PRICE GUIDE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · 2026–2027
Crèche cost in Ireland
€150–€259 per week. Typically €190.
A crèche in Ireland costs €150–€259 per week, typically around €190. The price is set by full day, part-time or sessional, age of your child and area.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a crèche cost in Ireland?
| Low end | €150 | a simple job, off-peak, outside the cities |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | €190 | what most people pay |
| High end | €259 | the biggest jobs, short notice, Dublin |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the babysitters, childminders, nannies, crèches and agencies near you.
What moves the price
- Hours each week — a full-day place of more than 25 hours a week costs more than a part-time or sessional place.
- Your child's age — a place in the baby room can cost more than a place for an older child, because the youngest children need more staff.
- Area — crèche fees are highest in Dublin, with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown at the top of the national range.
- What the fee includes — meals, nappies and outings in the weekly fee, or charged as extras, change what the crèche costs.
- Subsidies — National Childcare Scheme subsidies are taken off the crèche fee before you pay it.
What families pay for Childcare is down 35% over five years, largely because of subsidies (CSO Consumer Price Index, Childcare, to 2025 December); what providers charge has not fallen in the same way. CSO CPM18
WHAT YOU GET
What a crèche booking includes
Takes: It varies by crèche..
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common crèche jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
Crèche near you, with prices shown
The babysitters, childminders, nannies, crèches and agencies that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
How to pay less
- Check the crèche on the Tusla register and read its most recent inspection report.
- Ask whether the crèche is a Partner Service in Core Funding and whether it takes NCS subsidies.
- Ask about the ratio of staff to children in your child's room and how long staff have been there.
- Find out what the fee includes, such as meals, nappies and outings, and what is charged as an extra.
- Ask about closing days, holidays and what happens if you are late to collect.
Before you book
- Your child's date of birth and, for subsidies, their PPS number.
- Medical information, allergies and the contact details of your GP.
- Emergency contacts and the names of everyone allowed to collect your child.
- Spare clothes, nappies and anything your child needs to sleep, if the crèche asks for them.
Crèche cost: questions people ask
Typically €150–€259 a week for a full-day place in Ireland, before any subsidy, with Dublin at the top of that range. Enter your area above to see crèches near you.
Yes: every crèche must be registered with Tusla's Early Years Inspectorate, which inspects it and publishes the reports. You can check a crèche on the Tusla register before you visit.
Yes, if the crèche is registered with Tusla and contracted with the Department. The subsidy is paid to the crèche and taken off your bill.
Many do. ECCE gives three free hours a day in term to children who qualify, and a crèche can run those hours inside a longer day, charging only for the extra time.
It varies by crèche. Some take babies from a few months old and some start at toddler age; each profile shows the ages it takes.
Enter your town, area or Eircode above. The nearest crèches come first, with the care they offer and the ages they take.
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