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Daycare in Switzerland: complete guide

By The Agences-Placement editorial team·General··2 min read

Daycares, day parents, nannies: prices, cantonal subsidies and strategies to secure a spot.

Daycare and childcare in Switzerland: prices, subsidies, waiting lists

Care options

  • Daycare / collective childcare: 0–4 yrs, run by commune or private
  • Garderie: 2–4 yrs, part-time collective
  • Day parents (Tagesmutter, Pro-Familia): family care at home, 1–5 children
  • Nanny (at parents' home): individual care
  • After-school care / UAPE: 4–12 yrs, before/after school
  • Au pair: young foreigner housed, care + language

Average prices (full-time, 5 days/wk)

Daycare

  • Unsubsidised full rate: CHF 2,200–3,500/month
  • Income-tested subsidised rate: CHF 400–2,200/month
  • Geneva: CHF 100–1,800 by income
  • Vaud (Lausanne): CHF 300–2,100
  • Zurich: CHF 700–3,200 (limited subsidies)
  • Basel-City: CHF 500–2,400
  • Ticino: CHF 600–1,500

Day parents

  • CHF 8–15/hour unsubsidised
  • CHF 5–12/hour subsidised
  • Cheaper on average, more flexible

Nanny

  • CHF 25–40/hour gross (declared to tax)
  • For 1–2 children full-time: budget CHF 3,500–5,500/month employer cost

Au pair

  • Full board + room + language classes
  • Pocket money: CHF 600–800/month (by canton)
  • Total employer: CHF 1,500–2,200/month (lodging included)

Waiting lists

Swiss reality: waiting lists are chronic in big cities (Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, Basel). 12–18 months wait is common.

Tips:

  • Register during pregnancy (yes, really)
  • Register at several daycares at once
  • Combine part-time daycare + part-time day parent for full week
  • Consider private structures (more expensive but more available) alongside public

Cantonal subsidies

Childcare cost aid

  • Geneva, Vaud, Fribourg, Bern, Valais, Basel: income-tested rates
  • Zurich, Zug: limited subsidies
  • Schwyz, Lucerne: varies by commune

Tax deduction

  • Childcare deductible: CHF 25,500/child/yr federally (2026)
  • Cantonal: varies (CHF 6,000 to CHF 25,000+)
  • Keep invoices and receipts

Family allowances

See dedicated article (CHF 215–415/month/child by canton).

Strategies

  1. Plan ahead: register during pregnancy, multiple daycares
  2. Plan B: day parents often less saturated
  3. Network: local parent groups (Facebook, baby clubs)
  4. Stagger days: couple may alternate 4/5ths if possible
  5. Company daycare: some large employers have their own (Roche, Novartis, UBS, CFF, hospitals)
  6. Look in suburbs: less demand, more places

Cross-border workers

Cross-border workers cannot register children in Swiss daycares except special cases (parent working in Geneva may register in a Geneva daycare). Look in country of residence.

Tips

  • Net cost after tax deductions and subsidies is often 30–50% below sticker price
  • Swiss maternity leave is 14 weeks paid (80% of salary); paternity 2 weeks. Plan the return
  • Parental leave doesn't exist in Switzerland, but some employers offer extended leave
  • For student parents: dedicated structures on EPFL, ETH, university campuses (limited spaces)

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