Canada Baby First-Year Cost Calculator
Add up what a baby’s first year could cost in Canada: feeding, diapers, gear, clothing and childcare, month by month and for the year, in Canadian dollars. Free, no sign-up.
Every price here is our own estimate, not an official figure. Change the monthly amounts to what you actually pay, and pick used or skip for gear you already have.
Sets the starting childcare fee. Enter your own quote below if you have one.
Estimated first-year cost$5,460About $455 a month on average · Including $1,500 of one-time purchases
| Item | A month (average) | First year |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding | $136.67 | $1,640 |
| First foods (from 6 months)for 6 months | $25 | $300 |
| Diapers | $85 | $1,020 |
| Gearone-time | $108.33 | $1,300 |
| Clothing | $50 | $600 |
| Everything else | $50 | $600 |
| Total | $455 | $5,460 |
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Government support for new parents
Canada child benefit (CCB)
The Canada child benefit is a tax-free monthly payment from the Canada Revenue Agency to help eligible families with the cost of raising children under 18. It is a child benefit paid for years, not a maternity payment.
The amount depends on your family’s situation, including your income, so this calculator doesn’t subtract it. To get it, apply once your baby is born and keep filing your tax returns each year. The official page explains who qualifies and how to apply.
Canada child benefit on canada.caEI maternity and parental benefits
Employment Insurance (EI) maternity benefits are for the person who gave birth, and parental benefits are for either parent caring for a new child. Parents choose standard or extended parental benefits, and that choice sets both the number of weeks and the weekly amount.
In Quebec, these benefits come from the province instead of EI. Check the official page for who qualifies, how much you could receive and when to apply.
EI maternity and parental benefits on canada.caHow much does a baby cost in the first year in Canada?
With this page’s starting estimates (mixed feeding, disposable diapers, all-new gear and no paid childcare), the first year comes to about $5,460, or roughly $455 a month. That is an estimate from assumed prices, not a statistic: your own number can be much lower or higher.
Gear is where you save the most. A car seat, stroller, crib and small gear bought new are about $1,300 in our estimate; second-hand they’re less than half that, and gifts and hand-me-downs can bring it close to zero.
Feeding and diapers are the steady costs. Formula costs more month after month than breastfeeding, and cloth diapers cost more up front but less each month than disposables. Pick yours and change the monthly amounts to what you pay.
Childcare can outweigh everything else. Most families in Canada use parental leave for much of the first year, so paid care often starts near the end of it, if at all. Put in your own quote and the months you’ll need it.
Questions people ask
How much does a baby cost in the first year in Canada?
It depends on how you feed, whether you buy gear new and whether you pay for childcare. With this calculator’s starting estimates (mixed feeding, disposable diapers, new gear, no childcare) it comes to about $5,460, roughly $455 a month. These are assumed prices, not official figures, so change them to your own.
Is the Canada child benefit a maternity payment?
No. The Canada child benefit is a tax-free monthly payment from the Canada Revenue Agency to help eligible families with the cost of raising children under 18. Income while you’re off work after a birth comes from EI maternity and parental benefits, or from the province in Quebec.
Does this calculator include the Canada child benefit or EI?
No. It adds up costs only. Both benefits depend on your family’s situation, so check the official canada.ca pages for what you could receive and set it against the total yourself.
How can I lower the cost of a baby’s first year?
Buy big gear second-hand or accept hand-me-downs, except a car seat whose history you don’t know. Breastfeeding, if it works for you, costs less than formula, and cloth diapers cost less each month than disposables once you own them.
Why does the calculator ask for my province?
To start the childcare fee from a rough estimate. Fees vary by province, by centre and by whether the spot is in a lower-fee program, so replace it with the quote you’re given.