Home / Free Tools / Infant Care vs Nanny Cost
Infant care vs nanny: what each really costs you
Put in your income and what the nanny or helper would cost. You'll see the infant care fee after subsidy, the nanny or helper bill, and the gap per month and until your baby turns 18 months.
Figures checked 3 Oct 2026 against official government sources · Fussy Mama
The difference
How the infant care number is worked out
Infant care in Singapore is for babies from 2 to 18 months. If your child is a Singapore citizen at a licensed centre, ECDA pays part of the fee straight to the centre and you pay the rest.
There are two parts. The Basic Subsidy is $600 a month if mum works at least 56 hours a month (a single dad counts too). If she doesn't, it's $150. The Additional Subsidy comes on top, for working mums in households earning $12,000 a month or less. The lower your income, the bigger it is.
Households of 5 or more can qualify on per capita income instead, which is total income divided by the number of people. The limit is $3,000 per person. The calculator checks both and uses the better one.
ECDA also sets a minimum co-payment for each income band. So even with the biggest subsidy you pay at least $40 a month.
| Gross monthly household income | Per capita income | Additional Subsidy, up to | You pay at least |
|---|
Full-day infant care, working mum, on top of the $600 Basic Subsidy. Rates unchanged since 1 Jan 2023. Source: ECDA childcare and infant care subsidy tables, updated 18 Nov 2025.
These bands move up in January 2027. MSF said at its 2026 budget debate that the income ceiling for the Additional Subsidy for childcare rises to $15,000, and every tier's income threshold goes up with it. ECDA has not published the 2027 table yet, so we haven't modelled it.
Fee caps at government-supported centres (2026)
| Operator | Full-day infant care cap | With 9% GST |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor Operator (e.g. PCF Sparkletots, My First Skool, E-Bridge, Skool4Kidz, M.Y World) | $1,235 | $1,346.15 |
| Partner Operator | $1,290 | $1,406.10 |
Caps are for Singapore citizen children, and private centres set their own fees. Source: ECDA Anchor Operator and Partner Operator pages.
What a nanny or helper costs
A private nanny or babysitter is not licensed by ECDA, so there's no official rate and no subsidy. You agree the fee with her directly. Before you compare, ask what's included: meals, diapers, milk, half days, public holidays, and what happens when she's sick.
The ECDA childminding pilot
There is one kind of nanny with a government-set price. ECDA is running a Childminding Pilot for Infants until 31 December 2027. Three appointed operators (EduNanny by Butler, Kidibliss and NannyPro Care) send trained, background-checked childminders who look after up to 3 babies at the childminder's home or a community space.
The fee is $33 for a full 10-hour day or $16.50 for a 5-hour half day, before GST, on weekdays between 7am and 7pm. Five full days a week works out to about $779 a month with GST. It's for Singapore citizen babies aged 2 to 18 months who aren't also enrolled in infant care, and you can pay with CDA money.
A live-in helper
With a helper, MOM sets the levy. It's $60 a month if a Singapore citizen child under 16 lives with you, or $300 for your first helper otherwise. On top of salary and levy you pay for her food, her medical and accident insurance and a $5,000 security bond, plus agency fees if you use one. Our maid levy and cost calculator works out the full bill.
Two tax points. If a grandparent minds the baby, a working mum can claim $3,000 of Grandparent Caregiver Relief. And the old Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Relief is gone. The last year you could claim it was Year of Assessment 2024.
Worked example
Working mum, household of 3 earning $9,000 a month, Anchor Operator centre. The fee with GST is $1,346. The Basic Subsidy is $600, and income of $9,000 falls in the $7,501 to $9,000 band, so the Additional Subsidy is $240. That leaves $506 a month for you to pay.
Say a private nanny quotes $1,200, and extras come to $100. That's $1,300 a month, or $794 more than infant care. If your baby starts at 4 months and moves to childcare at 18 months, the gap over those 14 months is $11,114.
Swap in the ECDA pilot childminder for 5 days a week. That's $779 with GST plus the same $100 of extras, so $879 a month and a gap of $373.
Beyond the money
- Infant care hours are usually 7am to 7pm on weekdays, and half day on Saturday. A nanny or helper can cover late meetings and weekends.
- Babies in centres catch more bugs in the first year. Most centres send a feverish baby home, so plan who takes the day. Today each working parent gets 6 days of childcare leave a year while the youngest is 6 or under. NDR 2026 will raise this to 8 days for 1 child, 10 for 2 and 12 for 3 or more, with the start date still to be announced.
- Waitlists at Anchor Operator centres can be long. Register while you're pregnant if you want a place at 2 or 3 months.
- Many parents mix and match: a grandparent or nanny for the first months, infant care later.
More on this in our guides to infant care vs helper vs grandparents and choosing a childcare centre.
Questions parents ask
How much is infant care in Singapore after subsidy?
At an Anchor Operator centre the fee is capped at $1,235 before GST, or $1,346 with GST. A working mum gets at least $600 off, so the most you pay there is $746. A family earning $3,000 or less a month gets the largest subsidy and pays about $40. Put your own income in the calculator above.
Is a nanny cheaper than infant care?
A private nanny gets no subsidy, so you pay her full rate. Infant care at an Anchor Operator costs a working mum $746 a month at most, and less if your household earns $12,000 or under. So a nanny is only cheaper if she charges less than your subsidised fee.
Can I get a subsidy for a nanny or babysitter?
Not for one you hire privately. The exception is the ECDA Childminding Pilot for Infants, which runs until 31 December 2027 through three appointed operators and charges a subsidised $33 for a 10-hour day.
What if I'm not working?
For infant care you get the $150 Basic Subsidy only. If you can't work for a reason ECDA accepts, you can apply for Special Approval to get the full subsidy for a time. NDR 2026 said full subsidies will go to families whatever the mum's working status, with details in early 2027.
Will infant care fees go down?
Yes, at government-supported centres. Full-day infant care will fall to $300 a month before subsidy. The cuts start in 2028 and reach that level by 2030. The exact timeline will be shared in early 2027.
Is a live-in helper cheaper than infant care?
It can be close. With the $60 concessionary levy and a $700 salary, a helper costs $760 a month before food and insurance. She also does housework and covers evenings, and she needs a place to sleep in your home. Our maid levy calculator works out the full cost.
Do PR or foreigner babies get the subsidy?
No. The Basic and Additional Subsidies are for Singapore citizen children. PR and foreign children pay the centre's full fee, and the Anchor Operator fee cap applies only to citizens.
When should I register for infant care?
Most centres take babies from 2 months. Popular Anchor Operator centres often have waitlists, so many parents register during pregnancy. You can search and apply through the LifeSG app.
Sources (Figures checked 3 Oct 2026)
- ECDA - Infant and Childcare Subsidy Scheme
- ECDA - Anchor Operator scheme (fee caps)
- ECDA - Partner Operator scheme (fee caps)
- ECDA - Childminding Pilot for Infants
- MSF - Speech at Committee of Supply 2026 (subsidy income ceiling from January 2027)
- Made For Families - NDR 2026: supporting families
- MOM - Migrant domestic worker levy
- IRAS - Grandparent Caregiver Relief
