Fee benchmarks 2025-26
What preschools really cost, city by city
Annual tuition ranges for 15 cities, split into budget, mid-range, and premium bands. Indicative figures gathered from parents and published fee cards, not from school brochures.
Fee cards collected June to August 2026, last reviewed September 2026
Method: each band is the annual tuition range we saw on fee cards parents sent us and on fee pages schools publish themselves, for that city only, tuition alone and no other charges.
Before you compare: the quoted fee is never the full fee
The monthly number a school quotes on the phone usually covers tuition only. On top of that, most schools charge a one-time admission or registration fee (often non-refundable), a yearly kit charge for books and craft material, uniform costs, and transport if you use the school van. A school quoting ₹8,000 a month can cross ₹1.3 lakh a year once everything is added. Always ask for the all-inclusive annual figure in writing, then compare against the bands below.
| City | Fee band | Monthly (equivalent) | Annual tuition | Typical one-time admission fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Budget | ₹2,500 to ₹5,000 | ₹30,000 to ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹5,000 to ₹9,200 | ₹60,000 to ₹1,10,000 | ₹18,000 | |
| Premium | ₹9,200 to ₹16,700 | ₹1,10,000 to ₹2,00,000 | ₹30,000 | |
| Bengaluru | Budget | ₹4,200 to ₹7,500 | ₹50,000 to ₹90,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 | ₹90,000 to ₹1,80,000 | ₹30,000 | |
| Premium | ₹15,000 to ₹29,200 | ₹1,80,000 to ₹3,50,000 | ₹60,000 | |
| Chandigarh | Budget | ₹2,500 to ₹5,000 | ₹30,000 to ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹5,000 to ₹9,200 | ₹60,000 to ₹1,10,000 | ₹18,000 | |
| Premium | ₹9,200 to ₹16,700 | ₹1,10,000 to ₹2,00,000 | ₹30,000 | |
| Chennai | Budget | ₹2,900 to ₹5,800 | ₹35,000 to ₹70,000 | ₹12,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹5,800 to ₹10,800 | ₹70,000 to ₹1,30,000 | ₹20,000 | |
| Premium | ₹10,800 to ₹20,800 | ₹1,30,000 to ₹2,50,000 | ₹40,000 | |
| Delhi | Budget | ₹3,300 to ₹6,700 | ₹40,000 to ₹80,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹6,700 to ₹13,300 | ₹80,000 to ₹1,60,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Premium | ₹13,300 to ₹25,000 | ₹1,60,000 to ₹3,00,000 | ₹50,000 | |
| Gurugram | Budget | ₹4,200 to ₹7,500 | ₹50,000 to ₹90,000 | ₹20,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹8,300 to ₹15,000 | ₹1,00,000 to ₹1,80,000 | ₹30,000 | |
| Premium | ₹15,000 to ₹29,200 | ₹1,80,000 to ₹3,50,000 | ₹60,000 | |
| Hyderabad | Budget | ₹3,300 to ₹6,700 | ₹40,000 to ₹80,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹6,700 to ₹12,500 | ₹80,000 to ₹1,50,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Premium | ₹12,500 to ₹23,300 | ₹1,50,000 to ₹2,80,000 | ₹50,000 | |
| Indore | Budget | ₹2,100 to ₹4,200 | ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 | ₹8,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹4,200 to ₹7,100 | ₹50,000 to ₹85,000 | ₹12,000 | |
| Premium | ₹7,100 to ₹12,500 | ₹85,000 to ₹1,50,000 | ₹20,000 | |
| Jaipur | Budget | ₹2,100 to ₹4,200 | ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 | ₹8,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹4,200 to ₹7,500 | ₹50,000 to ₹90,000 | ₹15,000 | |
| Premium | ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 | ₹90,000 to ₹1,80,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Kochi | Budget | ₹2,100 to ₹4,600 | ₹25,000 to ₹55,000 | ₹8,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹4,600 to ₹8,300 | ₹55,000 to ₹1,00,000 | ₹15,000 | |
| Premium | ₹8,300 to ₹15,000 | ₹1,00,000 to ₹1,80,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Kolkata | Budget | ₹2,500 to ₹5,000 | ₹30,000 to ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 | ₹60,000 to ₹1,20,000 | ₹20,000 | |
