Daycare cost · Hawaii
How much does daycare cost in Hawaii?
Full-time infant care at a Hawaii daycare center cost a median of $306 a week in the latest federal county survey. Home daycares charged much less: $173 a week for infant care in the middle county.
- a week, center infant care, county survey
- $306
- a week, center preschool, county survey
- $190
- Counties priced
- 5
By age
Daycare prices by age in Hawaii
Weekly prices for full-time care. The county survey figures are the middle county in Hawaii; the posted figures are the middle rate on Hawaii daycare websites.
| Age | Center, county survey | Home daycare, county survey | Posted by daycares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $306 | $173 | Too few to show |
| Toddler | $190 | $167 | Too few to show |
| Preschool | $190 | $167 | Too few to show |
| School ageOften before and after school only | $44 | No figure | Too few to show |
County survey: U.S. Department of Labor, 2022; Hawaii figure = the median of 5 county medians. Fewer than 30 Hawaii daycares post a usable full-time rate for any one age group, so this page does not give a posted figure for Hawaii.
Reading the numbers
Where these figures come from
These prices come from the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 county survey, built from Hawaii's own surveys of what providers charge. Hawaii has only 5 counties, and the center infant figure rests on 4 of them, so each county moves the median a lot.
We read 138 Hawaii daycare websites for prices, and only 18 post a full-time rate, too few for a 2026 figure. Prices may have gone up since 2022, so ask each daycare for its current rate.
By county
Where daycare costs more in Hawaii
Lowest county price
$202a week for center infant care in Hawaii CountyHighest county price
$366a week for center infant care in Honolulu CountyHonolulu County
$366a week for center infant care; the most populous county in HawaiiHawaii County
$202a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousMaui County
$288a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousIn 2022, center infant care ran from $202 a week in Hawaii County, the Big Island, to $366 a week in Honolulu County, which covers Oahu. Maui County sat in between at $288 a week.
The gap between centers and home daycares is wide for babies. The middle county charged $173 a week for infant care at a home daycare against $306 at a center; in Honolulu County a home daycare charged $208 a week.
- A year of center infant care at the middle county price
- $15,912
- of the middle county household income ($88,869)
- 18%
- counties where it passed 20% of household income
- 0 of 4
Every county
Daycare prices in every Hawaii county
Weekly county survey prices for full-time care, A to Z. Select a column heading to sort by it. The towns are where most of each county's daycares on DaycarePal are.
Paying for care
Ways to lower the cost
Hawaii's Department of Human Services runs a child care subsidy for working families with lower incomes, and its Preschool Open Doors program helps families pay for a licensed preschool in the years before kindergarten. On DaycarePal, 29 Hawaii daycares are listed as accepting child care assistance: see the Hawaii daycares that accept it.
Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify, mostly by income, and serve children from birth to age 5. You can search for a Head Start program by address.
A home daycare or a part-time schedule can cost much less than a full-time center place. Ask each daycare what the rate covers, and whether you pay for holidays and weeks your child is away.
Questions
Questions about daycare cost in Hawaii
How much is daycare per month in Hawaii?
About $1,326 a month for full-time infant care at a center, at the 2022 middle-county price of $306 a week. Toddler and preschool care at a center ran about $823 a month, and infant care at a home daycare about $750.
How much does infant care cost a year in Hawaii?
About $15,912 a year at the 2022 middle-county price for center infant care, or 18% of the middle county's household income ($88,869).
Does home daycare cost less than a center in Hawaii?
Yes. In 2022 the middle Hawaii county charged $173 a week for infant care at a home daycare and $306 at a center; for preschoolers the figures were $167 and $190.
Which Hawaii county has the highest daycare prices?
In the 2022 survey, Honolulu County had the highest center infant price, $366 a week, and Hawaii County the lowest, $202. Maui County was $288.
Where can I get help paying for child care in Hawaii?
Start with the 29 Hawaii daycares on DaycarePal listed as accepting child care assistance. The Hawaii Department of Human Services runs the state's child care subsidy and Preschool Open Doors, and childcare.gov lists the state's contacts.
We are a directory, not the daycare. Each daycare sets its own prices; ask for the current rate for your child's age and schedule.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices (2022 county prices and household incomes); rates posted on Hawaii daycare websites, read in 2026. See daycares in Hawaii for each daycare's own listing.