From pregnancy to age 18: the support you receive and the costs you pay
Choose your municipality and your situation, and the subsidies you receive from the government and the main costs of raising a child (school, lessons, medical costs, etc.) are laid out over time. A tool to picture how your household budget moves.
● Choose your municipality
● Check what applies to you
Check the items that apply and the amount you receive goes up. The basic programs (Child Allowance, Childbirth and Childcare Lump-sum Allowance, 018 Support, etc.) apply to everyone and need no check.
Typical costs of raising a child (for reference)
Monthly estimates by life stage, assuming public schools and typical lessons. They vary widely with each family's choices (which school, cram school, how many lessons). Sources: standard values for public schools in the education ministry's (MEXT) "Survey of Children's Learning Expenses (FY2023)," Benesse's "Survey of Out-of-School Activity Expenses," and around the health ministry's (MHLW) "Survey of Medical Benefits."
| Life stage | School expenses*School lunch not included | School lunch | Medical costs (the 30% you would normally pay) | Lessons | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pregnancy and birth Before pregnancy to age 0 | ― | ― | ¥2,500/month(age 0, many doctor visits) | ― | About ¥2,500/month |
| Infants and toddlers Ages 1–2 | ― | ― | ¥3,000/month(infections at daycare) | ― | About ¥3,000/month |
| Preschool Ages 3–5 | ― | ― | ¥1,500/month | ¥15,000/month(swimming + preschool class) | About ¥16,500/month |
| Elementary school Ages 6–11 | ¥6,000/month(materials, PTA, excursions, etc.) | ¥5,000/month | ¥700/month | ¥18,000–¥35,000/month(cram school added in upper grades) | About ¥30,000–¥47,000/month |
| Junior high school Ages 12–14 | ¥14,000/month(club activities, school trip savings, etc.) | ¥5,000/month | ¥500/month | ¥40,000/month(cram school) | About ¥59,500/month |
| High school Ages 15–17 Tuition is free in effect through the national High School Enrollment Support Fund (no income limit from 2026) | ¥25,000/month(materials, uniforms, school trips, commuter passes, etc.) | ― | ¥500/month | ¥45,000/month(cram school and prep school) | About ¥70,500/month |
In Koto City, part of these costs is covered by the government "before it leaves the household budget":
- Children's medical costs: the municipality subsidizes the out-of-pocket medical costs for ages 0–18
- School lunch: school lunch fees at public elementary and junior high schools are fully covered (free)
- Daycare fees for ages 3–5: fees at licensed daycare and kindergartens are basically zero under the national free early childhood education program
- High school tuition: free in effect at Tokyo metropolitan high schools through the national High School Enrollment Support Fund (no income limit from 2026, worth ¥118,800 a year)
You can see the actual total received in the chart at the top of the page, and the basis for each program on each municipality's page.
Note: This simulation is an estimate. Actual amounts change with income, family situation, choice of schools and changes to the programs.
Assumptions for what you receive: the Childcare Leave Benefit assumes the head of household has a monthly take-home pay of ¥320,000 (about ¥5,000,000 a year). The unlicensed childcare subsidy assumes the maximum eligible amount. The medical expense subsidy for children is counted by age as the equivalent of "the 30% co-payment you would have paid without the subsidy."
Assumptions for what you spend: standard values for public schools in MEXT's "Survey of Children's Learning Expenses (FY2023)" plus around Benesse's "Out-of-School Activity Expenses." School expenses (school lunch counted separately) plus lessons are counted monthly from age 3 to 18.
For detailed conditions, check each program's page (municipality pages or Tokyo-wide programs).