| Premium | ₹10,000 to ₹18,300 | ₹1,20,000 to ₹2,20,000 | ₹35,000 | |
| Lucknow | Budget | ₹2,100 to ₹4,200 | ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 | ₹8,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹4,200 to ₹7,500 | ₹50,000 to ₹90,000 | ₹15,000 | |
| Premium | ₹7,500 to ₹13,300 | ₹90,000 to ₹1,60,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Mumbai | Budget | ₹4,200 to ₹8,300 | ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 | ₹20,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹8,300 to ₹16,700 | ₹1,00,000 to ₹2,00,000 | ₹35,000 | |
| Premium | ₹16,700 to ₹33,300 | ₹2,00,000 to ₹4,00,000 | ₹75,000 | |
| Noida | Budget | ₹3,300 to ₹6,700 | ₹40,000 to ₹80,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹6,700 to ₹12,500 | ₹80,000 to ₹1,50,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Premium | ₹12,500 to ₹23,300 | ₹1,50,000 to ₹2,80,000 | ₹45,000 | |
| Pune | Budget | ₹3,300 to ₹6,300 | ₹40,000 to ₹75,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹6,300 to ₹11,700 | ₹75,000 to ₹1,40,000 | ₹25,000 | |
| Premium | ₹11,700 to ₹20,800 | ₹1,40,000 to ₹2,50,000 | ₹40,000 |
Source: Preschools.club fee benchmarks for the 2025-26 academic year, compiled from parent reports and published school fee cards across 15 cities. Tuition only; admission, kit, uniform and transport charges are extra. Free to quote with a credit and a link to this page.
What moves the number inside each city
- Ahmedabad
- SG Highway and Bopal-South Bopal are the growth belt for premium chains; older city areas stay budget-friendly.
- Bengaluru
- The ORR tech belt and Indiranagar-Koramangala core carry a 30 to 60 percent locality premium. Deep supply keeps negotiation alive.
- Chandigarh
- Sector-wise variation is small by big-city standards. Panchkula and Mohali track slightly below Chandigarh proper.
- Chennai
- June academic start. Adyar, Anna Nagar and OMR corridors sit at the top of the range.
- Delhi
- South and Central Delhi run 30 to 50 percent above outer localities. K-12 attached nurseries follow the DoE cycle.
- Gurugram
- Golf Course Road and sectors 40 to 60 are the premium belt. Daycare hybrids are the norm for the corporate crowd.
- Hyderabad
- Gachibowli, Kondapur and Jubilee Hills lead; the old city and outer rings are far gentler on the wallet.
- Indore
- Vijay Nagar and the AB Road corridor carry the premium outlets; strong value across the rest of the city.
- Jaipur
- C-Scheme, Vaishali Nagar and Malviya Nagar lead the market; most of the city sits comfortably in the budget-to-mid band.
- Kochi
- June academic start. Kakkanad and Panampilly Nagar lead; Kerala's strong anganwadi network keeps budget options plentiful.
- Kolkata
- Among the most affordable metros. Salt Lake, New Town and the EM Bypass belt carry the premium tags.
- Lucknow
- Gomti Nagar is the premium pocket. National chains have expanded fast, keeping mid-tier prices competitive.
- Mumbai
- Town-side and Bandra to Juhu are the priciest preschool real estate in India. Navi Mumbai and the far western suburbs are gentler.
- Noida
- Sectors along the expressway and Noida Extension differ sharply. Greater Noida runs 15 to 25 percent cheaper.
- Pune
- Koregaon Park, Kalyani Nagar and Baner top the range; older city localities stay moderate.
How to read these numbers
Bands are indicative for the 2025-26 academic year and vary by locality within a city; the same franchise brand can differ by ₹50,000 a year between two pin codes. Fees do not map neatly to quality: teacher stability and adult-to-child ratio matter more than the lobby.
Go deeper
Read our full fees explainer, browse the parent Q&A, or search the preschool and daycare search engine for schools near you.