Kita fees based on income – calculation examples for each federal state

Federal states with free or low fees

Berlin

Fees: Free for all children, regardless of household income or the child’s age.
Additional costs: Fees may be charged for meals or special activities.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Fees: Free for all children.

Hamburg

Fees: Free for 5 hours of care per day.
Additional costs: Extra fees are charged for extended care and for meals.

Rhineland-Palatinate

Fees: Free for children aged two years and above.

Brandenburg

Fees: Free for families whose annual net household income does not exceed 35,000 euros.
Reduced fees: For families with an income between 35,001 and 55,000 euros, the monthly fees range from 60 to 210 euros, depending on income level and number of care hours.

Federal states with medium-level fees

Bavaria

Support: A monthly subsidy of 100 euros for children aged 3 years until they start school.
Fees: Vary according to the number of care hours and usually range between 50 and 250 euros per month after the subsidy.

Hesse

Fees: For children aged 3 years and above, the first 6 hours of daily care are free of charge.
Additional fees: Fees are charged for extended care and for meals.

Federal states with high fees

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)

Fees: Vary depending on municipality and family income.
In Bergisch Gladbach, fees can reach up to 1,220 euros per month for families with an annual income above 200,000 euros.
In Mülheim an der Ruhr, fees for high-income families can reach up to 1,009 euros per month.

Baden-Württemberg

Fees: Vary depending on municipality and income.
In Heilbronn, fees can be as high as 493 euros per month.
In Stuttgart, fees for the same income level are around 128 euros per month.

Important notes

Relevant income: In most federal states, the annual net household income is used as the basis for calculating the fees.
Exemptions: Families receiving social benefits such as Wohngeld (housing benefit) or Kinderzuschlag (child supplement) are often exempt from fees.
Additional charges: Extra fees may be charged for meals or special activities. (mbjs.brandenburg.de)

The website’s editorial and writing team strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and consultation of multiple sources. However, errors may occur or some information may be incomplete or not fully verified. Therefore, the information provided in these articles should be regarded as an initial reference only, and you should always contact the relevant authorities to obtain confirmed and legally binding information.