childcare costs in Gold Coast
the complete breakdown of childcare costs in Gold Coast, QLD — covering long day care, family day care, outside school hours care, nannies, and au pairs.
cost breakdown
long day care
centre-basedaverage daily fee: $120/day · median: $115/day · hourly: $12.00/hr
family day care
home-basedaverage daily fee: $88/day — typically 10-20% cheaper than centre-based long day care with smaller group sizes.
outside school hours care (OSHC)
before & after schoolaverage daily fee: $30/day — covers before-school, after-school, and vacation care.
nanny
in-homeaverage hourly rate: $28/hr — nannies are not eligible for CCS unless registered through an approved in-home care provider.
au pair
live-inaverage weekly cost: $300/week — includes pocket money plus board. au pairs are not eligible for CCS.
CCS example for Gold Coast
a family earning $120K would receive ~75% CCS, reducing a $120/day fee to ~$30/day out of pocket.
estimate your costs: use our Child Care Subsidy calculator to see your estimated out-of-pocket cost based on your family income.
things to know about childcare in Gold Coast
- •Gold Coast childcare costs are similar to Brisbane but can spike in tourist-heavy areas like Surfers Paradise.
- •Centres in the hinterland suburbs tend to be more affordable than coastal locations.
- •Queensland's free kindy program also applies to Gold Coast families.
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costs are approximate 2026 averages based on Australian Government Child Care Subsidy data & ACECQA reports. actual fees vary by centre, suburb, and care type. CCS rates are subject to change. mini mode is not affiliated with any government department.