What this calculator does
The Cost of Raising a Child Calculator gives you a quick estimate of how much it will cost to support your child from their current age until they turn 18. It also breaks that figure down into an annual and a monthly amount, and lets you scale the estimate to multiple children. The tool is currency-agnostic — enter your figures in whatever currency you use.
How to use it
Enter the annual cost per child (food, housing share, clothing, childcare, school costs, activities and so on), your child's current age in whole years, and the number of children you want to include. The calculator multiplies the annual cost by the years that remain before age 18 to project the total, and divides the yearly figure by 12 for a monthly view.
The formula explained
The core equation is simple: $$\text{Total} = \text{Annual Cost} \times \text{Children} \times \left(18 - \text{Current Age}\right)$$ If your child is 5 and you spend 12,000 a year, there are 13 years left until 18, so the projection is \(12{,}000 \times 13 = 156{,}000\). The annual total for all children is Annual Cost × Children, and the monthly figure is that annual total divided by 12. This is a flat-rate model: it assumes costs stay roughly constant in today's money and does not add inflation or interest.
Worked example
Suppose you spend 15,000 per year on one newborn (age 0). Years remaining = 18 − 0 = 18. Total to 18 = $$15{,}000 \times 1 \times 18 = 270{,}000$$ The annual total is 15,000 and the monthly cost is \(15{,}000 \div 12 = 1{,}250\).
FAQ
Does this include college or university? No. The estimate stops at age 18; add a separate figure if you want to include higher education.
Is inflation included? No — it is a constant, present-value estimate. Real costs typically rise over time, so treat the result as a baseline.
What annual cost should I use? Many families use a figure between 10,000 and 20,000 per year depending on country, childcare and lifestyle. Use your own budget for the most accurate result.
