How much does it cost to raise a child in Australia?

An estimate from birth to 18 in Australian dollars, scaled by household income and state.

Runs in your browser · Amounts in AUD

Total, birth to 18

—

for a child

Household income before tax

State

Show as

This is our only child Include university

Where it goes

Housing —

Food —

Childcare & education —

Transport —

Healthcare —

Clothing —

Miscellaneous —

Estimates only, and excludes higher education unless you tick the box. Assumptions and sources are listed below the tool.

What this result means

Housing dominates, and the gap between states largely tracks housing costs. The university add-on covers living costs rather than HECS-HELP tuition, which is deferred.

Like every estimate on this site, this is an order of magnitude rather than a forecast. Your own childcare and housing costs will move it more than any national figure.

Assumptions and limits

Estimates spread across eighteen years, not a bill due now.
Higher education is excluded unless you tick the box.
Regional multipliers are broad cost-of-living approximations.
Assumes a two-parent household.
Currency amounts are not converted between countries.

Sources

Consumer Expenditure Survey U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics