What Does Childcare Actually Cost?

In this episode, we break down every childcare option out there, what each one costs, and how to figure out what's right for your family. We hear from an economist who reframes childcare as an investment (not a money pit), and a financial expert who walks us through the real numbers — from daycare centers and nanny shares to au pairs and the grandparent option nobody talks about enough.

We also tackle the myth that childcare comes out of mom's salary. It doesn't. It comes out of your family's future. And once you see it that way, everything changes.

Corinne Low is an Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School. Her book Having It All (Flatiron) is a USA Today national bestseller, and her research has been published in top journals including the American Economic Review and Journal of Political Economy.

Farnoosh Torabi is one of America’s leading personal finance authorities — hooked on helping you live your richest, happiest life. She is a multi-bestselling Financial Author, former CNBC host and creator of the Webby-nominated podcast So Money.