childcare costs in Melbourne
the complete breakdown of childcare costs in Melbourne, VIC — covering long day care, family day care, outside school hours care, nannies, and au pairs.
cost breakdown
long day care
centre-basedaverage daily fee: $125/day · median: $120/day · hourly: $12.50/hr
family day care
home-basedaverage daily fee: $95/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: $32/day — covers before-school, after-school, and vacation care.
nanny
in-homeaverage hourly rate: $30/hr — nannies are not eligible for CCS unless registered through an approved in-home care provider.
au pair
live-inaverage weekly cost: $320/week — includes pocket money plus board. au pairs are not eligible for CCS.
CCS example for Melbourne
a family earning $120K would receive ~75% CCS, reducing a $125/day fee to ~$31/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 Melbourne
- •Melbourne costs vary significantly — inner suburbs are 15-20% higher than outer suburbs.
- •Victoria offers free kinder for 3 and 4 year olds (15 hours/week), reducing overall childcare spend.
- •Family day care is a popular affordable alternative in many Melbourne suburbs.
view all city childcare costs
the complete city-by-city guide
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.