How Expensive is ChildCare IN the LA/Santa Monica Area? (Orange: rent, condo)

[agranville]

Hello, not sure if LA is right for me but if I decide to make the move I have to know everything about it. I have read numerous forums about the rent and good areas with good schools, but what I havent read was the pricerange for child care for children that arent old enough to go to school. Can anyone help me?

[JerZ]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...well, I don't live in SM. I live about 40 miles east of LA...I think. (Sooooooooo not good with maps over here.) I live near San Dimas...home of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. It's not cowtown, and homes are expensive so I have to assume the cost of living at least approaches SM.

So that said, this will only be an estimate for you, but I find that full-time childcare for an infant or toddler runs between $650 and $1000 a month depending upon whether it's private care, a professional daycare, etc.

You tend to get a price break, not huge though, on preschool age children, especially potty-trained children.

Most of the daycares (v. private care) that I interviewed were right around $850-950. But I mention the wide spread of ranges because I did see both extremes.

I was surprised moving here, because daycare is cheaper than it was on the east coast! That was a pleasant surprise!

[agranville]

Thank You JerZ. I actually have a school age child and a child that will be potty trained bout time we move out there! I was hoping to hear there was a break in prices in LA somewhere!
I just hope the transition will be as smooth as I hope.

[TrojanDLA]

It's hard to find quality childcare services in general around here. My theory is that if you're rich enough in Cali, you hire a full time nanny, otherwise if you're somewhat rich, you're a stay at home mom? I have found a few "top notch" places in Orange County and they run about $800-$900 per month. Still cheaper than the $1250 per month I was paying for in Atlanta for their "Creme de la Creme".

Metro LA is in serious need of a good daycare service.

[straight outta camden]

The cost is not the problem in areas like Santa Monica and Westwood. If you are thinking about top-notch daycare you presumably have the money. The real problem is the shortage of places. People drive in from all parts of LA county, drop off their kids on the way to work, then pick them up on the way home. There is so much demand that the centers have become absurdly picky. Many now have entrance tests and application fees (it generally costs more to apply to a day care center than to apply to Harvard). Some require you to take a parenting course before they will even take an application. Those courses cost money too, of course, and some of them have waiting lists.

If it sounds like a nightmare, it is (though things become a tiny bit easier if your kid is toilet-trained, when you can send them to the Y etc.) This is one reason people who live in Santa Monica strive to get jobs with the city. They go to the top of the list for some daycare centers.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by agranville

Hello, not sure if LA is right for me but if I decide to make the move I have to know everything about it. I have read numerous forums about the rent and good areas with good schools, but what I havent read was the pricerange for child care for children that arent old enough to go to school. Can anyone help me?

Let's work it the other way. What can you afford to pay?

[eriqua]

Since people are still reading this thread (as I just came across it) I should say that I had no problem finding a home daycare for my son when he was 4 mos old through referrals. It is $1500/month in Santa Monica. Having another baby soon and price has gone up to $1700. Centers are much more expensive with Bright Horizons probably the worst at something like $2200/mo with two SM locations (one next to my work and the other next to my husband's but I'm not paying nanny fees for a daycare center - yes, you can get a nanny for that price... she just might not have papers to show you). Cheapest option in Santa Monica is probably the YMCA but we got on the waitlist almost a year ago and they still haven't opened up yet so hard to get in from what I understand.

Oh and as far as the idea that if you live in Santa Monica you are either rich enough to afford a nanny or you stay at home... um, no, there are plenty of people in between. Because no matter how much you make there are always larger expenses to be had. We make enough to afford a 3B condo at an income that would make us "rich" in other areas but its so pricey here that means that we have to find other ways to cut corners... I can't afford a 3B condo AND a documented nanny for two kids (atleast $20/hour). I could just barely afford her for one ($15/hour)... but then daycare is so much less expensive I should save the extra money that would go towards a nanny and put it towards my son's college. And if I made even more money, then I'd want a small house... again couldn't afford that AND a nanny unless I made MUCH MUCH more.

[Sondeera]

Oh my gosh, where are these $900/month nannies and $650 a month daycares?!?!

I'm currently paying $1600/mo for my almost 1 year old, $1200 a month for my 3 year old, and $300 a month for after school care for my 7 year old. These are all good places, but definitely not at the top of the pay range. I'm not in Santa Monica, I'm in Orange County, but I cannot see Santa Monica being LESS expensive.

We had a nanny, whom was paid $2200 a month. However, I got sick of having to take time off work whenever the nanny got sick or wanted a day off (which she was more than entitled to - it just cut into my own vacation time).

We are moving out of Southern California this summer (goodbye, homeland!) and I did the math - by the time we leave we will have paid over $140K in daycare alone.