Household payments in kindergartens, January 2015

Statistics Norway conducts an annual survey of household payments for a full time place in public and private kindergartens in January each year. The survey of January 2015 is based on a census of all municipalities in Norway.

The average monthly fees excluding food and additional costs for a full-time place in municipal kindergartens for households with gross annual income of NOK 250 000, 375 000 and 500 000 is, on a national basis, respectively NOK 2 199, 2 337 and 2 416 as of January 2015. On average the minimum rate for municipal kindergartens is NOK 1 656, while the average maximum rate is NOK 2 471. Of all the 428 municipalities 61 per cent, that is 261, operate with monthly fees equal to the maximum rate of NOK 2 480 set by the Norwegian Parliament. Monthly rates for households with gross annual income of NOK 250 000 experienced a increased of 2.7 per cent from January 2014 to January 2015. For households with a gross annual income of NOK 375 000 and 500 000 the changes were 1.8 and 3.1 per cent, respectively.

As of January 2015 5 municipalities reported that they do not have a public kindergarten supply, while more than 24 per cent reported to operate with an income-differentiated payment system. The payment fees are then dependent on the household's income. Most municipalities have so-called "flat" payment rates. All municipalities offer siblings rebate to households with two or more children in kindergarten. Of the municipalities who reports that they have private kinder¬gartens in the municipality, 89 per cent specifies that these operate with a similar price reduction system as the public kindergartens. 97 per cent of the municipalities who report having municipal kindergartens specify that food costs are not included in the actual residence payment, but that it adds on to the monthly rate.

Sixty-four per cent of the private kindergartens in the sample report that they follow the established maximum rate of NOK 2 480, while 26 per cent report that they provide income-differentiated payment system. All of the private kindergartens offer siblings moderation to households with two or more children.

Mean annual payment for a full-time place in municipal and private kindergartens excluding food costs and additional expenses at the national level is NOK 25 196 as of January 2015.