We concluded that the $3,000/month number that we were paying was the correct cost for running a high quality infant/toddler daycare center with properly paid employees, a reasonable teacher:student ratio, great curriculum, etc. We're now paying in the low-$2000s but the new daycare constantly has "help wanted" signs outside, there are more kids per teacher, and the place is just generally more chaotic than the more expensive daycare. I am appreciative that the industry is highly-regulated because it keeps me from worrying too much. We got a little taste of the numbers ourselves when we initially considered a nanny share and had to draft a contract and advertise the position. Basically, watching kids is labor intensive and labor is expensive. Hence why you don't see daycares popping up all over the place right now. We pay 500$ a week for 2 kids for 2 days a week. It's the best daycare in the area, but it is still chaotic, but the kids seem to be learning and growing a lot, so I can't complain.