Are you looking for a preschool or kindergarten in Singapore to nurture your little one? Well, we have just the right resource for you!
You will find comprehensive coverage of the cost of preschools and kindergartens in Singapore and how much they cost in our guide.
Kicking off the educational journey of a toddler sooner than later is very beneficial. Monthly costs will depend on your choice of school, the area you live in as well as the standard of the school.
In these trying times, we might even need fast emergency loans for our children’s school fees.
Three Types Of Kindergartens In Singapore
The cost of preschools or kindergartens is influenced greatly by the type of organization running them. There are three types of preschools in the Singapore kindergarten landscape.
Let’s first learn about the differences between them so you can make a better decision for your little ones.
1st Type: Kindergartens operated by the government
These programs are the most affordable of the lot. You will be able to benefit from a number of subsidies in these programs. Also known as MOE kindergarten.
2nd Type: Kindergartens operated by the ECDA (Early Childhood Development Agency) Anchor
The Singapore government has tie-ups with Anchor Operators or AOPs. These ensure affordable fees. Childcare centers that are regulated and supported by the government are, much like government-operated programs themselves, pretty inexpensive.
3rd Type: International and private kindergartens
The most expensive of the lot, international and privately-owned kindergartens usually follow external curriculums and have their own programs. These institutions follow their own education methods and systems.
Some international schools advocate ang moh ways of education. Most of their cohort are also made of international students.
How Much Does Each Preschool Category Cost?
Now, let’s talk about how much do each of these categories cost, on average:
- Kindergartens operated by the government cost anywhere from S$325 to S$386 per month for a full-day program (7 am to 7 pm) and nearly S$150 for a half-day one (7 am to 1 pm).
- ECDA Anchor operated kindergartens cost S$720 on average per month for a full day and S$160 for a half-day.
- International and private kindergartens can cost anywhere from S$1,600 to S$2,900 for a full-day program and anywhere from S$800 to S$5000 for a half-day program depending on its policies.
With that out of the way, we shall now discuss a few of the best preschools in Singapore. There are a few popular names which we will cover apart from government-operated kindergartens.
To view our list of private preschools in Singapore, click here.
But before that, you should know that the program fee is not the only expense you are looking at. There are other costs and fees involved as well. Sometimes, the fees take on a huge financial toll on the parents. A loan may be needed to help with the monthly expenses.
Other fees involved with preschools and kindergartens
Here are the most common six charges that you have to factor in before you get completely sold to a program’s monthly course fee.
Always make sure that you do your research and figure out these financials so as to avoid any surprises later on.
1. School books are needed in every school. The subjects can include maths and English. These will not end up costing you a fortune, though it helps to check the prices for kindergarten books in your area. These fees might or might not be independent of the preschool and its program.
2. Uniforms are specific to a preschool or kindergarten. As such, they charge their own fees for these. You can expect to shell between S$15 and S$60 for a set of uniforms. Private schools have costlier uniform charges. Bonus tip: Getting 3 or at least 2 sets of uniforms per kid is advised.
3. Transport for your child. Bus transport is applicable if you are unable to send and pick up your kid yourself. Not all preschools have bus transport, and some don’t cover all areas, so you might also want to check that while you are checking the fees. This can run you anywhere from S$100 to S$200 per month for trips to and from school.
4. Field trips are enjoyed by all children. These excursions also help kids look at the world differently and be more active. Additional costs you can expect to shell for field trips can easily range between S$20 and S$50 per trip.
5. Events, concerts, performances, and extracurricular activities. Some have more of these while others might have none. The preschool journey is one of the most critical stages of a child’s life and participating or performing in such events not only prepares them for the future but also helps boost their confidence and carve out their personality sooner. These include year-end concerts. The costumes can cost anywhere from S$30 to S$100 depending on a variety of factors. You might also need to purchase a ticket to see the show, which can cost you around S$40 per show.
6. Class photoshoots also happen at least once a year. These photoshoots come at varying costs. Some will cost you S$20 while others can cost upwards of S$50. This mainly depends on which package you choose for the photographs, such as group or class photos only or individual portraits as well.
Now that we have the additional costs out of the way, you are in a better position to determine the right school for your kid. We can now discuss the best preschools and kindergartens available in Singapore today.
Pre-nursery & Nursery (Preschool Or Kindergarten) Programs In Singapore
There are plenty of pre-nursery and nursery programs in Singapore to cater to all budgets. We will be discussing 13 of the best options you have in Singapore along with how much they cost for both, half-day and full-day programs.
Note that pre-nurseries or playgroups are for kids from 18 months of age to 2 years old. The nursery, kindergarten, or preschools are for ages 3 to 6.
EtonHouse Schools
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $5653 (with GST, 10 weeks)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $6370 (with GST, 10 weeks)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): NA
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $6016 (with GST, 10 weeks)
Lorna Whiston
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1530 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2321 (with GST)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1530 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2321 (with GST)
MindChamps
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1865 + GST
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2065 + GST
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1765 + GST
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $ 1965 + GST
Skool4Kidz
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $385 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $770 (with GST)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $385 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $770 (with GST)
my first skool
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): NA
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $770 (with GST)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): NA
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $770 (with GST)
Brighton Montessori
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 5.30 pm): $2033 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2140 (with GST)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 5.30 pm): $2033 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2140 (with GST)
Pat’s Schoolhouse
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1583 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2118 (with GST)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1583 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $2118 (with GST)
Between Two Trees
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1369 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1979 (with GST)
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1369 (with GST)
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1979 (with GST)
My Little Skool
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1551
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1979
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1551
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1979
Greentree Montessori
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1220
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1550
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1220
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1550
Superland
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1200
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1500
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $1200
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $1500
Cherie Hearts
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $600
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $800
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $600
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $800
PCF Sparkletots Preschool (or PAP Kindergarten)
Pre-nursery or playgroup:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $160
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $386
Nursery or kindergarten:
- Half-day (7 am to 1 pm): $160
- Full day (7 am to 7 pm): $386
You will notice that some are very expensive while others not so much. Some, like my first skool and Pat’s Schoolhouse also have the same pricing for both, playgroup and kindergarten levels, which is in contrast to some others. Brighton Montessori has a timing of 7 am to 5.30 pm in half day, whereas others follow the 7 am to 1 pm timing.
The cost of raising a child in Singapore is something not to be belittled. The good thing is that early financial planning will help.
When emergencies happen, you can reach into your emergency fund or get a loan to tide weather the storm!