[oberstein]

It's pretty expensive, my own informal surveying of people with kids suggests the 'good' childcare places are basically equivalent of an extra one-bedroom apartment per month per kid. Relative to historical standards, you had not only the housewife, but grandparents, other relatives, and even your neighbors in the immediate community to help share the burden.

[jon-wood]

I'd say you're underestimating. Our son is with a childminder two days a week, and I could easily get a one bedroom place for that money. In the UK the last stats I heard suggested you need an income of £40,000 a year or more to break even on full time childcare.