Finnish Daycare Fees and Subsidies Explained
Finland's compulsory school years are free, but early childhood education and care, for children below school age, is charged on a sliding scale based on family income and size. The fees are capped by law and adjusted periodically, with lower charges for younger siblings in the same family.
- As of August 2026, the maximum monthly fee for full-time early childhood education is 335 euros for a family's youngest child in care.
- The fee for a second child in the same family is capped at 40% of the first child's fee, up to 134 euros a month.
- Fees for further children are capped at 20%, up to 67 euros a month.
- Fees are set by law on a sliding scale based on family size and income, with a minimum fee of 32 euros, and are index-linked with adjustments roughly every two years.
How the fee is worked out
Unlike compulsory basic education, which is free for families, early childhood education and care before school age is a paid, subsidised service. Municipalities calculate each family's fee using a nationally set formula based on household size and gross income, so lower-income families pay less, down to a legal minimum, and no family pays above the legal maximum regardless of income.
Discounts for siblings
Families with more than one child in early childhood education pay a reduced rate for younger siblings: 40% of the eldest child's fee for a second child, and 20% for any additional children, both subject to their own monthly caps. This sliding structure is one part of Finland's wider family policy around the early years.
Why the fees change over time
The maximum and minimum fees are index-linked, meaning they are periodically adjusted rather than fixed indefinitely. The most recent adjustment took effect in August 2026, and the next is scheduled for August 2028. Because municipalities apply the same national formula, the fee a family pays depends mainly on income and family size, not on which municipality they live in.
Frequently asked questions
Is Finnish early childhood education completely free?
No. Unlike compulsory basic education, it is a paid service, though fees are capped and scaled to income, with a legal minimum and maximum.
How much does a second child cost?
A second child's fee is capped at 40% of the eldest child's fee, up to 134 euros a month as of August 2026.
Do fees vary a lot between municipalities?
Municipalities apply the same nationally set formula, so the fee mainly reflects a family's income and size rather than location.
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