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State by state: How expensive is childcare across Germany?

In the market for childcare? Data shows Kita (daycare) spots for young children are not only a challenge to find, but also a costly decision for families in Germany.

Published: 7 March 2024 13:25 CET
kita in Dortmund
Children at a Kita in Dortmund help with planting in February. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Thissen

That’s according to a recent German Economic Institute (IW) study which found daycare is “particularly expensive for children under the age of three”. 

The costs of care depend on several factors including: income, locality, age, number of children, and type of care facility. 

Germany has guaranteed young children over the age of one the legal right to a place in a daycare centre since 2013. The country offers different types of childcare options from Kinderkrippen (nurseries) to Kindergärten (pre-schools), but they all fall under the umbrella term of Kita, which is short for Kindertagesstätte (child day care centre). 

READ ALSO: It’s not impossible: How I found a good Kita in Germany

Dr. Wido Geis-Thöne, IW’s senior economist for family policy, said different approaches to childcare across the country can make it a challenge to pinpoint costs. 

“Attendance at daycare centres would ideally be regulated nationwide and free of charge for all children in the last few years before starting school,” he said. “However, due to the current budget situation of the states and municipalities, this cannot be implemented everywhere, as the freedom from costs must not come at the expense of the quality of care.” 

Costs vary wildly from nearly free spots in Berlin – save for a €23 a month fee – to €296 per month for one-year-olds in Koblenz. 

And the legal right to daycare cannot always be fulfilled by current offerings. According to an analysis from Bertelsmann Foundation, there is a shortage of nearly 430,000 daycare spots in Germany. 

How much should I expect to pay?

 

The city of Bergisch Gladbach in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has the highest cost of full-time care in Germany. Parents can expect to pay up to €1,200 per month for a child under two. The same childcare is nearly free in Berlin and Kiel. 

These monthly costs do not include the costs of meals and other services like language lessons and special activities.

READ ALSO: What foreign parents in Germany need to know about Sprach-Kitas

Children play a colouring game at a German 'Sprach Kita'.

Children play a colouring game at a German Kita. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Jens Büttner

Average costs of childcare across Germany

The German Economic Institute analyzed data from 82 large cities across Germany. 

Bavaria

The cost of childcare in Bavaria varies widely from city to city. Costs for childcare in Munich are expected to rise after a court found Munich’s current childcare funding system was unlawful.  At the start of the next daycare year in September, Parents may have to shell out more than €1,000 to secure a spot for their child at a private provider.   

Baden-Württemberg 

Childcare costs in Baden-Württemberg vary depending on where families live. State law only requires fees to consider the economic situation and number of children. But some cities have taken this a step further. Heilbronn offers free daycare for all children three and up. 

Berlin

Berlin has offered free nurseries and day care centres since 2018. Parents are expected to pay €23 for meals. And some Kitas offer additional activities like sports and language lessons at an extra cost. 

READ ALSO: Why are Berlin Kitas in a state of crisis?

Bremen

Parents in the northern city-state can take advantage of daycare free of charge for children ages three and over. This excludes the cost of meals which parents are expected to contribute toward. Families receiving social benefits and BremenPass holders can get their childcare for free, regardless of the child’s age.

Hamburg

Hamburg offers five hours of childcare for free, but full time care costs must be covered by parents. The cost of care is the same regardless of the child’s age group. 

Hesse

Daycare for children three and up is also free in Hesse, but this only covers a six hour day. Parents must cover full time care. For younger children, daycare fees vary. 

Lower Saxony

Like Bremen, parents in Lower Saxony can enjoy free daycare for children three or older. The benefit is limited to an eight-hour day. 

Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania 

Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania followed the lead of Berlin in providing free nurseries and day care centres. Parents can take advantage of up to 10 hours of free childcare throughout the week before contributing toward costs. 

North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW)

The last two years of daycare are free for parents of kids in North-Rhine Westphalia. The costs of care for younger children are scaled according to parents’ income.   

Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate offers free childcare beginning with two-year-olds. Childcare costs vary depending on the district for younger children.  

Saarland

Parents in Saarland will be able to enjoy free childcare beginning 2027. But for now daycare fees will be gradually capped. This is a change from the original rule which called for parental contributions to not exceed 25 percent of personnel costs.

Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt does not stipulate limits on parental contributions for daycare. Instead, fees are decided by the cities and municipalities in coordination with childcare providers.  

Saxony

In Saxony, parental contribution also varies from city to city. But the fees should not exceed 15 to 23 percent of the average municipal costs for a nursery place and 15 to 30 percent of the costs for a preschool place.  In the state capital, €207 are charged for all-day care in a Krippe and €150.48 in a Kindergarten. 

Schleswig-Holstein

There is a state cap on daycare fees in Germany’s northernmost state to reduce the financial burden on parents. Parents can expect to shell out up to €232 per month for children under three. The costs decrease to €226.40 per month for parents of children three and over. 

