Household payments for kindergarten, 15 August 2002, January

Since January 2002 the kindergarten fees have declined for all levels of income due to increased kindergarten subsidy as of August 2002. Several of the municipalities had already reduced the kindergarten fees, while others have adopted the resolution.

Families with a total gross income of NOK 500 000 have an average monthly payment of about NOK 2 900 for children aged three years or more in public kindergartens, a decrease of 2.3 per cent from January 2002. Akershus has as on average the highest fees with approximately NOK 3 200. The payments in the counties of Finnmark and Sogn and Fjordane are the lowest on average, with about NOK 2 500.

There are even bigger differences considering the payment between municipalities, and the fees for families with a total gross income of NOK 500 000 vary from NOK 2 000 up to NOK 3 800 depending in which municipality one lives.

On national level the average, for gross income of NOK 375 000, is about NOK 2 800 for one child in kindergarten. That is a reduction of 2.6 per cent from last survey. From August 2001 the decline has been 5.9 per cent.

The payment system

The great differences in the kindergarten fees are to a large extent due to the different payment systems, which the municipalities themselves have the authority to form. 63 of the 109 municipalities in the survey have the same payments regardless of total gross income, while the remaining municipalities use fees that vary according to the income. All municipalities have reduction in the fee for the second child and 51 municipalities offer 50 per cent off.

Private kindergartens

The average monthly payment of all regions is higher in the private kindergartens than the public fees for all levels of income. The differences are greater for lower level of income. The main reason is that the private kindergartens usually do not vary the fees according to the income. The private kindergarten fees in Agder/Rogaland are on average 16 per cent higher than the public kindergarten fees. In Western Norway the difference is about 9 per cent. This is according to a total gross income of NOK 500 000.

On national level the average monthly fee for a child in private kindergartens is NOK 3 300. The Northern part of Norway has the lowest average charge of NOK 3 000, while Agder/Rogaland and Eastern part of Norway has an average fee of NOK 3 500.

Due to great differences within the regions, the data must be used with certain caution.