Cost of Raising a Child Calculator
Total spend from birth to 18, adjusted for inflation.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Total to age 18
- $300,658.12
- Average per year
- $16,703.23
- Average per month
- $1,391.94
- First-year cost
- $19,800.00
Quick answer
Total child cost compounds monthly spending across 18 years with inflation, plus one-off items like childcare and education.
total = sum over years of monthly x 12 x (1+inflation)^year
How to use the Cost of Raising a Child Calculator
- 1Estimate what a child adds to your monthly spending today.
- 2Add annual childcare for the pre-school years.
- 3Apply a realistic inflation rate — childcare and education outpace headline CPI.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Monthly cost now900 $
- Annual childcare (first 5 yrs)9000 $
- Inflation3 %/yr
- Years to fund18
Results
- Total to age 18$300,658.12
- Average per year$16,703.23
- Average per month$1,391.94
- First-year cost$19,800.00
Frequently asked questions
Does this include university?
No. Add tuition separately with a college savings calculator.
Why so high?
Housing, food and childcare compound; USDA-style estimates land in a similar range.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.