Is a nanny cheaper than daycare?
Reviewed September 2026 against the same data that powers Kindred's free calculators.
For one child, no: center-based infant daycare averages around $14,000 per year while a full-time nanny runs around $45,760 per year in wages. For two or more children the gap collapses, because daycare charges per child (about $25,250 per year for two) while a nanny's rate rises only modestly per additional child. Add daycare's rigid hours and sick-day scrambles, and many two-kid families come out ahead with a nanny or a nanny share.
The one-child math
- Infant daycare, average-cost region: about $14,000 per year
- Full-time nanny at $22/hour: about $45,760 per year in wages, more with employer taxes
- Nanny share (two families splitting one nanny): typically lands between the two for each family
When a nanny wins
- Two or more kids: daycare doubles, a nanny mostly does not
- Nonstandard hours: daycares close; nannies flex
- Sick days: daycare sends kids home and you burn PTO; a nanny keeps the day running
- Infants: infant daycare is the priciest tier and waitlists are longest
Related
Figures are regional planning benchmarks, not quotes. Real rates depend on experience, duties, schedule, and your local market.