---
title: "Would $150 childcare mean more S’pore babies? Parents and DINKs say ‘much bigger’ issues hold them back"
url: "/the-big-picture/cheaper-childcare-fees-more-spore-babies-parents-and-dinks-say-much-bigger-issues-hold-them-back"
published: "2026-09-07T06:05:22.000Z"
updated: "2026-09-07T12:06:01.000Z"
section: "The Big Picture"
authors: ["Trixy Toh"]
tags: ["the big picture","cheap","childcare","Cost of living","baby","children","parents"]
---

# Would $150 childcare mean more S’pore babies? Parents and DINKs say ‘much bigger’ issues hold them back

Would childcare at $150 a month convince Singaporeans to have a child — or another one?

For 40-year-old marketing manager Neo, who has one child, the answer is no.

While cheaper childcare would certainly help, she said the cost is “quite far down” her list of considerations when it comes to having another child.

“Having another child is a long-term commitment of time, energy, finances and lifestyle for the next 20 years or more,” she told Stomp.

And she is far from alone.

![cheaper childcare fees babies concerns](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/376ea97b6322b37864f2733677846e11f9586dd2e77b528fe0c2e6e3ab16d3c6)
*A Stomp poll asked readers if paying $150 a month for childcare would make them more likely to have a child or another child.*

## Only 14% say cheaper childcare would definitely sway them

A Stomp poll of 1,057 respondents found that only 14 per cent said childcare fees of $150 a month would definitely make them more likely to have a child or another child.

Another 23 per cent said it might, but other factors mattered more.

Meanwhile, 33 per cent said cheaper childcare would not sway them because cost was not the deciding factor, while 30 per cent said they did not plan to have children or more children.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced at the National Day Rally on Aug 23 that full-day childcare fees at government-supported preschools will gradually be reduced from 2028, reaching $150 a month by 2030.

The move is part of several measures aimed at making it easier for Singaporeans to start and raise families.

All families will also eventually qualify for full childcare and infant care subsidies regardless of whether the main applicant is working. Currently, the highest subsidies are available only to families whose main subsidy applicant is employed.

## ‘Can we give the second child the same?’

Neo said saving a few hundred dollars a month during the preschool years would not “fundamentally change” her decision.

She had chosen to send her child to a private preschool costing about $2,000 a month, significantly more than an anchor operator preschool, but stressed that this was a “personal choice” based on what she felt suited her child best.

For her, there are other “much bigger” considerations, including whether she and her husband have the “bandwidth” for another child.

“When we had our child, we gave him the best that we could, not just financially, but also our time, attention and energy,” she said.

“So when we think about having a second child, one of the biggest questions is, can we give the second child the same?”

She acknowledged that more affordable childcare would make a “meaningful difference” to many families, but felt parents also needed more time and support.

“If we really want to understand why some parents stop at one, we have to look beyond whether they can afford childcare,” said Neo.

## Lower fees would ‘go a long way’

For Nura, a 35-year-old marketing executive and mother of three, the lower fees would make a tangible difference — even though she does not intend to have another child.

She currently pays about $270 a month per child and tops up about $150 in cash per child into their Child Development Accounts (CDAs).

With childcare fees eventually falling to $150, she said she would not have to top up the accounts “as much” to benefit from the Government’s dollar-for-dollar matching.

The money could then be used for other eligible expenses, including medical bills, without the same fear of the funds “running out”.

Nura said that if fees had been this low earlier, she might even have chosen to have her children closer together.

But cost is still not what is holding her back now.

“I feel stretched thin as it is, and I want to be able to be there meaningfully for each child while juggling work commitments,” she said.

For Nura, workplace culture is a bigger concern.

She pointed to the stigma surrounding parents in the workplace, saying the fast-paced environment can leave them feeling like they are falling short when childcare responsibilities affect their work. 

One solution, she said, is more flexible work-from-home arrangements, without employees having to constantly explain or justify their need for flexibility as long as deadlines are met.

“We should be allowed to take some time out of our day to tend to a child’s doctor’s appointment or school event while being trusted to come back online to complete our work,” she said.

## Overall costs of having children ‘one of the biggest barriers’: DINK

Anna, 30, who is in a dual-income, no-kids (DINK) household, also welcomed the reduction but said it did not make parenthood more appealing to her.

Like Neo, the 30-year-old also pointed out that childcare fees are only one expense among many. 

The healthcare communications professional said the financial burden begins long before preschool, from pregnancy and childbirth to healthcare and the continuing cost of raising a child.

Addressing these expenses more broadly, she said, would have a greater impact. 

Even with two incomes, financial stability remains a major consideration given the rising cost of living.

She described the overall cost of having a child in Singapore as “one of the biggest barriers” for her.

If there were greater financial support for pregnancy, childbirth and healthcare, Anna said she would be “more inclined to consider having children sooner”.

But money is only part of it.

She also worries about how motherhood could affect her lifestyle and career, particularly after maternity leave.

The Government needs to address the work culture surrounding pregnant women and working mothers, particularly when it comes to job security, she added.

“Women should not feel that they have to choose between having a career and having a family,” she said.

## Parenthood is about more than money: Sociologist

Singapore Management University sociologist George Wong said the childcare fee reduction was a “substantial commitment” and a positive step, but agreed that decisions about parenthood are more complicated than cost alone. 

He pointed to three broad considerations that parents weigh: financial and material costs, including childbirth; the time and energy required; and everyday considerations such as housing space.

Singaporeans are also increasingly making “practical calculations” about having children, viewing parenthood as a lifestyle choice, he said.

Some couples may want time to themselves after getting married before starting a family, he said. But with Singaporeans increasingly marrying and becoming parents later, this could affect how soon they may or may not have a child. 

“Eventually, a lot of these people may end up with no kids or just one,” he said.

Wong added that younger couples today no longer see children as a form of social insurance, as many are already planning for retirement and taking responsibility for their own financial security. 

He said addressing Singapore’s low fertility rate therefore cannot fall on the Government alone and has to be a “whole society thing”.

“What can schools do? What can workplaces do?” Wong questioned.

He suggested that universities could hold workshops on parenthood, encouraging youths to think earlier about having children and their future.

Like Nura and Anna, Wong highlighted workplace culture as particularly important.

“But I think the Government can be that first mover to help other institutions be ready and play that kind of role,” he said.