The Nanny Math

One number. The real cost difference between a nanny and daycare, — planned expenses and the unexpected ones, all in one place.

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The Nanny Math

One number. The real cost difference between a nanny and daycare, — planned expenses and the unexpected ones, all in one place.

$ /hr
$ /hr
Choose a city and number of kids to see the real cost difference.
Nanny /year, all in
Daycare /year, all in
What shifts the number
Kid sick days (yr 1)
Centers send kids home; you stay home. 8–12 episodes.
Closure & backup care
~3 weeks of closures beyond nanny PTO. Toggle off if you’ll cover these yourselves.
Nanny sick days
5–8 unplanned absences/yr. You’re the backup.
Annual bonus (1 wk)
Customary year-end bonus: one week’s gross pay.
Nanny replacement risk
Avg tenure 1.5–2 yrs. Search + gap coverage.
Commute time
30–60 min/day in drop-off and pickup.
Socialization
Classes and playgroups to replicate peer interaction.
Taxes & payroll (on the books)
FICA, FUTA, workers’ comp, payroll service.

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Sources. Nanny hourly rates: Care.com and UrbanSitter (Feb 2026, one child, full-time). Seattle rate reflects local market data ($30–32 range). Daycare hourly rates: Shortlist provider database, avg cost/hr for center-based providers with verified pricing (March 2026). Daycare rates reflect mid-range center-based care. Age-based multipliers (infant +35%, preschool −15%) derived from typical center pricing tiers. Employer tax estimates: IRS household employer guidelines (2025). Sick day and backup care costs: Shortlist parent survey data and calculation engine.