The Price Of Parenthood: China Tops The List Of World's Most Expensive Cities To Raise Children

Determining the world's most expensive cities to raise children involves considering various factors such as housing costs, education expenses, healthcare, and other living costs.

Recently, a Chinese think tank revealed that China is one of the world’s most expensive places to raise a child. It suggests that, compared to the country's GDP per capita, the expenses related to childcare and child-rearing are notably high. This revelation not only highlights the economic challenges faced by parents in China but also emphasizes the broader societal implications, especially for women who may face additional time and opportunity costs when deciding to have children. The details provided by the think tank shed light on the complexities and considerations that individuals and families navigate in the context of raising children in China.

China Tops List of Most Expensive Countries for Raising Children: Report Reveals Striking Disparities in Costs

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The report from the Beijing-based YuWa Population Research Institute reveals that the cost of raising a child until the age of 18, relative to per capita GDP, is significantly higher in China compared to several other countries. Specifically, the cost is approximately 6.3 times in China, whereas it is 2.08 times in Australia, 2.24 times in France, 4.11 times in the U.S., and 4.26 times in Japan. This data highlights the substantial financial burden associated with raising children in China and emphasizes the disparities in costs relative to the economic conditions in these countries.

High Costs of Raising Children in China: Disproportionate Impact on Women's Careers

The report emphasizes that raising children in China disproportionately affects women, resulting in reduced work hours and wage rates for women, with men experiencing relatively unchanged livelihoods. According to Liang Jianzhang, the co-author of the report and founder of Ctrip and the YuWa institute, the high time and opportunity costs associated with having children in the current social environment make it challenging for women in China.

"Due to reasons such as the high cost of childbearing and the difficulty for women to balance family and work, the Chinese people's average fertility willingness is almost the lowest in the world," said Liang.

The report comes after China's population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023 with the number of new births dropping to around half of that in 2016.

Challenges Faced by Women: High Childcare Costs, Career Concerns, and Gender Discrimination

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A growing number of women are choosing not to have children due to expensive childcare, reluctance to marry, or the fear of impacting their careers, all amid prevalent gender discrimination. Women typically experience a decrease of 2,106 working hours when caring for children aged 0-4, leading to an estimated wage loss of 63,000 yuan ($8,700) during this period, as per the report, which employs a 30 yuan per hour wage metric.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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