By Pauline von Pezold
For most couples, happiness only becomes perfect when they have a baby. However, it is said that a child costs as much as a single-family house. Is that really true?
From babies to adults: the Federal Statistical Office has listed how expensive it will be.
The costs add up in the first six years of life: prams, nappies or clothes that usually no longer fit after a very short time – this adds up to around 587 euros per month.
The older the children get, the more money their parents need for them. They start school when they are about six or seven years old, then expenses for school materials, tickets for public transport and school trips are added to the existing costs: That works out to around 686 euros per child per month.
As teenagers, children look for hobbies, develop their own taste in clothing, need electronic devices such as smartphones – all of which are costly factors. Monthly expenses of around 784 euros can then be expected.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, a child costs an average of 148,000 euros from birth to adulthood. However, this does not include expenses such as higher rents for a larger apartment or the loss of earnings if parents reduce their working hours.
In the end, according to statisticians, the costs are reduced by about half (depending on income): through child benefit, parental benefit, maternity benefit, housing benefit for families and child allowance.
The bottom line is around 74,000 euros! Find a house for that money…