The differences in charges vary from city to city, but no matter where the family is located, it sometimes causes doubt as to whether or not the second parent is simply working to pay for childcare. There are many things that can affect the cost, so before you begin looking, you need to be aware of the basics.

Take a good look at your community when pricing child care facilities. Areas in New York City and Boston will have prestigious private preschools where the tuition is closer to thousands of dollars versus hundreds.

Lower income areas will have facilities within their pricing range. Both may offer quality child care but the more expensive school may be able to offer extras such as computer and foreign language instructors.

Infants are charged a higher fee than toddlers. The reason being infants require more care and more staff to oversee than older children. Child care centers must pay close attention to the staff-to-infant ratio to ensure that the infants are receiving the highest possible care they can give. Changing diapers and feeding bottles is much more time consuming than working with a potty trained toddler who can feed him or her self.

Other factors that can change pricing between the differing child care facilities is how many services are being offered. A babysitter in your home will usually not provide the extended hours most working parents require. If you have hours that extend from the typical 9-5 work day or have a long commute, you will need a daycare center that has extended hours of pick-up and drop-off.

Also, the more added benefits, such as providing meals and snacks will affect the price of too. Many centers now offer activities based on the child's age such as computers, foreign language and even martial arts or gymnastics. Many centers allow the parent to elect these options for an additional fee but some are building them into the curriculum and daily activity list.

Typically, parents can expect to pay on average from $100-$400 per week at a daycare center. There are some child care facilities that charge much, much more and may even have a long waiting list for admission.

When looking at a child care facility, make sure and ask about any extra fees or what activities are included. Many centers are well worth the money and can provide your child with a superb educational foundation.