Just started babysitting and not sure what to charge? Or maybe you’ve been at it for a while and want to know if your rate is fair? In Canada, the average hourly rate requested by babysitters in 2025 is around $18.35, according to Sitly’s recent data based on the rates set by the over 94,000 babysitters registered on the platform across the country.

But this is only an average: the actual pay can vary widely depending on your city, your experience, the number of children you care for, and the type of responsibilities involved. Babysitting rates in Canada can range from under $15.00 to more than $25.00 per hour, influenced by key factors such as your age, childcare experience, first-aid certifications, the children’s ages, and especially your location.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to understand how much to charge as a babysitter, how to calculate your babysitting rate, and when it’s reasonable to ask for a higher wage.

How Much Does a Babysitter Earn per Hour?

As mentioned earlier, the average hourly rate for a babysitter in Canada is $18.35, according to Sitly data. Of course, this is only an average, and your rate may be higher or lower depending on your situation.

A good starting point for calculating your rate is the legal minimum wage set by your province or territory. These minimums give you a concrete reference point to avoid undervaluing your work. Beyond that, several personal and practical factors matter: the city where you work, your skills, the children’s age and number, the time of day (daytime or evening), and the type of work arrangement you have with the family. Let’s look at what the law says.

Babysitter Rates and the Legal Minimum Wage in Canada

When setting your rate, it’s important to consider the legal minimum wage in your province or territory. In Canada, minimum wage rules for domestic workers — including babysitters — are determined at the provincial level, and not every province includes casual babysitting under employment standards legislation. In the following provinces and territories, babysitters are covered by minimum wage laws, meaning their pay cannot legally fall below the local minimum wage:

Minimum wage for Babysitting by Province in Canada

These rates represent the legal minimum wage for domestic workers, including babysitters, when they are formally employed. However, real babysitter rates are often higher and influenced by experience, location, age of the children, and availability.

In some provinces and territories — such as Québec, New Brunswick, Nunavut, and Northwest Territories — casual babysitting is not always covered by employment standards legislation, especially when the work involves only occasional, in-home childcare without additional household duties. This means that in those regions, families and babysitters can negotiate pay more freely, and there is no legal obligation to match the provincial minimum wage.

Nanny Salary in Canada

The pay for nannies tends to be higher than that of occasional babysitters. While babysitting is often part-time or informal, nannies typically work regular schedules, take on broader responsibilities, and support children throughout the day with meals, routines, and educational activities. For this reason, a full-time nanny salary in Canada can be anywhere between $2,800 and $4,000 per month, depending on location, experience, and whether you have specialized training.

Hourly Babysitter Pay in Major Canadian Cities

The minimum wage information is useful because it gives you a baseline for understanding what a fair babysitting rate looks like. However, the actual amount you earn is always agreed upon between the family and the babysitter and depends on many different factors.

One of the most important factors is where you work: babysitting rates can vary significantly from city to city. For example, a babysitter in Vancouver earns on average more than one in Winnipeg, but of course everything depends on the type of work. If you care for two young children in Winnipeg or have a lot of experience, you might earn more than a beginner babysitter in Vancouver.

Take a look at the image below to see how much babysitters earn in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Québec. This can help you understand where your own rate fits.

Infographic: How Much Babysitters Earn in Canada

Calculating Babysitter Pay

Beyond where you work, there are many other factors that can increase how much you earn as a babysitter: your experience, qualifications, the number of children you look after, and any extra tasks the family asks you to do. All of these influence your final pay and your hourly babysitting rate.

The infographic below helps you calculate a realistic hourly rate based on the work you do for the family.

Infographic: How to Calculate Babysitter Pay

How Much Does an Experienced or Qualified Babysitter Earn

If you’ve been working with children for years or have specific training (such as early childhood education, childcare assistant certifications, or first aid), you can charge more than the basic rates. Families are generally willing to pay higher wages when they see professionalism, confidence, and strong childcare skills.

How Much Does a Babysitter Earn per Hour for Two Children

When you take care of two or more children, your hourly rate can increase by 10–20% compared to your base rate, depending on the level of effort required. Caring for two young siblings, for example, requires more attention and energy than looking after one older child. And if the children have very different ages, managing their needs and finding suitable activities for both can be even more challenging.