Thuringia

Parents can count on free childcare for the last two years of kindergarten. Important to note that this applies exactly 24 months before regular school entry, not the age of the child. Otherwise parental contributions vary depending on the scope of care, number of children and parents’ income.  

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LEARNING GERMAN

‘Forget about bilingual Kitas’: Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

With greater numbers of international workers choosing to settle in Germany and raise a family, the question of how to best raise bilingual children is often considered. 

Published: 25 April 2024 15:01 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:35 CEST
'Forget about bilingual Kitas': Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

The Local asked its readers who have raised bilingual children in Germany to tell us how they managed to raise children who speak German in addition to their parent’s mother tongue. 

Trust the (school) system. 

One piece of advice was echoed by several readers: Trust the German education system to take care of teaching German through immersion. 

Siniša, 44, from Hesse, who speaks Croatian and English at home, told The Local: “Speak your native language at home. The school will ‘cover’ German and other languages.”

Steve, 55, who lives in Munich and speaks English and Spanish with his daughter agrees.

“Be consistent and raise your child in your native tongue. At a local school, they will learn German quickly,” he said.

Chris, 44, from Hamburg, who speaks English with his children, backed the idea of leaving kids’ schools to take charge of teaching them German.

“Get the kids into the German education system as early as possible and let them learn themselves from native speakers. As a bonus, they’ll pick it up quickly and not pick up a ‘non-German’ accent either,” he said.

Read more: ‘Multilingualism is an enrichment’ – The challenges of raisin bilingual kids in Germany

Readers also noted that even in the preschool stage, children can handle multiple languages. 

Julie, 41, who lives in Hamburg and speaks English and Italian at home, said: “Relax and go with the flow. Don’t get hung up on finding bilingual Kitas for toddlers if they already get significant exposure to the non-German language at home. Languages seem to develop in different spurts at different speeds.”

However, liaising with schools in Germany was noted as an essential skill. 

Kim, 46, based in Sindelfingen, with a family speaking both English and German, said: “It’s essential for at least one parent to understand German when children attend a German school. They can help explain language and cultural differences. They can also help with administrative matters and even homework.”

Maintain the mother tongue.

While readers were keen to encourage parents to trust the immersion process that German schools provide, they were also quick to advise a concerted effort to maintain speaking the mother tongue in and around the home. 

“For international parents, I think it’s very important that their children do not lose touch with their mother tongue, as it is a very special part of their identity,” said Prashanth, 42, who lives in Munich.

Anne-Marie, 52, from Frankfurt, who speaks ‘Singlish’ (Singaporean English) with her children, stated that it’s essential to be firm.

“Speak in your mother tongue to your kids from the day they are born. Be consequent about it, even in front of other people who do not speak your mother tongue,” she said.

Karl, 44, who lives in Celle and who speaks English and the indigenous American Ute language with his children, said getting family on board is important. 

“Communicate with all family members your decision, intentionally speak all of the languages, when possible provide translations so family members present are not excluded from conversations,” he said.

Charles, 40, from Berlin, even stated that speaking German at home may prove detrimental: “Don’t speak your own mediocre German with them. It may be hard to see them speaking another language as their more comfortable primary language than your own.”

Charles, who speaks English at home, added: “Find books and shows to share with them in your native language to continue the shared experience.”

Read More: What foreign parents should know about German schools

Just let it happen with the kids…

Sometimes, it seems, becoming bilingual takes care of itself. 

Paul, 40, from Munich, married to a German, said: “Our oldest just started speaking English one day around age 3. She had heard so much she could understand and just started talking. 

“The twins are starting to speak more and more English. It wasn’t a problem since she was fluent in both by age 4. I advise patience and not expecting perfection at a young age.

Crystal, 38, who lives in Nuremberg and speaks English at home, responded: “At first, my main concern was getting as much German into our lives as possible so my son would be ready for Grundschule. 

“Now I’m swinging the other way. My advice is to try to relax. There are always other things to worry about, and kids learn so much really quickly.”

…but also challenge yourself

Finally, respondents to The Locals’ survey repeated that raising bilingual children is something that requires a degree of effort – on the parent’s behalf. 

J.K, 40, who lives in Hanau and speaks English and Telugu at home, told The Local: “Language is very important for the kids to grow in a culture. 

“Parents should facilitate situations around the kid to better integrate locally. Parents (at least one) should be able to speak German at a level better than B1. 

“If not, supporting kids in their education is difficult, and this will hamper their chances of reaching a higher education level.”

Read More: Six surprising facts about Germany’s school system

Moreno, 40, who lives in Munich and speaks Portuguese with his children, was firm in his advice: “Don’t choose the easy way for you, parents. Don’t hide in your language community bubble. 

“If you intend to live in Germany for a long time, put your kids in German schools and get them in touch with the German community.

“If you don’t speak German like me, deal with it. But don’t transfer your problem to your kids.”

Have we missed any crucial advice for raising bilingual children in Germany? Tell us in the comments section below.

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