How much does childcare cost in the Netherlands in 2026?

Kinderdagverblijf (daycare), buitenschoolse opvang (BSO), and gastouderopvang (childminder care) set their own hourly prices. The government publishes maximum hourly amounts for benefit calculations. For 2026 those ceilings are €11.23 for daycare, €9.98 for BSO, and €8.49 for gastouder care. Any rate above the ceiling stays fully on the parents. Benefit hours are capped (commonly discussed around 230 hours per child per month for working parents who qualify).

Gross full-time daycare invoices in scarce cities can approach roughly €2,500–3,000+ per month before toeslag when hours and rates stack. After kinderopvangtoeslag, lower household incomes can see very high reimbursement percentages (up to 96% of the eligible hourly band for qualifying lower-income working parents in recent policy years), while higher incomes keep a larger out-of-pocket share. Always run the Belastingdienst calculator on your own income and hours: Monthly budget.

Amsterdam and other G5 markets combine high uurtarieven with long waitlists, so the cheap path may not exist in month one: Amsterdam cost of living and The Hague cost of living. The Hague and Rotterdam international employers often push families toward specific neighbourhoods near schools: Best places for families.

Dutch primary school from about age four is largely tuition-free in the public system, with smaller activity fees. International school tuition is a different product entirely: International school costs. Parent networks form around daycare gates as much as InterNations: Expat families community.