Data Sources & References

What informs our parenting-cost estimates — and what does not

Our figures are structural estimates modeled on publicly available cost-of-living data. We are not affiliated with, and do not reproduce, the proprietary datasets of the organizations below. They are listed as the public reference frameworks that inform our modeling approach.

Reference frameworks & authorities

Organization / SourceWhat it informs
USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) ↗ US parental-expenditure research & food/nutrition data.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Expenditures (CEX) ↗ Authoritative US household spending surveys.
UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) ↗ UK family spending & living-cost statistics.
Japan Cabinet Office (内閣府) ↗ Japanese child-allowance & family policy frameworks.
China National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) ↗ Chinese household consumption statistics.
Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) ↗ Singapore household expenditure surveys.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) ↗ Australian household spending data.
Statistics Canada ↗ Canadian family expenditure surveys.
Numbeo — Cost of Living Index ↗ Crowd-sourced global city cost-of-living comparisons.
OECD Family Database ↗ Cross-country family & child policy indicators.

How we use these sources

Limitations & honesty

These estimates are for planning only. They are not official quotes, and they may not reflect your specific circumstances, inflation after 2026-09-07, or recent policy changes. Always confirm critical figures with local authorities and professionals. Full method and limitations: Methodology page.

Methodology: See the Methodology page.
Last Updated:
Disclaimer: 2026 structural estimates for planning only — not real quotes or financial advice.