What daycare really costs you
At a non-subsidized daycare, Québec refunds 67% to 78% of the fees depending on your family income, and can pay that credit to you every month. Enter your numbers to see the real cost per day.
Real cost per day, after the tax credit
$10.56
instead of $48.00, thanks to a 78% credit
- Fees for the year (260 days)
- $12,480
- Québec tax credit (78%)
- − $9,734
- Real cost for the year
- $2,746
- Advance payment each month
- $811
Estimate based on Revenu Québec's 2026 figures, for a child under 7. The federal childcare expense deduction is not included and lowers the cost further. Your exact amount is set by Revenu Québec.
The best way to know if a daycare suits you is to visit it.
Book a visitQuestions about costs
What parents ask us most often about the price of a non-subsidized daycare.
Much less than most people think. Many parents compare a non-subsidized daycare's posted rate, say $48 a day, with the $9.65 of a subsidized spot, and decide private daycare is out of reach. But that rate is not what you end up paying: Québec refunds 67% to 78% of it through a tax credit. For a family earning $25,000 a year, a $48 day comes to about $10.56 once the credit is paid. The gap with a subsidized spot is much smaller than it looks, and a spot at a non-subsidized daycare often opens up much sooner.
It is a refundable credit from Revenu Québec: you get it even if you pay no income tax. It covers 67% to 78% of your childcare fees, depending on your family income. The lower the income, the higher the rate. For a child under 7, Québec refunds fees up to $12,525 a year (2026).
No. You can ask Revenu Québec to pay the credit in advance, every month, instead of in one amount after you file. Our team helps you with the request. The calculator above shows that monthly payment.
Your family income: your net income and your spouse's, as shown on your tax returns. If you are raising your child alone, enter your own net income.
Each year, the daycare gives you an RL-24 slip (relevé 24) showing the fees you paid. You use it to claim the credit on your Québec tax return.