Child Upkeep Cost Calculator — how much does raising a child cost in Poland?

Estimated monthly costs in 2026 for a pre-schooler in a medium city with kindergarten: PLN 2,800/month (PLN 33,600/year). For an infant with private nursery in Warsaw: up to PLN 5,000+/month. Costs depend strongly on the child's age, city, lifestyle and care choices.

Public nurseries charge PLN 0–1,200/month depending on the municipality and family income. Private nurseries: PLN 1,500–3,500/month. The "Active Parent" (Aktywny Rodzic) programme subsidises PLN 1,500/month for children under 3 in nursery or with a childminder.

Public kindergarten is free for 5 hours/day from age 3. Extra hours cost approx. PLN 1.14/hour, plus meals PLN 15–25/day. Total: approx. PLN 200–600/month. Private kindergartens: PLN 800–2,500/month. The calculator uses PLN 600/month for the medium-city default.

The 800+ benefit (formerly 500+) is PLN 800/month per child under 18, paid regardless of family income. Apply through ZUS or mObywatel. It does not count as income for means-tested benefits. Combined with nursery subsidies, it significantly reduces net childcare costs for families.

Infants (0-3): high nursery costs, nappies, formula, frequent medical visits. Pre-schoolers (3-7): kindergarten, activities, fast-growing clothing costs. School-age (7-13): textbooks, after-school activities, technology. Teenagers (13-18): higher food/clothing costs, pocket money, possibly private tutoring.

Yes — child upkeep costs in major cities (Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk) are typically 20-30% higher than in smaller towns. Nurseries, activities, food and transport all cost more. The calculator applies a ×1.3 multiplier for large cities, ×0.8 for small towns.

The Polish child tax relief is PLN 92.67/month for the 1st and 2nd child, PLN 166.67/month for the 3rd, and PLN 225/month for the 4th and subsequent children. It is deducted from income tax in the annual tax return. Use our child tax relief calculator for the exact amount.

A primary school starter pack costs PLN 500–1,200 (bag, textbooks, stationery). Older pupils: PLN 400–900/year. The government's "Wyprawka szkolna" programme subsidises costs for lower-income families. See our school starter pack calculator for details.

The calculator multiplies the current monthly cost by the number of months remaining until the child turns 18, using the mid-point of the selected age range. This is a simplification — costs change with age. Treat the result as an indicative long-term planning figure.

No — the calculator shows gross costs before benefits. To calculate your net budget, subtract: 800+ (PLN 800/month), nursery subsidy (up to PLN 400/month), Active Parent (up to PLN 1,500/month for under-3s), and any family allowances or tax reliefs you are entitled to.