The cost of having a baby in Europe: Where are essentials cheapest?
Baby essentials can cost significantly more in some European countries than others. And when measured against average wages, the cost of nappies, feeding and clothing can place a heavy financial burden on parents.
Welcoming a baby is a joyous occasion, yet it involves a considerable financial burden. From diapers, feeding supplies to strollers and clothing, parents face a lengthy list of baby essentials. The expenses can often exceed parents' expectations. The cost of baby necessities varies widely across Europe, but how much do parents actually spend? Which countries are the most expensive and where are the expenses most affordable relative to average wages?
Remitly determined the annual cost of baby essentials in the first year of a baby's life based on prices from July 2026. This calculation includes 14 essential items across six categories: diaper changes, bottles, baby formula, sleep items, transport, and clothing. The estimated cost in 38 European countries ranges from €2,813 in the UK to €6,294 in Spain, with an average of €4,727.
Spain leads with costs exceeding €6,000, while the UK has the lowest expenses at €2,813. The UK is followed by Germany, France, Czechia, Romania, Latvia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, all with costs below €4,000. Turkey, Belgium, Malta, and Greece are also near the €4,000 mark but slightly above it.
The distribution of costs across various categories differs significantly across Europe. On average, clothing, baby formula, and nappies make up 81% of total first-year costs. Clothing constitutes 30.3% of the total in most countries, while baby formula and nappies account for 25.7% and 24.5% respectively. However, the share of these categories varies significantly from country to country.
Clothing costs are lowest in Denmark (16%) and highest in Sweden (52.5%). In the Netherlands, Finland, and Ireland, clothing costs exceed 45%. Similarly, baby formula costs are lowest in Sweden (10.8%) but highest in Latvia (41.3%), while nappies are most expensive in Switzerland and Belgium (above 36%) compared to Turkey (12.4%).
When considering the cost of baby essentials as a percentage of the average annual wage, the disparity is even more pronounced. Across the 36 countries, baby essentials account for an average of 20.9% of annual wages, ranging from 5.4% in Belgium to 88.8% in Moldova. Parents in Albania, Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, and Hungary spend at least one-third of their average annual wage on baby essentials.
In contrast, the cost is less than 10% of the average annual wage in Luxembourg, Denmark, the UK, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Malta, and the Netherlands.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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