91% say it’s too costly to be a young parent in Singapore, many cite pressure to “keep up” as main stressor
Raising children in Singapore has always come with a hefty price tag — and a recent poll by Answers.sg confirms what many young families are feeling.
Of the 653 respondents, about 91% agreed that it is too expensive to be a young parent here.
Meanwhile, a mere 4% disagreed with the statement, with the rest adopting a neutral stance.
The financial stress is real, even as the government rolls out support schemes.
But for those on the ground, especially new or soon-to-be parents, the costs still weigh heavily on decisions about when — or whether — to start a family.
Medical costs for children among the most shocking
Raising kids in Singapore is often seen as a long-term financial commitment.
Caroline, a 38-year-old nurse and mother of two, said simply: “Yes, I would say it’s expensive.”
Between tuition, childcare, healthcare, insurance, enrichment classes, and even holidays, she finds that parenting costs evolve as children grow.
Source: RyanKing999 on Canva. Pic for illustration purposes only
Amanda Leow, a 38-year-old executive with two children under the age of two, noted that subsidies for infant care did help.
However, they did not make much of a dent in her private preschool bills. “It is a little expensive if you want to provide the best for your children,” she said.
“But if compromises are made, it should still be manageable.”
Both mums noted that medical costs were among the biggest financial shocks, especially when unexpected hospital stays can rack up bills in the tens of thousands.
Pressure to keep up can lead to overspending, says mother
Other parents say raising children in Singapore doesn’t have to be expensive — it all depends on how much you’re willing to spend and how competitive you want to be.
29-year-old stay-home mum Hannah Tan said that it becomes manageable when you’re not constantly comparing yourself to others.
She said the dependent factor on expenses would be how “kiasu” you are, referring to the Singaporean term for the fear of missing out.
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For parents like Ms Caroline, choosing not to overspend on enrichment classes or the latest baby gadgets helps relieve financial pressure.
“I think young parents in Singapore have an elitist perception of wanting their kids to be the best,” said a 25-year-old single mother who chose not to be named.
“Hence, they will stress over the need to have more money to finance enrichment classes for their kids, whom they will then compare with other children.”
Source: Jasonfang on Canva. Pic for illustration purposes
30-year-old Liting, who works in digital marketing and has two toddlers, agreed that parenting can be affordable if expectations are kept realistic.
She explained that the real challenge is not just money, but the mental load of comparing themselves to other parents.
“One major challenge is the pressure to ‘keep up’ with others, which can lead to overspending on enrichment or branded goods,” she said.
Many mums, however, said government support schemes like the Baby Bonus and preschool subsidies do help.
Especially hard for young, single parents
However, this is not the case for the 25-year-old single mother who spoke to MS News anonymously.
“As a single mom, I don’t have the privilege of receiving Baby Bonus, which is my biggest setback,” she said, adding that the lack of government support makes her feel like she is “lesser”.
She believes every Singaporean child should be entitled to it, regardless of family structure.
Source: The Pride. Image for illustration purposes only.
While single parents are not eligible for the Baby Bonus Cash gift in Singapore, single mums may receive benefits in their Child Development Account (CDA).
That said, parents cannot use CDA funds as flexibly as the cash gift — for example, they cannot withdraw these funds for cash.
The single mother, who also juggles a full-time job, shared that the lack of the Baby Bonus makes being a young parent “more financially taxing” for her.
“This is especially when I’m already bearing the costs and full responsibility of raising my kid alone,” she said.
How parents in Singapore make it work
Chloe Neo, a newly married 29-year-old allied educator, hopes to have three kids in the future — but admits that financial considerations do play a part.
“With the first child, it may not be so worrying,” she said.
“But when it’s three kids, then I might want to quit my job to take care of them full-time. But this will mean less income and more expenses.”
While Ms Neo and her husband are not overly anxious, she did point out that resale housing was a big upfront cost, and that government housing rules like the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) can complicate long-term family planning.
Despite the pressures, many young parents said they’re doing what they can with what they have.
Some take practical steps like delaying enrichment classes, relying on grandparents, or opting for hand-me-downs to keep costs down.
“We prioritise must-haves over nice-to-haves,” Ms Caroline said.
PM Wong: Government will “do more” to support young families
Earlier in March, Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong addressed these concerns during a visit to Sengkang.
He acknowledged that “it is not easy being a young parent” today and said the Government is committed to “doing more to support families”.
Source: Lawrence Wong on Facebook
Some changes are already underway. The recent Budget 2024 introduced enhancements to the Baby Bonus scheme, more childcare subsidies, and support for housing and parental leave.
But parents say more can still be done — from free childbirth, to flexible work arrangements, and making benefits more inclusive.
Still, some say it also boils down to mindset.
As Ms Tan puts it: “It’s up to you how much you want to spend for your child and how kiasu you are.”
Meanwhile, parents like Ms Leow reflected that if she could have done something differently before having two kids, she would have saved some starting funds aside for having children, “like how some save for their marriage”.
However, sometimes being a young parent means just taking things as they come without overthinking too much.
“I believe that every child is a blessing and if it comes it comes,” said a parent who did not want to be named.
She mentioned that planning too hard for finances may have resulted in her “never finding time to settle down and have a kid”.
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Featured image adapted from MS News.