Hourly Pay for Babysitters Who Do Light Household Tasks

Tidying up the playroom, preparing a child’s lunch, washing the dishes used by the children, or folding their clothes are considered part of your babysitting duties.
However, if the family asks you to help with additional household tasks (such as folding the family’s laundry, dusting, or vacuuming), these are extra responsibilities that should be paid separately.

Babysitter Rates When Using Your Own Car

Many babysitters pick up children from school, drive them to swimming lessons or dance class, and take them back home. If you use your own car for these trips, you can agree on a weekly or monthly reimbursement with the family to cover gas and travel costs.

How Much Does a Babysitter Earn in the Evening or Overnight

Evening babysitting is usually paid a bit more, because working in the evening or at night involves less convenient hours. In general, for evening or overnight babysitting you can charge 10–20% more than your daytime rate. So if you normally earn $18 per hour, you can reasonably ask $20–$22 for evening hours — especially if you stay overnight or if you work past 10:00 p.m.

However, it also depends on the level of responsibility required. If you arrive when the children have already had dinner, go to bed shortly after, and sleep peacefully through the night, you might accept a slightly lower rate. But if the children are very young, wake up often, or need frequent attention during the night, it’s fair to ask for a higher wage.

Tip: Always agree in advance with the parents on safety arrangements for getting home at night. Will they drive you home? Will they pay for a taxi? Or walk you to your car? Your safety must always come first — and it should be a shared responsibility between you and the parents.

Babysitter Pay: Hourly Rate or Flat Fee?

Is it better to get paid by the hour or with a flat fee? It depends on the type of work you do for each family. For occasional jobs or when schedules change frequently, it’s better to agree on an hourly babysitting rate — you get paid only for the hours you actually work.

If instead you work regularly for one family, a fixed monthly fee can be convenient. In that case, it’s important to clearly define what is included in that monthly amount. For example:

• If the family doesn’t need you one day, do you still get paid?
  
• If something unexpected happens and they ask you to stay two extra hours, will those hours be paid separately?
  
• And what happens if you normally work on Tuesdays but there are five Tuesdays in a month?

Tip: Clarify these details in advance to avoid misunderstandings and maintain a calm, professional relationship with the family.

Last-Minute Babysitter Rate for Emergencies

What if the family calls you at the last minute because of an emergency? Maybe early in the morning because their child woke up with a fever. In most cases, you can ask for a higher rate (10–20% more) for last-minute requests.

It’s best to agree ahead of time on an “emergency rate” that applies whenever you’re asked to step in unexpectedly. This keeps everything clear and ensures your flexibility is fairly compensated.

How Much Does a Babysitter Earn per Month

A babysitter’s monthly income can vary greatly depending on the number of hours worked and their level of experience. A part-time babysitter, for example someone working around 20 hours per week, can earn between $1,400 and $1,800 per month.

If you work full-time and have qualifications or experience with infants or children with special needs, your monthly pay can exceed $2,400. Some nannies with broader responsibilities or who live with the family may earn even more, but in those cases the job is more formal, regulated by an employment contract and includes regular contributions and benefits.

How Much Does a Babysitter Earn per Day

If you work only on certain days — for example during school holidays or when parents travel for work — you can agree on a daily rate instead of an hourly one. The calculation is simple: multiply your hourly rate by the number of hours worked. An 8-hour day is typically worth between $150 and $200, but the amount may be higher if you look after very young children, prepare meals, or stay into the evening.

Tip: Be clear with the family about your schedule, what tasks you will handle during the day, and how extra hours will be paid if you need to stay longer due to an unexpected change.

How to Set Your Babysitting Rate

To determine your hourly rate, you need to consider several factors:

• your qualifications and experience
  
• the number and ages of the children
  
• the average rate in your area
  
• the time of day you work (daytime or evening)
  
• the responsibilities the family expects you to take on
  

Once you’ve identified the rate that feels right for you, the next step is to discuss it openly with the family. It might feel a little awkward at first, but being clear about pay from the beginning is the best way to avoid misunderstandings and start the working relationship on the right foot.

A good approach is to come prepared: research the rates in your area and explain calmly during the conversation why your rate makes sense — for example based on the children’s ages, the schedule, or any extra tasks. You can also ask the family what amount they had in mind. This makes the discussion more open and transparent, making it easier to reach a fair agreement that works for both sides. Need more tips? Read are blog on how to become a great babysitter.