Costs & allowances
Childcare costs in Switzerland 2026: daycare or nanny, what will you pay?
Daycare or nanny? Your case per month
Daycare · with to without subsidyCHF 1'320–3'000
Nanny · for all, with contributionsCHF 3'425
Daycare costs less, even without a subsidy.
Nanny at CHF 28/h, 8 h a day, canton of Zurich
30 days free, then CHF 19.90/month · cancel anytime
Change canton, wage and hours ↓
A full-time daycare place costs about CHF 2'200 to 3'130 per child and month without a subsidy, and a lot less with one, depending on income. A nanny costs one wage for all children together: 3 days a week at 8 hours for CHF 28 gross comes to about CHF 3'400 a month in the canton of Zurich, including holiday pay and employer contributions. The calculator shows both for your case.
Daycare: cantonal tariffs 2025 (kibesuisse, BSV). Nanny: contribution rates 2026 (AHV leaflet 2.06), calculated as on a payslip.
What does your childcare cost per month?
Daycare per child, a nanny for all children together. Answer in francs.
about CHF 1'320 with a subsidy, up to CHF 3'000 without, depending on income and municipality, per month
wage with holiday supplement, social contributions and Clino, for all children, per month: Wage incl. holidays CHF 3'155 · Employer social contributions CHF 250 · Clino CHF 20
In your case daycare costs less, even without a subsidy.
- From about 2029/30, at least CHF 600 less for daycare (UKibeG allowance: children up to 8, both parents working). There is none for a nanny.
- Above CHF 22'680 a year, the pension fund (BVG) is added: from age 18 for death and disability, from 25 for retirement savings too.
Daycare: guide values per child for a full-time place (2025 daycare survey), pro rata by days. Nanny: the same wage calculation as Clino payslips.
Next question: what does the nanny cost exactly, with a 13th salary and pension fund?
Calculate the exact nanny cost →Daycare costs by canton
The full tariff is about CHF 2'200 to 3'130 per child and month for a full-time place. Almost every municipality reduces it by income: on a low income in French-speaking Switzerland you pay from about CHF 345. Your municipality gives you the exact tariff.
- Fribourg income-based, with subsidyCHF 360 - 1'730
- Vaud income-based, with subsidyCHF 345 - 2'660
- Geneva income-based, with subsidyCHF 400 - 2'600
- Basel-Stadt full tariffCHF 2'200 - 2'800
- Zurich full tariff, privateCHF 2'750 - 3'130
Source: cantonal daycare tariffs 2025 (krippefinden.ch, kibesuisse, BSV). There is no official table for all 26 cantons.
Nanny costs: what comes on top of the wage
With a nanny you are an employer. On top of the wage come AHV/IV/EO 5.3 %, ALV 1.1 % and the family compensation fund depending on the canton. Many families miss four items:
- Accident insurance from the first hour: occupational accident (0.505 %) is always compulsory, even for a few hours a week. From 8 hours a week non-occupational accident cover is added, paid by the nanny.
- The nanny's pension fund above CHF 22'680 a year: from 18 for death and disability, from 25 for retirement savings too. That is only CHF 1'890 a month: a nanny three days a week is usually already above it.
- 13th salary: not a legal duty, but owed as soon as it is in the contract or you have paid it several times without reservation. It is usual with monthly wages. For holidays and sick pay, the same rules apply as for any employee.
- If the nanny lives with you, board and lodging count as wage: CHF 990 a month is added to the cash wage for AHV.
The nanny salary calculator works out exactly what your wage costs.
UKibeG: the upcoming daycare allowance
The new federal law (UKibeG) brings a care allowance of at least CHF 100 per month for each care day per week, per child up to age 8, if both parents work. It applies only to daycare and childminders within an organisation, not to a privately employed nanny and not to a childminder without an organisation. According to the BSV, the first payments are expected from 2029.
Deducting childcare from your taxes
You deduct childcare costs from federal tax up to CHF 25'800 per child and year, and from cantonal tax CHF 8'000 to 27'300 depending on the canton. This applies equally to daycare, childminders and nannies. For a nanny, only if she is registered with the AHV and you can document the wage costs.
Work out your deduction in the nanny tax deduction calculator
Employ a nanny without the paperwork
Clino prepares your nanny's AHV registration and guides you through it, does the payslip every month and the statement of childcare costs for your tax deduction at year end. CHF 19.90 per month, the first 30 days free.
Start for free →Frequently asked questions about childcare costs
What is the cheapest childcare in Switzerland?
How much does daycare cost in Zurich?
What does UKibeG cover?
Can I deduct nanny costs from my taxes?
Is a nanny or daycare cheaper?
Working without a contract?
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One quick thing: where are you right now?
Sources
- BSV: Federal Act on Support for Childcare (UKibeG) - bsv.admin.ch
- ESTV: deduction for third-party childcare costs, cantonal sheets 2026 - estv.admin.ch
- AHV/IV leaflet 2.06: domestic work - ahv-iv.ch
- kibesuisse: Swiss childcare association - kibesuisse.ch