Childcare costs and subsidies

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain with young children. You will come away knowing which aid to look for and how newcomers can claim it.

Start with "What childcare costs in Spain by option". It compares monthly costs across cities and gives you a baseline before you look at aid. From there, the other pages cover what a legal nanny really costs, whether nursery is free anywhere, regional vouchers and grants, how public fees are set by income, and how to claim aid without a Spanish income history.

Tax deductions, employer vouchers, school costs, birth leave benefits and nursery contract terms are covered in other topics.

Key rules

• Minimum wage: For 2025 the minimum wage for household employees was 1,184 EUR per month in 14 payments, and the current year's figure should be confirmed before budgeting.
• Padrón first: Register in the padrón first, because both the nursery admission and the aid application need it.
• Income year: Most calls base income on the tax return from two years before the call, and the call itself sets any fallback when you have no income for that year.
• Extra payments: A household employee is entitled to two extra payments a year, normally at Christmas and in summer, each worth at least 15 days of salary, unless the contract prorates them into monthly pay.
• Social Security: The employer registers the nanny and pays the whole Social Security contribution, withholding the employee's share from her monthly pay.
• Public nursery: Fees depend on your region and income, and some families pay nothing.

Childcare costs and subsidies: the whole process, step by step

• Compare costs by option in What childcare costs in Spain by option: before you choose a nursery or nanny

• Check whether your region offers free places in Is nursery free anywhere in Spain?: before you apply for any place

• Register in the padrón (your town hall residents' register), because both the nursery admission and the aid application need it: before you apply for a place or for aid

• Apply for aid and check the call in Regional nursery vouchers (bonos) and grants you can claim: usually between April and July for the following school year, with a later period for leftover places

• If you have no Spanish income history, read Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history: before you apply, because most calls use the tax return from two years before the call

• Understand your bracket in How public nursery fees are set by income: when you enrol in a public nursery

• If you hire a nanny, budget the full employer cost in What a legal nanny really costs, including two extra payments of at least 15 days of salary each year: before you sign the contract

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Padrón certificate for the child and the applying parents or guardians — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history
• NIE or residence card — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history

Income and work

• Tax return or tax certificate from your country of origin — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history
• Recent payslips — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history
• Employment contract — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history
• Employer certificate of earnings — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history
• Sworn statement of income — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history

The home and the lease

• Lease or property deed — Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history

Childcare costs and subsidies: questions that cross several articles

How much does a private nursery cost compared with a public one?

Private nurseries typically charged about 250-300 EUR a month in smaller cities and about 350-550 EUR in most large cities in 2025, while public ones ranged from free to roughly 300-400 EUR in the top income bracket. Middle-income families typically paid about 100-250 EUR in public nurseries.

Does where I live change what childcare costs?

Yes, costs are clearly higher in large expensive cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastián and Palma than in smaller or inland towns. Nanny pay follows the same pattern, while public fees depend more on your region's own scale. See What childcare costs in Spain by option and Is nursery free anywhere in Spain?.

Which income counts for public nursery fees and for aid?

Most regions use household income per person from a tax return, divided by the number of family members, and aid calls usually use the return from two years before the call. Families can usually ask for a revision if income has fallen. Read How public nursery fees are set by income and Regional nursery vouchers (bonos) and grants you can claim.

Can I claim nursery aid if I have just arrived in Spain?

Possibly, but eligibility usually depends on income from a tax return and on both parents, or the single parent, working. The child must also be enrolled in an authorised nursery, and the call sets the thresholds. Read Claiming nursery aid without a Spanish income history next, then Regional nursery vouchers (bonos) and grants you can claim.

Fees and aid thresholds change every year and by region, so check local quotes and the current regional call.