Infant and toddler care options: costs

Quick answer

Compare the five arrangements by what each costs a month after subsidies and tax relief, and by how many of the hours you need each one covers. Infant care costs far less than its fee after ECDA subsidy, the childminding pilot charges by 5 or 10-hour block, and a grandparent can earn a working mother S$3,000 of tax relief. The right mix is your family’s call.

Work out yours →

The useful number: ECDA’s childminding pilot runs to 31 December 2027 for Singapore citizen infants aged 2 to 18 months who are not in infant care, in 5 or 10-hour weekday blocks.

Who is this for?

Parents going back to work after leave, with a baby from 2 months old or a toddler. The tool shows every option in the same order, with its cost and the hours it covers. We never rank the options or the providers.

What does infant care or childcare cost after ECDA subsidy?

ECDA subsidises full-day infant care (2 to 18 months) and childcare (18 months to 6 years) for Singapore citizen children. With the mother working, the Basic Subsidy is S$600 a month for infant care and S$300 for childcare, plus an Additional Subsidy by household income, up to a ceiling of S$12,000 in 2026. From 1 January 2027 the ceiling rises to S$15,000.

The Childcare subsidy calculator works out your exact amount.

What is ECDA’s childminding pilot?

A minder looks after one to three infants between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. You book blocks of 5 hours for S$16.50 or 10 hours for S$33.00, before 9% GST, and you can pay with CDA money. It is for Singapore citizen infants aged 2 to 18 months who are not also in ECDA-licensed infant care, and runs from 1 December 2024 to 31 December 2027.

MSF told Parliament on 26 February 2026 that full-time users pay around S$700 a month. The tool counts 52 weeks over 12 months, so its figure is a little higher. ECDA lists the operators; whether a minder is free near you is up to them.

What about a helper?

A live-in helper can cover the most hours, but she costs more than her salary: the levy, insurance, fees, upkeep and an air ticket home. Work it out in the Helper true cost calculator and bring the monthly figure across. What does a helper really cost in Singapore? explains each line.

What does a grandparent cost?

Whatever allowance you give, less any tax you save. Grandparent Caregiver Relief is tax relief, not cash: nothing is paid to the grandparent. A working mother who is married, divorced or widowed can claim S$3,000 of relief. Her parent, grandparent or parent-in-law must look after her Singapore citizen child aged 12 or below.

The carer must live in Singapore and earn S$8,000 or less from work. There is one claim per caregiver. IRAS says single or male taxpayers are not eligible, so a mother who has never married cannot claim it. If you pay little or no income tax, the relief saves you little or nothing.

What if one parent pauses work?

It covers every hour you need. The tool counts the take-home pay you give up; it does not count lost CPF, bonuses or the career effect, so weigh those yourselves.

How do you compare the options?

Write down the hours of care you need each week, including travel to and from work.
Enter your household income and size, so the tool can work out the ECDA subsidy.
Enter your centre’s fee, the childminding days you would book, the helper’s monthly figure and the grandparent’s allowance.
Read each option’s monthly cost next to the hours it covers. A gap means you need a second arrangement for those hours.
Try the mix in the Family care coverage planner to see who has your child each hour.

What does this look like for one family?

An infant, 50 hours of care a week, a working mother and a household of three earning S$8,000 a month, with the tool’s starting values:

Infant care at a S$1,500 fee: S$660 a month after S$840 of subsidy; S$520 from January 2027
Childminding pilot, 10-hour blocks, 5 days a week: About S$779 a month
Helper with the levy concession: About S$1,177 a month all in
Grandparent, S$500 allowance: About S$483 a month, after S$210 a year of tax relief on a S$60,000 income
A parent pausing work: S$3,000 of take-home pay a month

A centre’s typical 7am to 7pm weekdays come to 60 hours, so it covers the 50 hours here. Change any figure to your own; the order never changes and nothing is ranked.

Which tool and download help?

Open the Baby and toddler care compare and enter your hours and costs. Whatever you choose, the Same-page house rules card keeps every carer giving the same answers. The Caregiver handover sheet travels with your child, and the Backup-care contact sheet lists who to call when plans fall through.

What does this comparison leave out?

ECDA subsidies are for Singapore citizen children, so a PR child pays the full centre fee here. Childminding depends on a minder being free near you. The grandparent relief has conditions IRAS checks, and a parent pausing work affects CPF and career in ways the tool does not count. Visit, ask and decide what suits your child; we never rank options or providers.

Printables for this guide

Free · No email needed
Same-page house rules card
One card of house rules for parents, the helper and grandparents: screen time, bedtime, food, sweets and calm-down steps. Space for the helper's language too.
Free · No email needed
Caregiver handover sheet
A daily sheet for parents, grandparents, helpers and centres: meals, sleep, mood, medicine and what comes next. Plus an About Our Child page for new carers.
Free · No email needed
Backup-care contact sheet
Every backup carer's hours, travel time and pick-up authorisation on one page. Add the centre, school, clinic and work numbers a carer might need.

Try it with your numbers

Open it with an example filled in, then change the numbers to yours.

Open baby and toddler care compare → Try it with an example →

Frequently asked questions

Can we use childminding and infant care together?

No. The pilot is for infants who are not also enrolled in ECDA-licensed infant care, so for each child you use one or the other.

Who can claim Grandparent Caregiver Relief?

A working mother who is married, divorced or widowed, whose parent, grandparent or parent-in-law looks after her Singapore citizen child aged 12 or below. The caregiver lives in Singapore and earns S$8,000 or less from work. It is S$3,000 of tax relief, not cash for the grandparent.

Why does the tool count 60 hours a week for a centre?

It uses typical full-day hours of 7am to 7pm on weekdays, which is 60 hours. Check your own centre’s opening times, and set the hours you actually need.

How much does full-time childminding cost?

MSF told Parliament on 26 February 2026 that full-time users pay around S$700 a month. The tool counts 52 weeks over 12 months, so its figure is a little higher.