Babies
How much does a baby cost?
Using our prices, the core items for a baby's first year in the UK cost about £2,500 if you buy second-hand where it's safe, £3,300 at low-cost new prices and £15,800 at high-end prices. Childcare comes on top. Full-time nursery costs about £7,700 to £24,800 a year, depending on funded hours and where you live.
Prices are typical UK estimates for 2026, not quotes.
Add up your own costs, from the pram and cot to nappies, formula and childcare. Everything starts ticked at low-cost prices. Click a price to add an item at that price (low-cost new, high-end new or second-hand), or use the tick box. Click the same price again, or untick, to remove it. Your totals update as you go.
One-off
Recurring (per month)
Pick one childcare option by clicking its price. Low prices are England averages and high prices are London rates, per month.
Common questions
How much does a baby cost per month?
Running costs such as nappies, formula, clothes and extra food come to about £140 to £575 a month for the core items. Spread the one-off kit over the year as well and it's about £210 to £1,300 a month, before childcare.
How much does a baby cost without childcare?
About £2,500 to £15,800 for the first year, for the core items. The biggest differences come from the pram (£180 to £1,100), food and clothes, and formula, which costs about £450 to £1,100 a year if you use it.
How much does childcare cost for a baby?
Full-time nursery costs about £1,610 a month on average in England and about £2,060 in inner London. Eligible working parents in England can get funded hours from when their child is 9 months old, which brings full-time nursery down to about £645 to £800 a month. A full-time childminder costs about £530 to £1,350 a month, and a nanny about £4,400 to £5,700.
Is it cheaper to buy baby things second-hand?
Yes, for most kit. Buying second-hand where it's safe brings the core one-off kit down from about £1,350 at low-cost new prices to about £850. Buy car seats and mattresses new, because a used seat may have been in a crash and each baby needs a new mattress.
About the prices
Low-cost and high-end are typical new prices. Second-hand is shown only where buying used is sensible. Car seats, mattresses, consumables and services are always bought new. Recurring costs are monthly averages over the first year. Core items leave out optional extras such as a feeding chair, baby classes and a Junior ISA, as well as childcare and the nursery deposit. Childcare low prices use England averages and high prices use London rates (weekly cost ×52 ÷ 12). Funded hours depend on eligibility, so check Childcare Choices. Childcare often starts at 9–12 months, so your first-year bill may be lower than shown.
Sources: Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026 (via daynurseries.co.uk and findmyschool.uk); Nannytax 2026 Salary Guide; Smart Cells 2026 first-year costs (via LV=); MoneyHelper; Which? travel system guide.