124.27).

Parents in South Australia pay on average $119 and Queensland $115.

It comes as a national poll by early education advocacy group Thrive by Five found out of 4500 surveyed the majority favour the introduction of a universal and free early learning system, while seven out of 10 believe cheaper childcare is very good for the Australian economy.

Georgie Dent, executive director of The Parenthood, which advocates for women and families, said the Albanese Government has confirmed it won’t be bringing forward its subsidy relief, due to come into effect on July 1 next year.

However, she said while parents are feeling the pain of increasing childcare costs, some may struggle to get their kids into daycare at all, due to the worsening workforce shortage.

“We need an interim wage supplement to try and retain the staff we have, encourage those who have left to come back and attract new people into the sector,” Ms Dent said.

She estimated there are currently more than 7000 childcare centre job vacancies across Australia.

She said an additional 9300 full-time staff are needed on top of that figure by July when the new subsidy model comes into force, as more parents are encouraged to take up childcare options.

Ms Dent said the childcare staff attrition rate has risen to between 30 and 40 per cent.

She said “educators need wages and conditions to improve”.

Jess Horan spends about $1200 a week to put her kids Winifred, 4, Patrick, 2, and Arabella, 1, through childcare. Picture: Julian Andrews

Mum-of-three kids under 5, Jess Horan, 39, who works in marketing, backed the call to pay educators more.

She and her husband Mike pay around $1200 a week to put their three in childcare three days a week, with pre-subsidy fees for the youngest starting at $199 a day, with the other two costing $187 and $179.

She said her children love their daycare in Sydney’s Fairlight, and while the family has to make lots of sacrifices such as missing out on holidays, it was worth it.

“I think the staff should be paid way more,” Ms Horan said.

“The care and food is good and the curriculum is amazing.”

Originally published as Australia’s most expensive childcare suburbs revealed